Victoria Metro has claimed the 2022 NAB AFL National Championships U18 Boys title.

Metro scored a thrilling seven-point triumph over Victoria Country in the title-decider at Marvel Stadium on Thursday, winning 12.8 (80) to 10.13 (73) at Marvel Stadium.

Both sides entered the game undefeated, with Metro just edging out their Country counterparts in the final match of this year’s Championships.

It was the first time the NAB AFL National Championships U18 Boys title has been awarded since 2019 and Victoria Metro’s first triumph since 2017.

Will Ashcroft won the Larke Medal as the Best and Fairest player of the Championships.

Ashcroft amassed 131 disposals in four appearances for Victoria Metro, averaging 18 kicks and 15 handballs per game. He also kicked two goals.

The Larke Medal was selected by a panel comprising Kevin Sheehan (AFL Talent Ambassador – Chairman), Tarkyn Lockyer (AFL National Academy Coach/Manager) and AFL club recruiters Scott Clayton (North Melbourne), Mark McKenzie (Hawthorn), Kelly O’Donnell (Melbourne) and Geoff Parker (Port Adelaide).

The panel will also select the 2022 NAB AFL National Championships U18 Boys All-Australian team, which will be announced ahead of the 2022 NAB AFL Draft Combine.

Ashcroft also claimed the MVP for Victoria Metro, while Jhye Clark was announced as Victoria Country’s winner. The MVP awards were selected by the coaching staff of each program, with Harry Rowston (Allies), Adam D’Aloia (South Australia) and Reuben Ginbey (Western Australia) winning the MVP for their respective teams.

The Hunter Harrison Medal was awarded to Jaspa Fletcher. The award is presented to the best player in the Academy Series, which coincides with the first four rounds of the NAB League Boys season.

Fletcher amassed 56 disposals and kicked five goals in three appearances for the Brisbane Lions Academy in the NAB League Boys competition and also impressed in three appearances for the Allies.

The Hunter Harrison Medal was first won by Michael Voss in 1992 and in more recent years has been awarded to Isaac Heeney and Nick Blakey.

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

Below are the final standings from the 2022 NAB AFL National Championships U18 Boys.

Please click here to watch replays and read match reports from the 2022 NAB AFL National Championships U18 Boys.

RESULTS

South Australia 14.9 (93) def Allies 8.8 (56)
South Australia
Best: Max Michalanney, Billy Dowling, Phoenix Foster, Jaiden Magor, Kelsey Rypstra, Mattaes Phillipou
Goals: Isaac Keeler 3, Harrison Lemmey, Archie Lovelock, Jaiden Magor, Mattaes Phillipou 2, Jack Delean, Kelsey Rypstra, Jake Walker
Allies
Best: Lachlan Cowan, Jason Gillbee, Harry Rowston, Jaspa Fletcher, Angus Anderson, Jed Walter
Goals: Harry Rowston 3, Seth Campbell, Jed Walter 2, Toby Murray
Details: Sunday July 19 at Thebarton Oval

Allies 14.6 (90) def by Victoria Metro 16.10 (106)
Allies
Best: Thomas McCallum, Jed Walter, Nicholas Madden, Shadeau Brain, Angus Anderson, Luke Lawrence
Goals: Jed Walter 4, Angus Anderson, Luke Lawrence 2, Shadeau Brain, Seth Campbell, Marlin Corbett, Ethan Grace, Ryley Sanders, Ned Stevens
Victoria Metro
Best: Will Ashcroft, Harry Sheezel, Blake Drury, Cameron Mackenzie, Callum Verrell, Matthew Jefferson
Goals: Harry Sheezel 4, Charlie Clarke, Alwyn Davey, Olli Hotton, Matthew Jefferson 2, Blake Drury, Darcy Edmends, Jovan Petric, Nicholas Watson
Details: Saturday June 25 at Blacktown International Sportspark

South Australia 8.12 (60) def by Victoria Country 9.8 (62)
South Australia
Best: Harry Barnett, Adam D’Aloia, Shaun Bennier, Max Michalanney, Jakob Ryan, Archie Lovelock
Goals: Adam D’Aloia, Jack Delean, Isaac Keeler, Max Michalanney, Kobe Ryan, Kelsey Rypstra, Nick Sadler, Jake Walker
Victoria Country
Best: Jhye Clark, Harley Reid, Mitch Szybkowski, Caleb Mitchell, Oliver Hollands, Coby Burgiel
Goals: Aaron Cadman, Zane Duursma, Toby McMullin 2, Jaxon Binns, Jhye Clark, Oliver Hollands
Details: Sunday June 26 at Thebarton Oval

