THIS year's draft class now gets its moment to shine.

Recruiters have been waiting for the Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships to get a full handle on how this year's crop is shaping up and this weekend sees the carnival kick off.

In a more condensed fixture than previous years, Western Australia hosts South Australia on Saturday and the Allies take on Vic Country on Sunday, beginning the month-long carnival of the best draft prospects in the country.

Ahead of that, here is AFL.com.au's list of 25 prospects to watch in the championships (in alphabetical order). 

Some players have not been listed as they deal with injuries, such as potential No.1 pick Dougie Cochrane, West Australian Koby LeCras and Tasmanian Hugh McCallum, who are all dealing with respective knee injuries, and the group is a mix of the best from the five teams competing – Vic Metro and Vic Country, South Australia, Western Australia and the Allies. 

Watch every game of the under-18 carnival live and exclusively on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. 

Will Antrobus

Position: Defender
Teams: Vic Country/Dandenong Stingrays
Height: 182cm
DOB: 18/4/08

Antrobus is one of the kicks of the draft. A steady, sure half-back, Antrobus' weapon is his left foot, which sees him set his team up from defence and break the lines. He had a huge game in round nine of the Stingrays' season with 36 disposals and 17 rebound 50s, and he has been the designated player to take the kick-ins given his polish. A good championships will see him elevate further up draft boards. Think Daniel Rich or Josh Hunt. 

Arki Butler

Position: Forward
Teams: Vic Metro/Sandringham Dragons
Height: 182cm
DOB: 23/4/08

One of the most watchable players in the draft pool. Butler is a small forward who can do some freakish things around goal and even on his quiet days he lifts and provides big moments. Has developed his running to do more up the ground but is most dangerous close to goal, where his finishing skills and class stand above most in this year's draft class. Has been touted as a top pick for some time. 

Harrison Chapman

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Vic Metro/Eastern Ranges
Height: 189cm
DOB: 6/1/08

Chapman has genuine zip – he can hit the accelerator and get moving and in a flash he's in space. Playing on the wing has looked his best spot with that athleticism and his size, and he recently had 28 disposals, six tackles and two clearances in a strong outing against Dandenong. He can be damaging with the ball in his hands and Vic Metro will be aiming to do that through the championships. 

Ethan Drever

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Vic Country/Greater Western Victoria Rebels
Height: 188cm
DOB: 10/7/08

Drever just always turns up and plays well. That's been the tall midfielder's performances this year, having averaged 29 disposals and six tackles a game for the Rebels. He is clean at ground level with his hands and one of the leading contested possession players in the Talent League, with his extra height giving him an advantage over other prospects. He had 23 disposals and nine marks in Sunday's trial game for Vic Country. 

Kodah Edwards

Position: Midfielder/forward
Teams: South Australia/South Adelaide
Height: 183cm
DOB: 25/7/08

Selected as captain of South Australia's team, Edwards is a genuine top-10 contender after a red-hot start to the season. The South Adelaide midfielder was also captain of SA's under-16s side two years ago, so has leadership traits in that program. He started this season at under-18s level with a bang, kicking four goals from 24 disposals and seven clearances against West Adelaide, and across six games at that level he's averaged 23 disposals and booted 13 goals. Has an edge that complements his forward-half smarts. 

George Gale

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Western Australia/Claremont
Height: 188cm
DOB: 6/9/08

Gale has been a prospect who has shone to start this season in Western Australia, averaging 31 disposals a game at colts level with Claremont. Gale plays with physicality and uses his size to crunch through contests as well as mark the ball overhead when he gets a chance, and played in Claremont's colts premiership last year. 

Sam Gayfer

Position: Key forward
Teams: Vic Metro/Northern Knights
Height: 194cm
DOB: 21/5/08

You might have seen a grab Gayfer took recently playing for the Northern Knights circulating online – it was a massive high mark against Gold Coast that showed his aerial ability. The bouncy tall forward plays with his chest out and competes. The nephew of Collingwood's Mick, Gayfer has been in strong form throughout the season with the Knights, booting 18 goals from seven games so far this year at Talent League level, including six in round seven against the Greater Western Victoria Rebels. 

