Allies midfielder Ryley Sanders has been awarded the Larke Medal as the best and fairest player of the 2023 AFL National Championships – U18 Boys.

The 18-year-old Tasmanian collected 142 disposals at an average of 35.5 per match to guide the Allies to an historic first title at the Championships. He also kicked four goals across four matches.

Hailing from North Launceston Football Club, Sanders plays with the Sandringham Dragons in the Coates Talent League and was a member of the Dragons' premiership side last year.

He previously played with the Tasmania Devils prior to relocating to Victoria in 2022.

Sanders claimed the Larke Medal with 25 votes, finishing ahead of Allies teammate and fellow Tasmanian Colby McKercher, who polled 20 votes.

Brisbane Lions midfielder Will Ashcroft claimed the Larke Medal in 2022, with other previous winners including Christian Petracca, Tom Hawkins, Sam Walsh, Lachie Whitfield and Oscar Allen.

The Larke Medal was selected by a panel comprising Kevin Sheehan (AFL Talent Ambassador – Chair), Tarkyn Lockyer (AFL National Academy Coach/Manager) and AFL recruiters Adrian Caruso (GWS Giants), Kade Nanscawen (Gold Coast Suns), David McMullin (Fremantle) and Stephen Wells (Geelong Cats).

The panel will also select the 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Boys All-Australian team, which will be announced next week.

The 2023 AFL National Championships – U18 Boys concluded on Sunday, with Victoria Country downing Victoria Metro by 31 points at IKON Park in the final match of the Championships.

TEAM MVP AWARDS

The team MVP winners were selected by the coaching staff of each program:

Allies: Connor O’Sullivan (Murray Bushrangers/Albury)
South Australia: Sid Draper (South Australia/Willunga)
Victoria Country: Harley Reid (Bendigo Pioneers/Tongala)
Victoria Metro: Oliver Murphy (Sandringham Dragons/East Brighton Vampires)
Western Australia: Daniel Curtin (Claremont/West Coast)

STANDINGS

RESULTS

South Australia 11.2 (68) def by Allies 12.12 (84)

South Australia
Best: Sid Draper, Jack Delean, Alex Holt, Alex van Wyk, Kane McAuliffe, William McCabe
Goals: Jack Delean 4, Liam Fawcett 2, Declan Gladigau, Kade Herbert, Alex Holt, Anders McShane, Ashton Moir

Allies
Best: Jed Walter, Ryley Sanders, Jake Rogers, Colby McKercher, Ethan Read, William Graham
Goals: Charlie McCormack, Jed Walter 3, Max Rider, Ryley Sanders 2, Phoenix Gothard, Indhi Kirk

Details: Sunday, June 4 at Thebarton Oval
 
South Australia 5.8 (38) def by Victoria Metro 15.16 (106)

South Australia
Best: Sid Draper, Luca Slade, Loch Rawlinson, William Patton, Kane McAuliffe, Alex Holt
Goals: Loch Rawlinson 2, Jed Dignan, Luca Slade, Patrick Weckert

Victoria Metro
Best: Levi Ashcroft, Jagga Smith, Josh Smillie, Kynan Brown, Jordan Croft, Harvey Johnston
Goals: Nicholas Watson 4, Jordan Croft 3, Harvey Johnston, Brayden Laplanche 2, Levi Ashcroft, Jesse Dattoli, William Lorenz, Mahmoud Taha

Details: Sunday, June 11 at Thebarton Oval

Allies 16.12 (108) def Western Australia 2.8 (20)

Allies
Best: Ryley Sanders, Colby McKercher, Ethan Read, Connor O'Sullivan, Jake Rogers, James Leake
Goals: Charlie McCormack 4, Jack Callinan, Jed Walter 3, Max Rider 2, Tye Gander, Phoenix Gothard, Ethan Read, Ryley Sanders

Western Australia
Best: Daniel Curtin, Mitchell Edwards, Reece Torrent, Riley Hardeman, Oscar Hine-Baston, Bo Allan
Goals: Luker Kentfield, Xavier Walsh

Details: Sunday, June 11 at Thebarton Oval

Victoria Country 11.9 (75) def by South Australia 15.4 (94)

Victoria Country
Best: George Stevens, Zane Duursma, Harley Reid, Harry Demattia, Kobe Shipp, Michael Rudd
Goals: Harley Reid 3, Michael Rudd, Darcy Wilson 2, Lachlan Charleson, Kade De La Rue, Joel Freijah, George Stevens

South Australia
Best: Bodie Ryan, Tyler Welsh, Jed Dignan, Taylor Goad, Sid Draper, Phoenix Hargrave
Goals: Tyler Welsh 5, Jack Delean 4, Ashton Moir 2, Taylor Goad, Phoenix Hargrave, Tom Luck, Louie Montgomery

