OUR ULTIMATE guide brings you everything you need to know ahead of the 2026 Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships.
What is it?
The Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships is as annual series of games that showcases the best school-age players in the country.
It involves five teams based on state lines: Western Australia, South Australia, Vic Metro (players from metropolitan Melbourne), Vic Country (players from regional Victoria) and the Allies (a combined team of players from Queensland, NSW, ACT, Tasmania and Northern Territory).
Why is it important?
The national championships is a chance for young players to test themselves against their peers and impress club recruiters ahead of the Telstra AFL Draft later in the year.
Players who impress at the national champs are normally picked up early in the draft and are increasingly making an impact early in their debut AFL season the following year.
Last year, the U18 All-Australian side featured the likes of Harry Dean, Willem Duursma, Dyson Sharp, Sam Cumming and Cooper Duff-Tytler, who have all made an impact at AFL level this season.
The championships are not restricted just to those eligible for the draft this year, who were born in 2008. Players born after that year can also take part in the championships if selected.
How does it work?
The five teams will play each other once in a round-robin series, with the team at the top of the standings at the end of the championships declared the winner.
How to watch
The only place to watch every match of the 2026 Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships will on the AFL.com.au and AFL Live Official App. All 10 games will be live streamed in our match centre, and there will also be live scores and stats, player highlights and a full match report from each game.
The fixture
The full fixture can be found in the AFL.com.au match centre
Sun 14 June: Victoria Country v Allies, Blacktown ISP, 12:45pm
Sat 20 June: Western Australia v Victoria Metro, Joondalup Arena, 10.15am
Sun 21 June: South Australia v Allies, Alberton Oval, 1:00pm
Sun 28 June: Victoria Metro v Allies, TBA (Melbourne), TBA
Fri 3 July: Victoria Metro v South Australia, Marvel Stadium, TBA
Fri 3 July: Victoria Country v Western Australia, Marvel Stadium, TBA
Wed 8 July: Victoria Country v South Australia, TBA (Melbourne), TBA
Wed 8 July: Allies v Western Australia, TBA (Melbourne), TBA
Sun 19 July: Victoria Country v Victoria Metro, TBA (Melbourne), TBA
(all times local)
Players to watch out for
Plenty of eyes this year will be on young Vic Country star Cody Walker, the son of Carlton 200-gamer Andrew. Walker is tied to the Blues as a father-son and has long been floated as a potential No.1 pick in this year's Telstra AFL Draft, so there will be plenty of interest in his games.
Another in the race to be the No.1 pick unfortunately won't take part, with South Australia's Dougie Cochrane - the son of former North Melbourne and Port Adelaide player Stuart - absent after having knee surgery earlier this year. Cochrane is tied to the Power through their Next Generation Academy and while he's been named in the SA squad, he's set to miss the championships.
Along with Walker and Cochrane, others tipped to go high in November's Telstra AFL Draft are young Vic Metro tall Harry Van Hattum, South Australia ruck Ethan Herbert, Vic Metro midfielder Arki Butler and versatile Western Australian Heath Mellody.
Individual honours
In addition to team success, individual accolades are also on offer.
The best player of the championships will be awarded the Larke Medal, with previous winners including the likes of Christian Petracca, Sam Walsh, Will Ashcroft, Ryley Sanders and Lachie Whitfield.
An All-Australian side of the best players of the championships will also be selected.