Hudson Graham

Position: Key defender
Teams: Western Australia/South Fremantle
Height: 194cm
DOB: 28/5/08

Graham is probably the smokey in this group who could shift up the board if he gets going in the carnival for Western Australia. He has shown some exciting progress at stages this year as a 194cm tall defender who can also flip forward. He's a nice kick and also recently played on the wing in a Western Australia trial game. The son of Fremantle assistant coach and former Eagles ruckman Jaymie Graham. 

Mitch Harris

Position: Key defender
Teams: South Australia/Woodville-West Torrens
Height: 196cm
DOB: 1/7/08

A prospect who has bolted into top-20 considerations in the first half of this year after having some very big games playing as a key defender with the Eagles. Harris is aggressive in the air and takes on his opponents and has proven to be an intercept star in the back half. In round four against Sturt, Harris had his biggest game yet, having 24 disposals and taking 16 marks and he will play a big part in SA's backline through the carnival. 

Ethan Herbert

Position: Ruckman
Teams: South Australia/North Adelaide
Height: 200cm
DOB: 1/11/08

A big, roaming ruckman who can find disposals like a midfielder, Herbert took the eye at the start of North Adelaide's season when he had 28 disposals, 16 hitouts, seven clearances and nine inside 50s against Norwood. Some recruiters see Herbert settling into a key position post down the track but at this stage he's a ruck option for clubs and will play there for South Australia. 

Xavier Ladbrook

Position: Tall forward/defender
Teams: Vic Country/Gippsland Power
Height: 200cm
DOB: 1/11/08

Ladbrook does some things as a player his size that make you take notice. He can play at both ends of the ground and regularly has through this year, including being good for the AFL Academy against Richmond's VFL side in defence and then on Sunday for Vic Country being used as a key forward. He's still lean but has a good stretch in marking contests and can gather the ball at his toes and dispose of it quickly too so he isn't out of contests.  

Wil Malady

Position: Forward
Teams: Vic Country/Gippsland Power
Height: 190cm
DOB: 12/10/08

There's a stack of things Malady can do that others simply can't – he's a mobile third tall forward who is great overhead and his highlights package includes heaps of great grabs. He kicked a bag of six goals earlier this year for the Power and is a nice shot for goal whenever he gets an opportunity. He's rangy, which means he can be used in several spots around the ground, including the wing or through the midfield on occasion. 

Ethan Matthews

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Allies/GWS Academy
Height: 185cm
DOB: 4/9/08

Matthews heads into the championships as the most highly touted Allies prospect. The left-footed midfielder had a huge outing against Dandenong last month when he was best afield with 36 disposals, eight tackles and 2.3. Matthews is tied to the Giants Academy and comes out of the club's western region. 

Jake Medved

Position: Midfielder/defender
Teams: Allies/Sydney Academy
Height: 191cm
DOB: 2/6/08

Plucked from playing touch football last year in Sydney by Swans scout Tony Elshaug, who is at the club in an alternative talent recruiting position, to be a part of the club's Academy. Medved has played less than 10 games of football but already has caught the interest as a real player to watch with his size, speed, run and athleticism. Can play as a midfielder, third tall at either end of the ground or as a running defender, and a strong championships could see him push up the ranks. 

Heath Mellody

Position: Defender
Teams: Western Australia/Claremont
Height: 184cm
DOB: 27/7/08

A smooth mover from half-back and through the midfield, Mellody uses the ball nicely and is trusted to set up the game. He had 30 disposals, nine inside 50s, four clearances and kicked three goals in a Western Australia practice match late last month as preparations stepped up for the carnival. Mellody played in Claremont's colts premiership win last year and was a member of the AFL Academy as well. 

Marlon Neocleous

Position: Small forward
Teams: Vic Country/Gippsland Power
Height: 168cm
DOB: 26/2/08

The 'Nuke' got the late call-up to play for the Marsh AFL National Academy Boys squad earlier this year and did his chances no harm by seamlessly fitting in and being close to the Academy's best player in its second game against Richmond VFL. As a small forward he has good foot skills, he reads the game well and can also be a good mark on the lead for his size. He impressed on Grand Final day last year in the under-17 futures match by kicking three goals from 23 disposals. 

Gabe Patterson

Position: Forward
Teams: South Australia/Glenelg
Height: 184cm
DOB: 26/3/08

Another member of the Marsh AFL Academy, Patterson has been sidelined recently with a shoulder injury but returned for Glenelg's under-18 side last week. He showed some flashes of his forward line skills playing with the Academy, particularly against North Melbourne's VFL side, and he is capable of a high mark or clever goal. The son of former Magpie Stephen Patterson but is not eligible as a father-son. 