Details: Sunday, June 18 at IKON Park
 
Western Australia 10.10 (70) def South Australia 6.6 (42)

Western Australia
Best: Clay Hall, Koltyn Tholstrup, Aiden O'Driscoll, Bo Allan, Koen Sanchez, Daniel Curtin
Goals: Koen Sanchez 2, Mitchell Edwards, Tyler Lindberg, Coen Livingstone, Joe Matthews, Aiden O'Driscoll, Koltyn Tholstrup, Samuel van Rooyen, Riley Wills

South Australia
Best: Bodie Ryan, Sid Draper, William Patton, Loch Rawlinson, Patrick Weckert, William McCabe
Goals: Tyler Welsh 2, Jack Delean, Phoenix Hargrave, Kane McAuliffe, Loch Rawlinson

Details: Saturday, June 24 at Optus Stadium

Western Australia 8.11 (59) def by Victoria Country 8.13 (61)

Western Australia
Best: Daniel Curtin, Clay Hall, Koen Sanchez, Koltyn Tholstrup, Luke Kelly, Aiden O'Driscoll
Goals: Lance Collard 2, Daniel Curtin, Kai Dehavilland, Coen Livingstone, Koen Sanchez, Evan Smith, Samuel van Rooyen

Victoria Country
Best: Luamon Lual, Harley Reid, Harry Demattia, Lachlan Smith, Michael Rudd, Kade De La Rue
Goals: Michael Rudd 3, Harley Reid 2, Archer Day-Wicks, Zane Duursma, Archer Reid

Details: Friday, June 30 at WACA

Allies 15.9 (99) def Victoria Metro 8.7 (55)

Allies
Best: Ethan Read, Jake Rogers, Heath Ollington, Ryley Sanders, Colby Mckercher, Jed Walter
Goals: Charlie McCormack, Jed Walter 3, Tye Gander, Arie Schoenmaker 2, Jack Callinan, Colby McKercher, Heath Ollington, Jake Rogers, Ryley Sanders

Victoria Metro
Best: Caleb Windsor, Kynan Brown, Oliver Murphy, Cameron Nyko, Nate Caddy, Levi Ashcroft
Goals: William Elliott 2, Kynan Brown, Nate Caddy, Jordan Croft, Tom Gross, Brayden Laplanche, Nicholas Watson

Details: Sunday, July 2 at Brighton Homes Arena

Victoria Metro 19.13 (127) def Western Australia 6.10 (46)

Victoria Metro
Best: Kynan Brown, Harvey Johnston, Logan Morris, Nicholas Watson, Oliver Murphy, William Brown
Goals: Nicholas Watson 5, Logan Morris 4, Nate Caddy 3, Charlton Harrop 2, Kynan Brown, Taj Hotton, Harvey Johnston, Riley Weatherill, Caleb Windsor

Western Australia
Best: Koen Sanchez, Daniel Curtin, Koltyn Tholstrup, Aiden O'Driscoll, Reece Torrent, kai Dehavilland
Goals: Koen Sanchez 3, Kai Dehavilland, Ethan Logan, Reece Torrent

Details: Sunday, July 9 at RSEA Park

Victoria Country 10.10 (70) def by Allies 12.9 (81)

Victoria Country
Best: Finn O’Sullivan, Wil Dawson, Oscar Gawith, George Stevens, Darcy Wilson, Archer Reid
Goals: Zane Duursma, Michael Rudd, Darcy Wilson 2, Sam Lalor, Finn O’Sullivan, Archer Reid, George Stevens

Allies
Best: Colby McKercher, Caiden Cleary, Jake Rogers, Ryley Sanders, Ethan Read, Harvey Thomas
Goals: Phoenix Gothard, Colby McKercher, Orlando Turner, Jed Walter 2, Jack Callinan, Tye Gander, Jack Glanvill, Charlie McCormack

Details: Sunday, July 9 at RSEA Park

Victoria Country 15.16 (106) def Victoria Metro 11.9 (75)

Victoria Country
Best: Zane Duursma, Luamon Lual, Darcy Wilson, Harley Reid, Thomas Anastasopoulos, Oscar Gawith
Goals: Zane Duursma 4, Thomas Anastasopoulos, Joel Freijah, Jacob Grant, Archer Reid 2, Luamon Lual, Finn O’Sullivan, Oskar Smartt

Victoria Metro
Best: Archie Roberts, Jagga Smith, Kynan Brown, Oliver Murphy, Nicholas Watson, William Green
Goals: Nicholas Watson 4, Charlton Harrop 3, Nate Caddy 2, Jagga Smith, Mahmoud Taha

Details: Sunday, July 16 at IKON Park