The squads
Allies
1 - Sonny Smiler (Northern Territory Academy), 2 - Brynley Ryan (GWS Giants Academy), 3 - Cooper French (GWS Giants Academy), 4 - Guy Jinks (Sydney Swans Academy), 5 - Lachie Price (Sydney Swans Academy), 6 - Jake Beams (Tasmania Devils), 7 - Archie Devine (Tasmania Devils), 10 - Archie Hill (Gold Coast Suns Academy), 12 - Cooper Lodge (Brisbane Lions Academy), 14 - Caylen Murray (Brisbane Lions Academy), 15 - Matthew Owen (Brisbane Lions Academy), 16 - Archie Watts (Brisbane Lions Academy), 17 - Henry Meaney (Sydney Swans Academy), 18 - Ben Barnard (Northern Territory Academy), 19 - Jackson Bridge (Brisbane Lions Academy), 20 - Ben Pignatelli (Sydney Swans Academy), 21 - Jake Medwed (Sydney Swans Academy), 22 - Hugo Timms (Northern Territory Academy), 23 - Ethan Matthews (GWS Giants Academy), 24 - Charlie Bovill (Tasmania Devils), 25 - Will Morahan (Sydney Swans Academy), 26 - Mason McGroder (Sydney Swans Academy), 27 - Reece Thompson (Brisbane Lions Academy), 28 - Coen Hady (Sydney Swans Academy), 29 - Taj Murray (Northern Territory Academy), 30 - Jonah Harris (Gold Coast Suns Academy), 31 - Aiden McCarthey (Sydney Swans Academy)
South Australia
1 - Josh Bell (West Adelaide), 2 - Laurence Andriani (West Adelaide), 3 - Blake Karpany (Woodville-West Torrens), 4 - Jacob McNicol (Glenelg), 5 - Sam Tassone (North Adelaide), 6 - Jake Eime (Central District), 7 - Zacky Young (North Adelaide), 8 - Lachie Werts (Sturt), 9 - Dean Hatedakis (West Adelaide), 10 - Kai Ivins (Norwood), 11 - Jack Leys (Woodville-West Torrens), 12 - Gabe Patterson (Glenelg), 14 - Cain Florance (South Adelaide), 15 - Kodah Edwards (South Adelaide), 16 - Taj Garrett (Sturt), 17 - Hudson Boal (South Adelaide), 18 - Harvey Croker (Glenelg), 19 - Memphis Webb (North Adelaide), 20 - Ben Copping (Glenelg), 21 - Jack Nelson (Sturt), 22 - Jack Gordon (Central District), 23 - Hugo Jaeschke (Sturt), 25 - Anthony Long (West Adelaide), 26 - Thomas Gribben (Norwood), 27 - Archie Van Dyk (South Adelaide), 28 - Kale Matthews-Hampton (Sturt), 30 - Harvey Chapman (Sturt), 31 - Charlie Bradford (West Adelaide), 32 - Dougie Cochrane (Central District), 34 - Jack Slattery (Woodville-West Torrens), 35 - Kai Edwards (Glenelg), 36 - Harry Franz (Glenelg), 38 - Mitch Harris (Woodville-West Torrens), 39 - Ethan Herbert (North Adelaide), 41 - Jobe Janeway (Glenelg), 43 - Lincoln Pitt (West Adelaide)
Vic Country
1 - Cody Walker (Bendigo Pioneers), 2 - Tanner Armstrong (Murray Bushrangers), 3 - Gus Kennedy (Dandenong Stingrays), 4 - Ethan Drever (GWV Rebels), 5 - Noah Williams (Geelong Falcons), 6 - Marlon Neocleous (Gippsland Power), 7 - Max Thompson (Bendigo Pioneers), 8 - Wil Antrobus (Dandenong Stingrays), 9 - Wil Malady (Gippsland Power), 10 - Cody Templeton (Gippsland Power), 11 - Jackson Phillips (Dandenong Stingrays), 12 - Charlie Hanegraaf (Geelong Falcons), 13 - Levi Macumber (Gippsland Power), 14 - Archie Elliott (GWV Rebels), 15 - Cooper White (Dandenong Stingrays), 16 - Oscar Henwood (Gippsland Power), 17 - Keenan Boi (Gippsland Power), 18 - Ned Badrock (Geelong Falcons), 19 - Darcy Szerszyn (Dandenong Stingrays), 20 - Andrio Sousa (Dandenong Stingrays), 22 - Klay Nicholls (GWV Rebels), 24 - Darcy Harrington (Geelong Falcons), 26 - Leo Ellerton (GWV Rebels), 27 - Eamon Austin (Bendigo Pioneers), 31 - Jack Pickett (Geelong Falcons), 33 - Xavier Ladbrook (Gippsland Power), 34 - Clancy Snell (Gippsland Power), 35 - Jett Elek (Geelong Falcons), 36 - Nate Mensch (Geelong Falcons), 37 - Jackson O'Brien (GWV Rebels), 38 - Cohen Dent (Gippsland Power)
