SA captain Lewis Rayson and WA captain Finn Gorringe shake hands ahead of the WA-SA clash on September 25, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

THE AFL has released the fixture dates and locations for the 2022 NAB AFL National Championships – U18 Boys and the 2022 NAB AFL National Development Championships – U16 Boys.

The NAB AFL National Championships and NAB AFL National Development Championships are the highest level of state and territory representative football, as part of the AFL’s Talent Pathway Program. The competitions will feature the most talented boys from across Australia who are the next generation of stars in the men’s game.  

Matches will be played across the country mostly throughout June and July, with the NAB AFL National Championships – U18 Boys concluding when Victoria Metro and Victoria Country clash on Friday 23 September in Melbourne, the AFL Grand Final eve public holiday.

In line with the 2022 NAB AFLW National Championships – Girls U18, which is underway and will continue throughout April, the program structure for the boys will, where possible, involve same day travel for teams rather than a multi-day carnival model, which has traditionally been the case for the U16 Boys, with the health and safety of all involved the top priority. 

AFL Head of Talent Pathways, Grant Williams, said: “NAB AFL National Championships matches are the highest standard of representative state and territory football for aspiring talent across Australia and we look forward to seeing the best boys in the country compete against each other.

“Some of the boys in these age groups have missed out on a lot over the past two years and we are very excited about and committed to delivering a full program of NAB AFL National Championships matches in 2022.”

The first match of the 2022 NAB AFL National Development Championships – U16 Boys will be played on Saturday 11 June, when Victoria Country and Victoria Metro meet.

The 2022 NAB AFL National Championships – U18 Boys will commence the following weekend, with South Australia to host the Allies at Thebarton Oval in Adelaide on Sunday 19 June.

Squads and coaches for all teams will be announced in the lead up to the matches. Live streaming and broadcast details will be confirmed closer to the Championships. 

Some match venues and start times are still to be finalised but dates and locations are confirmed. 

2022 NAB AFL National Development Championships - U16 Boys
Teams: Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro, Sydney Swans, Tasmania and Western Australia
  

DATE

MATCH UP

VENUE/TIME*

ROUND 1

 

 

Sat, Jun 11

Victoria Metro v Victoria Country

Ikon Park, 11.00am

Sat, Jun 18

GWS Giants v Sydney Swans

Blacktown Int. Sports Park, 12.30pm

Sun, Jun 26

South Australia v Western Australia

Thebarton Oval, 11.00am

Sun, Jun 26

Northern Territory v Tasmania

Highgate Rec. Reserve, 11:00am

Wed, Jun 29

Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions

Metricon Stadium Oval 2, 1:00pm

ROUND 2

 

 

Mon, Jul 4

Gold Coast Suns v GWS Giants

Metricon Stadium, 9.45am

Mon, Jul 4

Tasmania v Brisbane Lions

Metricon Stadium, 12.00pm

Mon, Jul 4

Northern Territory v Sydney Swans

Metricon Stadium, 2.15pm

Tue, Jul 5

Victoria Metro v South Australia

Metricon Stadium, 12.00pm

Tues, Jul 5

Victoria Country v Western Australia

Metricon Stadium, 2.30pm

ROUND 3

 

 

Fri, Jul 8

GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions

Canberra, 1:30pm

Sat, Jul 9

Northern Territory v Gold Coast Suns

Darwin, 12:00pm

Sat, Jul 9

Western Australia v Victoria Metro

Thebarton Oval, 10:00am

Sat, Jul 9

South Australia v Victoria Country

Thebarton Oval, 3:00pm

Sun, Jul 10

Tasmania v Sydney Swans

Twin Ovals Kingston, 12:00pm


*All times local. Match details subject to change.

2022 NAB AFL National Championships - U18 Boys
Teams: Allies (comprising New South Wales/ACT, Tasmania, Queensland and Northern Territory), South Australia, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro and Western Australia
  

DATE

MATCH UP

VENUE/TIME*

Sun, Jun 19

South Australia v Allies

Thebarton Oval, Adelaide, 1.30pm

Sat, Jun 25

Allies v Victoria Metro

Blacktown Int. Sports Park, 1.00pm

Sun, Jun 26

South Australia v Victoria Country

Thebarton Oval, Adelaide, 1.30pm

Sat, Jul 2

Victoria Metro v Western Australia

Ikon Park, 12.20pm

Sun, Jul 3

Allies v Victoria Country

Aspley, 11.30am

Sat, Jul 9

Allies v Western Australia

Thebarton Oval, 12.30pm

Sun, Jul 17

Victoria Metro v South Australia

GMHBA Stadium, Geelong, 10.17am

Sun, Jul 17

Victoria Country v Western Australia

GMHBA Stadium, Geelong, 12.45pm

Sun, Jul 24

Western Australia v South Australia

Perth, TBC

Thu, Sep 22/
Fri, Sep 23

Victoria Metro v Victoria Country

Melbourne, TBC


*All times local. Match details subject to change.