IN a special edition of Draft Central’s Team of the Week, we have devised a team featuring the five academies that joined the NAB League Boys competition on the weekend, and will continue with Teams of the Week for the remaining four weeks while they are in the competition. Tasmania while also joining the competition, will be included in the regular NAB League Boys Team of the Week as the Devils will continue for the rest of the season as a full-time team.

In the Round 2 clashes, Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans Academy both impressed with good wins and have six players in the squad of 24, while Gold Coast had a nice win over Northern Territory to record five players in the Draft Central Academy Team of the Week. The GWS GIANTS Academy had four and the Thunder registered the three.

Among the top performers in Round 2 of the NAB League Boys were the impressive midfield of Gold Coast duo, Connor Budarick and Ashton Crossley, Sydney bottom-age gun, Errol Gulden, first round GIANTS prospect Thomas Green, and Brisbane ball magnet Will Martyn. In attack, Liam Delahunty was best for the GIANTS, named at centre half-forward alongside teammate Jeromy Lucas, and flanked by Swans’ captain Sam Thorne on the other side. While both Thorne and Lucas predominantly play on the wing, the strength in midfield saw them push forward. SUNS’ goalsneak Josh Gore and Brisbane forward Tom Wischnat are either side of Lions key, Noah Cumberland.

Northern Territory’s Stephen Cumming can provide a target down forward and was the standout ruck on the weekend, while in defence, Ben Jungfer slots onto the half-back flank after six rebounds to go with his leather poisoning in the midfield. Brisbane’s Tom Griffiths and GWS’ Nick Murray also make the starting back six, while Luke Parks stands at centre half-back for the Swans. SUNS’ duo, Jack Johnston and Corey Joyce round out the defence.

On the bench, Sydney have three players with Kyle McKellar, Jacob Dol and Braedon Campbell, while Brisbane have two in Bruce Reville and Thomas Jeffrey who were also impressive. The final player is Matthew Cumming who joins brother Stephen as the third Thunder player in the side.