WEST Australian talent Heath Mellody has won the Larke Medal and been named the captain of the Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships All-Australian Team, which has been dominated by Vic Metro prospects.

Mellody has claimed the honour as the best player of the Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships after an excellent carnival with Western Australia, with his move into the midfield against Vic Country at Marvel Stadium a standout performance.

He was named in defence of the All-Australian team, which AFL.com.au can reveal, and clubs rate the silky kicker as a likely top-10 pick at November's draft.

The Claremont product follows the likes of Will Ashcroft, Sam Walsh, Christian Petracca, Harvey Langford and last year's winner Dyson Sharp as recipients of the medal.

Mellody is WA's first Larke Medal winner since Deven Robertson in 2019.

He was one of four West Australians picked in the team, alongside wingman George Gale, midfielder Leo Steed and ruckman Benji van Rooyen. 

Vic Metro's dominance across the carnival – a four-game unbeaten streak to win the title – was reflected in the All-Australian team with nearly half the side coming from the Metro group.

Top-five pick contenders Gus Teixeira, Arki Butler and Harry van Hattum were all selected from Metro, as were defenders Archie Spencer, Billy Wigmore and Tyson Bradley, midfielders Jordan Knapp and Albert Macgowan and forwards Jake Miller and Harvie Cooke.

Miller, who is in the sights of Tasmania as a 17-year-old later this year, was the only bottom-ager in the team. 

Cody Walker headlined the Vic Country inclusions as the starting centre in the team, with Ethan Drever and Clancy Snell the only other Country representatives after a disappointing carnival. 

South Australian spearhead Jack Slattery, who was overlooked in last year's draft, kicked 16 goals for the championships and was named full-forward, with fellow South Australian prospects Mitchell Harris (defender), Anthony Long (forward), Kodah Edwards and Jake Eime (interchange) also picked in the team, which has AFL talent staff and a handful of club recruiters as selectors. 

Brisbane Academy talent Caylen Murray, who is considered a possible first-round pick, was the only Allies member to be picked, with Ethan Matthews' foot injury, which restricted him to two games, keeping him out. 

Vic Metro coach Lauren Morecroft was named as the coach of the team.

2026 Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships All-Australian Team

B: Archie Spencer (Vic Metro), Mitchell Harris (South Australia), Billy Wigmore (Vic Metro)
HB: Caylen Murray (Allies), Tyson Bradley (Vic Metro), Heath Mellody (Western Australia) (C)
C: George Gale (Western Australia), Cody Walker (Vic Country), Jordan Knapp (Vic Metro)
HF: Gus Teixeira (Vic Metro), Jake Miller (Vic Metro), Harvie Cooke (Vic Metro)
F: Harry van Hattum (Vic Metro), Jack Slattery (South Australia), Anthony Long (South Australia)
Foll: Benji van Rooyen (Western Australia), Ethan Drever (Vic Country), Leo Steed (Western Australia)

I/C: Arki Butler (Vic Metro), Kodah Edwards (South Australia), Jake Eime (South Australia), Albert Macgowan (Vic Metro), Clancy Snell (Vic Country)