Vic Metro
1 - George Dimer (Sandringham Dragons), 2 - Harper McCulloch (Oakleigh Chargers), 3 - Harvie Cooke (Northern Knights), 4 - Khaled El Souki (Western Jets), 5 - Koby Bewick (Calder Cannons), 6 - Jordan Knapp (Eastern Ranges), 7 - Toby Krasna (Northern Knights), 8 - Sam Harris (Calder Cannons), 9 - Gus Teixeira (Sandringham Dragons), 10 - Max Downes (Northern Knights), 11 - Tevita Rodan (Calder Cannons), 12 - Archie Spencer (Eastern Ranges), 13 - Lachie Burrows (Sandringham Dragons), 14 - Zac Antonellos (Eastern Ranges), 15 - Jett Flower (Eastern Ranges), 16 - Lachie Hicks (Western Jets), 17 - Arki Butler (Sandringham Dragons), 18 - Albert Macgowan (Sandringham Dragons), 19 - Kai Parker (Northern Knights), 20 - Billy Wigmore (Western Jets), 21 - Sam Devers (Eastern Ranges), 22 - Nic Staropoli (Calder Cannons), 23 - Blake Justice (Calder Cannons), 24 - Harrison Chapman (Eastern Ranges), 25 - Archie Fogarty (Oakleigh Chargers), 26 - Henry Thomas (Sandringham Dragons), 27 - Harrison Leeder (Northern Knights), 28 - Sam Gayfer (Northern Knights), 29 - Angus Tippet (Western Jets), 30 - Flynn Woolhouse (Oakleigh Chargers), 31 - Seb Marsic (Oakleigh Chargers), 32 - Jake Miller (Western Jets), 33 - Tyson Bradley (Sandringham Dragons), 34 - Lewis Houndsome (Northern Knights), 35 - Tate Hodgson (Northern Knights), 36 - Harry Van Hattum (Northern Knights), 37 - Nathaniel Jenkins (Calder Cannons), 38 - Macauli Buck (Western Jets), 39 - Angus Brown (Sandringham Dragons), 40 - Baxter Sruk (Eastern Ranges)
Western Australia
1 - Axel Walsh (East Perth), 3 - Benji Van Rooyen (Claremont), 4 - Cooper Ramsay (East Fremantle), 5 - Frazer Rickson (Subiaco), 6 - Mitchell Stirling (Peel Thunder), 7 - Byron Foster (South Fremantle), 8 - Hudson Graham (South Fremantle), 9 - Koby LeCras (West Perth), 10 - Harvey Spawton-Guy (West Perth), 11 - Conor Bushe-Jones (South Fremantle), 12 - Elijah Dennis (Claremont), 13 - Cody Lee (Perth), 14 - Maxim Collins (West Perth), 15 - Jacob Kee (Claremont), 16 - Ben Wood (East Fremantle), 17 - Noah Hannaford (East Fremantle), 19 - Oscar Richardson (East Fremantle), 20 - Fynn Tomasini (Perth), 21 - Heath Wilson (South Fremantle), 22 - Tom Brown (Claremont), 23 - George Gale (Claremont), 24 - Elijah Williams (Claremont), 25 - Lucas Robinson (South Fremantle), 26 - Garrison Kenh (East Perth), 27 - Marcus Motton (East Fremantle), 29 - Harper Banfield (Claremont), 30 - Rafe Williamson (West Perth), 32 - Sam O'Brien (Subiaco), 33 - Robert Farmer (Claremont), 34 - Lachlan Sheldrick (Claremont), 35 - Heath Mellody (Claremont), 36 - Campbell Creyk (West Perth), 37 - Noah Braun (Claremont), 38 - Sheldon Pickett (Swan Districts), 39 - Hunter Hearn (East Fremantle), 40 - James Artemis (East Fremantle), 42 - Ethan Turner (East Perth), 43 - Lachlan McGlade (East Perth), 44 - Leo Steed (Swan Districts), 45 - Cameron Maynard (South Fremantle), 47 - Jayden Clarke (Perth), 48 - Taj Allan (Swan Districts), 49 - Kyan Perera (Subiaco), 50 - Finlay Yeo (East Fremantle)
When are the other national championships?
The Marsh AFL National Under-18 Girls Championships, which will feature six teams who will play four matches each, will be played between June 22 and August 10.
The Marsh AFL National Development Under-16 Boys Championships will feature 10 teams and start on June 9. The championship will conclude with the final two rounds on the Gold Coast from July 14 to 18.