Victoria Metro 16.5 (101) def Western Australia 10.14 (74)
Victoria Metro
Best: Matthew Jefferson, Joshua Weddle, Cameron Mackenzie, Lewis Hayes, Will Ashcroft, Alwyn Davey
Goals: Matthew Jefferson 7, Alwyn Davey, Harry Sheezel 2, Will Ashcroft, Charlie Clarke, Olli Hotton, Cameron Mackenzie, Kai Windsor
Western Australia
Best: Elijah Hewett, Harry Cole, Griffith Julian, Jed Hagan, Mitchell Edwards, Jedd Busslinger
Goals: Harry Cole, Elijah Hewett, Darcy Jones 2, Chase Bourne, Jack Cleaver, Griffith Julian, Koltyn Tholstrup
Details: Saturday July 2 at IKON Park

Allies 5.12 (42) def by Victoria Country 10.15 (75)
Allies
Best: Harry Rowston, Jaspa Fletcher, Lachlan Cowan, Angus Anderson, Brandon Leary, Thomas McCallum
Goals: Brandon Leary 3, Jaspa Fletcher, Ned Stevens
Victoria Country
Best: Henry Hustwaite, Jaxon Binns, Cooper Vickery, Mitch Szybkowski, Jhye Clark, Jacob Konstanty
Goals: Jacob Konstanty 3, Aaron Cadman 2, Charlie Barnett, Coby Burgiel, Jhye Clark, Ted Clohesy, Noah Long
Details: Sunday July 3 at GABBA

Allies 11.7 (73) def Western Australia 9.7 (61)
Allies
Best: Jaspa Fletcher, Harry Rowston, Angus Anderson, Jed Walter, Lachlan Cowan, Jake Rogers
Goals: Jed Walter 3, Shadeau Brain, Brandon Leary 2, Joshua Cooper, Fletcher Hart, Liam Hude, Jake Rogers
Western Australia
Best: Reuben Ginbey, Jed Hagan, Koltyn Tholstrup, Darcy Jones, Sam Gilbey, Corey Tregenza
Goals: Corey Tregenza 4, Jed Hagan 2, Mitchell Barron, Jack Cleaver, Darcy Jones
Details: Saturday July 9 at Thebarton Oval

Victoria Metro 16.15 (111) def South Australia 5.8 (38)
Victoria Metro
Best: Will Ashcroft, Olli Hotton, Blake Drury, Lewis Hayes, Darcy Edmends, Nate Caddy
Goals: Nate Caddy, Olli Hotton, Matthew Jefferson, Nicholas Watson 3, Blake Drury 2, Will Ashcroft, Charlie Clarke
South Australia
Best: Max Michalanney, Jakob Ryan, Shaun Bennier, Adam D’Aloia, Billy Dowling, Archie Lovelock
Goals: Shaun Bennier, Adam D’Aloia, Archie Lovelock, Harvey Pedler, Mattaes Phillipou
Details: Sunday July 17 at GMHBA Stadium

Victoria Country 12.11 (83) def Western Australia 6.4 (40)
Victoria Country
Best: Aaron Cadman, Oliver Hollands, Jhye Clark, Mitch Szybkowski, Cooper Vickery, Ted Clohesy
Goals: Coby Burgiel, Aaron Cadman, Noah Long 3, Ted Clohesy 2, Olivier Northam
Western Australia
Best: Reuben Ginbey, Daniel Gathercole, Koltyn Tholstrup, Koen Sanchez, Mitchell Edwards, Hugh Davies
Goals: Corey Tregenza 2, Tyrell Dewar, Reuben Ginbey, Koen Sanchez, Jasper Scaife
Details: Sunday July 17 at GMHBA Stadium

Western Australia 15.10 (100) def South Australia 12.8 (80)
Western Australia
Best: Jack Cleaver, Jed Hagan, Reuben Ginbey, Koen Sanchez, Tyrell Dewar, Jed Adams
Goals: Harry Cole, Tyrell Dewar, Jed Hagan, Koen Sanchez 2, Darcy Jones, Edward Allan, Steely Green, Coen Livingstone, Connor McDonald, Jasper Scaife, Corey Tregenza
South Australia
Best: Ashton Moir, Tyson Walls, Harry Barnett, Adam D’Aloia, William Patton, Jakob Ryan
Goals: Ashton Moir 4, Will Verrall 2, Shaun Bennier, Adam D’Aloia, Isaac Keeler, Archie Lovelock, Mattaes Phillipou, Kobe Ryan
Details: Sunday July 24 at Pentanet Stadium

Victoria Metro 12.8 (80) def Victoria Country 10.13 (73)
Victoria Metro
Best: Matthew Jefferson, Jakob Anderson, Will Ashcroft, Hudson O’Keeffe, Harry Sheezel, Elijah Tsatas
Goals: Charlie Clarke, Max Gruzewski, Matthew Jefferson, Harry Sheezel 2, Cooper Harvey, Jovan Petric, Nicholas Watson, Kai Windsor
Victoria Country
Best: Oscar Murdoch, Aaron Cadman, Oliver Hollands, Harley Reid, Henry Hurstwaite
Goals: Aaron Cadman 3, Harley Reid 2, Jaxon Binns, Coby Burgiel, Bailey Humphrey, Jacob Konstanty, Noah Long
Details: Thursday September 22 at Marvel Stadium