Alex Davies in action for the NAB AFL Academy in 2019. Picture: AFL Photos

TALENTED Gold Coast prospect Alex Davies will miss the under-18 Academy series after suffering an elbow injury.

The Academy series, which starts this weekend in Sydney and Queensland, had been scheduled to see northern clubs Sydney, Greater Western Sydney, Brisbane and Gold Coast play each other under a round-robin format.

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However, recent restrictions due to COVID-19 have meant the series will instead see the New South Wales and Queensland clubs play each other in consecutive weekends.

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The Swans and Giants Academy sides will face off in Wollongong on Saturday, and again next Sunday, while the Lions and Suns will play on Sunday at Brendale and next Sunday at Labrador.

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Davies will join the Suns this year with the club getting automatic access to the tall midfielder, who is viewed as a top-15 talent if not tied to the Academy.

The Suns won't have to match a bid for Davies under their list concessions from the AFL in what shapes as a draft bonus for the rising club.

Davies has an elbow ligament injury from two weeks ago that could see him miss another month of what has been an extremely disrupted season for draft prospects.

Gun Swans Academy pair Braeden Campbell and Errol Gulden will feature for the Swans in the Academy series, which in recent years has been played as part of the NAB League but has been stripped out of that competition after its cancellation due to the second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria.

Academy series fixture

Saturday, August 8
GWS v Sydney, Wollongong

Sunday, August 9
Brisbane v Gold Coast, Brendale

Sunday, August 16
Gold Coast v Brisbane, Labradora
Sydney v GWS, Wollongong