LIKELY early draft pick Elijah Tsatas faces a stint on the sidelines after suffering a foot injury.

Tsatas played out the game for the NAB AFL Academy on Saturday against Collingwood's VFL side but pulled up sore with confirmation he had a small fracture in his foot and is expected to be out for six weeks.

It means the Oakleigh Chargers midfielder, who is among the three leading candidates for the No.1 pick at the halfway point of the season, will likely miss the start of Vic Metro's under-18 championships against the Allies on June 25.

Vic Metro's next game comes against Western Australia the following week on July 2.

Oakleigh talent boss Jy Bond said Tsatas would set himself for a strong return from the setback.

"We're really confident he'll get back and play some good footy at the end of the year and Elijah is upbeat and confident he will be able to do that as well," Bond said.

"Our medical staff are fantastic and it's good we picked it up now."

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Tsatas started the NAB League season as one of the competition's standouts, averaging 33 disposals and six clearances in the first four rounds of the season to display his speed, run and carry and enhanced contested work.

It included a huge 42-disposal and nine-clearance game against the Eastern Ranges, with the 186cm prospect being viewed as a likely early pick for some time.

Fellow Oakleigh Chargers midfielder George Wardlaw and Sandringham Dragons ball-getter Will Ashcroft are seen as the other two main contenders for the No.1 pick this year.

Wardlaw was named best afield for the Academy last week with 18 disposals and eight tackles while potential Brisbane father-son Ashcroft continued his excellent season with 24 disposals and a goal.