Jackson Phillips

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Vic Country/Dandenong Stingrays
Height: 182cm
DOB: 30/1/08

A modern midfielder in his running, athleticism, skills and ability to go forward. Phillips started the season in strong fashion with the Stingrays and had 20 disposals and two goals in round one of the Talent League and continuing in top form. He has averaged 23 disposals, five inside 50s, four tackles and a goal a game for the Stingrays, with his turn of pace and capacity to hit the scoreboard regularly on show. 

Lucas Robinson

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Western Australia/South Fremantle
Height: 191cm
DOB: 13/2/08

The Fremantle Next Generation Academy player has played all this season at senior WAFL level with South Fremantle and handled himself well. He has averaged 18 disposals a game at that level as well as kicking six goals in eight games, and he will take on responsibility of Western Australia's midfield group. He has clean hands at ground level and makes things happen at the stoppages.  

Clancy Snell

Position: Key defender
Teams: Vic Country/Gippsland Power
Height: 196cm
DOB: 21/6/08

Not much gets through the Snell shell when he's on. The intercepting key defender has been a big riser in the first half of this season and shown he could be a very early pick contender by November. He had a dominant performance against Brisbane's Academy in the Talent League last month that included 10 marks, seven of which were intercepts. A cousin of the Duursma family and a nephew of Australian basketballer Belinda Snell, the 196cm prospect is considered one of the best talls in this year's crop. 

Leo Steed

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Western Australia/Swan Districts
Height: 176cm
DOB: 7/3/08

A co-captain of WA heading into the championships after playing for the Swan Districts' senior team as a midfield-forward option. That's included a pair of two-goal games against Subiaco and West Coast, while also managing to average 13 disposals a game. Steed can move in and out of traffic to find the ball, he runs defensively well and he's damaging by foot.

Gus Teixeira

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Vic Metro/Sandringham Dragons
Height: 181cm
DOB: 29/3/08

Teixeira enters the championships considered one of the prominent midfielders in the draft group. His best game of the year so far came in a Vic Metro trial game, where he had 25 disposals, kicked two goals and was lively as a front-half player and he again did some exciting things in Sunday's Metro v Country trial match with 23 disposals and two goals. Teixeira can mark overhead and he also can turn on a swivel and make something happen around the ball. St Kilda requested Next Generation Access to Teixeira after the AFL changed its rules last year and included players from South American backgrounds – Teixeira's father is Brazilian – but it was knocked back.  

Harry Van Hattum

Position: Ruck
Teams: Vic Metro/Northern Knights
Height: 205cm
DOB: 1/7/08

Up and at 'em Van Hattum. There's been a couple of injury niggles for Van Hattum in the first half of the season, including a lower leg issue that's kept him out for the past couple of weeks, but the big, bustling and exciting ruckman is ready for the championships to take his moment to shine. He kicked two goals from 19 disposals and had 20 hitouts in the Knights' first game of the season and has continued to show he can go forward and also impact around the ground as a mobile big man. Is considered a real chance to be the first non-tied player picked at this year's draft. 

Cody Walker

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Vic Country/Bendigo Pioneers
Height: 184cm
DOB: 26/1/08

Walker has had plenty of eyes on him for some time as Carlton's father-son prospect and he has delivered. After showing he was too good for the level in the early rounds of the Talent League, the 18-year-old stepped up to play four VFL games with the Blues in preparation for Vic Country's carnival. The ball-getting midfielder acquitted himself very well, averaging 22 disposals and three clearances across four games and he was a standout for Country, who he will co-captain, in Sunday's trial with 26 disposals and six inside 50s. He has power and movement and can be damaging forward, too. 

Noah Williams

Position: Midfielder
Teams: Vic Country/Geelong Falcons
Height: 177cm
DOB: 22/1/08

The form of Williams this season has shown his consistency to be one of his key attributes. The smaller, dogged midfielder rarely plays a down game and it comes through in his competitiveness. Uses the ball calmly with his left foot kicking and has averaged 23 disposals in three games with the Falcons while also playing school football. Williams was named the AFL Academy's best player against North Melbourne's VFL side and is co-captain of Vic Country.