Team Mitchell and Team Melksham have been selected for the 2026 Marsh AFL National Futures Boys match at the MCG on Saturday.

The talent showcase will feature 46 of the country’s most talented under-17 footballers, commencing from 9:35am AEST as a curtain-raiser to the 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final between Fremantle and the Brisbane Lions.

As is tradition, the teams for the Marsh AFL National Futures Boys match have been named after two recently retired AFL stars.

This year’s team names recognise 2018 Brownlow medalist and 2023 Collingwood premiership player Tom Mitchell and Melbourne life member and 255-gamer Jake Melksham.

All players selected for the Futures program are born in 2009 and are eligible to be selected in the 2027 Telstra AFL Draft, unless pre-signed by the Tasmania Football Club.

The squad features representatives from every state and territory across Australia, with players nominated for the programs by state talent managers, national selectors and AFL club recruiters.

The original squad was announced in August, with several changes made due to injuries.

Victorian trio Zane Adams, Moustafa Darwish and Oliver Bond, South Australian Josh Jarrad and Tasmanian Max Gulliver have all been included to replace Cooper French, Nate Jenkins, Zemes Pilot, Brynley Ryan, Louis Salopek and Tom Steinfort

The Marsh AFL National Futures match will assist the selection process for the 2027 Marsh AFL National Academy Boys program. Players who don’t take part in Saturday’s match will still be eligible to be selected for the National Academy.

The two teams will train at the NEC Hangar on Friday morning, before taking part in a range of football and team bonding activities throughout the afternoon.

Melksham and Mitchell will address their respective teams on Friday evening ahead of Saturday’s showcase match.

Team Melksham will be coached by Tasmania Devils boys coach Scott Moore, with retired star and AFL National Next Generation Academy Manager Chad Wingard, James Gellie and Rob Harding to also serve on the coaching panel.

Gippsland Power premiership coach Kris Pendlebury will coach Team Mitchell, with assistants to include Adelaide Crows triple-premiership star Chelsea Randall, Trent Goodrem and Sam Mainwaring.

2026 MARSH AFL NATIONAL FUTURES BOYS MATCH

Team Mitchell vs Team Melksham
Saturday, September 26
9:35am AEST
MCG

BROADCAST

The 2026 Marsh AFL National Futures Boys match will be broadcast live and free on the AFL website and AFL Live Official App.

MEDIA

Media who wish to attend the 2026 Marsh AFL National Futures Boys match are required to have 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final accreditation.

TEAM MELKSHAM

Uniform: White jumpers with blue shorts

#

PLAYER

STATE

CLUBS

1

Angus Brown

VIC M

Sandringham Dragons/Caulfield Bears

2

Laurence Andriani

SA

West Adelaide/SMOSH West Lakes

3

Max Holden

QLD

Brisbane Lions Academy/Maroochydore

4

Jett Flower

VIC M

Eastern Ranges/Wantirna South

5

Taj Murray

QLD

Gold Coast Suns Academy/Burleigh

6

Charlie Fischer

VIC C

Gippsland Power/Phillip Island

7

Charlie McClennan

NSW/ACT

Sydney Swans Academy/Manly Bombers

8

Tony Marrone

SA

Central/District Virginia

9

James Artemis

WA

East Fremantle/Hammond Park

10

Benji Russell

TAS

Tasmania Devils/Lauderdale

11

Harper McCullough

VIC M

Oakleigh Chargers/Beaconsfield

12

Gary Lawford

NT

Northern Territory Academy/Oakleigh Chargers

14

Oscar Henwood

VIC C

Gippsland Power/Nar Nar Goon

15

Griffin Barker

VIC M

Western Jets/Yarraville Seddon Eagles

16

Riley Stratford

VIC M

Sandringham Dragons/Hampton Rovers

17

Fynn Tomasini

WA

Perth/Belmont

18

Toby Hellessey

VIC C

GWV Rebels/Warrnambool

19

Harvey Chapman

SA

Sturt/Goodwood Saints

20

Zane Adams

VIC M

Oakleigh Chargers/Blackburn

21

Jake Miller

VIC M

Western Jets/Yarraville Seddon Eagles

27

Jed Corbett

NSW/ACT

GWS Giants Academy/Ganmain Grong Grong Matong

28

Cohen Dent

VIC C

Gippsland Power/Warragul Industrials

29

Baden Smith

NSW/ACT

GWS Giants Academy/Queanbeyan

Head coach: Scott Moore
Assistant coaches: James Gellie, Rob Harding and Chad Wingard

TEAM MITCHELL

Uniform: Green and blue jumper with green shorts

#

PLAYER

STATE

CLUBS

2

Max Thompson

VIC C

Bendigo Pioneers/Nyah Nyah West United

3

Koby Bewick

VIC M

Calder Cannons/Strathmore

4

Max Gulliver

TAS

Tasmania Devils/Glenorchy

5

Moustafa Darwish

VIC M

Calder Cannons/Craigieburn

6

Tevita Rodan

VIC M

Calder Cannons/Aberfeldie

7

Jake Beams

TAS

Tasmania Devils/Glenorchy

8

Campbell Rooks

VIC M

Northern Knights/Montmorency

9

Baxter Sruk

VIC M

Eastern Ranges/Rowville

10

Campbell Creyk

WA

West Perth/North Beach

11

Kai Ivins

SA

Norwood/Payneham Norwood Union

12

Leo Stephenson

VIC C

Gippsland Power/Maffra

13

Taj Garrett

SA

Sturt/Imperial

14

Percy Burgoyne

SA

West Adelaide/Henley

15

Jackson Bridge

QLD

Brisbane Lions Academy/Sherwood

16

Rafe Williamson

WA

West Perth/Ocean Ridge

17

Oliver Bond

VIC M

Oakleigh Chargers/Hawthorn Citizens

18

Archie Bakoulas

VIC M

Sandringham Dragons/East Brighton

19

Maxim Collins

WA

West Perth/North Beach

20

Hugo Timms

NT

Northern Territory Academy/Oakleigh Chargers

21

Coen Hardy

NSW/ACT

Sydney Swans Academy/Miranda Bombers

22

Henry Allsop

VIC C

Gippsland Power/Warragul

23

Josh Jarrad

SA

Glenelg/Brighton Districts & Old Scholars

27

Axel Walsh

WA

East Perth/Mt Lawley Inglewood

Head coach: Kris Pendlebury
Assistant coaches: Trent Goodrem, Sam Mainwaring and Chelsea Randall