THE 2022 NAB League Boys season is set to get underway on Saturday, with mainstay regions hopeful of an uninterrupted campaign after two difficult years for the elite talent pathway. The 13 full-time teams will be joined by four Northern Academies across the first month of the season, including in the season-opener.

For the second year running, Calder Cannons are set to jerk the curtain on proceedings as they take on the Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Giants at RAMS Arena. It promises to be a busy weekend at Craigieburn, as the Northern Knights and Sydney Swans Academy make it a double-header on Saturday, before the Queensland academies jet down for another two games on Sunday.

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But as was the case last year, all eyes will be drawn to the blockbuster clash between Metro rivals Sandringham and Oakleigh. The two prolific regions are set to go head-to-head at RSEA Park on Sunday in what looms as the game of the round, with plenty of top-end talent to be showcased.

Sandringham talent operations lead described the stakes as “the closest (atmosphere) to finals” as possible for a Round 1 clash, but sought to make it very clear that Oakleigh was the side with top status heading into season proper.

“You’re playing on an AFL venue, against arguably the best team in the competition and they’ve been the benchmark for a while,” Wheeler said of the upcoming contest. “It’ll be fast, it’ll be exciting and we’re just hoping for a good game that ends up similar to last year.”

The headline act in last year’s opener was Collingwood draftee Nick Daicos, who lived up to the hype in his debut outing for Oakleigh with 28 disposals and three goals. As skipper, he couldn’t quite drag the Chargers over the line, but was a key part of why a near-record NAB League crowd was in attendance.

In the Dragons’ 16-point win, there were 17 eventual draftees afield, including four first round picks and two who were selected as mid-season coups. This year, there are some eerily similar storylines evolving which only add to the intrigue many recruiters and AFL Draft pundits are anticipating.

This year, Sandringham Dragons standout Will Ashcroft is the captaining father-son candidate of interest, leading his side against an opposition stacked with AFL Academy and Vic Metro aligned talent. Selection permitting, there are seven National Academy members in frame to play, split four to three in favour of Oakleigh.

The battle for early pick one favouritism is another storyline which carries through from last year. It was Daicos and Josh Sinn who looked likely to contend heading into 2021, and this time around it is Ashcroft battling with Elijah Tsatas and George Wardlaw. There may even be some interest in the top of the tree for next year, with Tasmanian recruit Ryley Sanders a potential debutant for his new side, Sandringham.

Like Sam Darcy, Marcus Windhager, Jack Peris, and Mitch Owens before them, Oakleigh’s Alywn Davey and Sandringham’s Cam Mackenzie are some club-tied players of interest. The Dragons also have Collingwood father-son Nicky Christian, while Pies and Giants fans will respectively be keen to view the wares of Yuyu Ashwin and Angus Curry in Oakleigh colours.

Watch for Oakleigh’s key position depth to be a feature. The likes of Will Elliott, Matthew Jefferson and Hudson O’Keeffe loom as top prospects with plenty of strings to their bows as they hold down the Chargers’ spine. Sandringham may have a surprise packet to content with them though, with 202cm newcomer Max Ramsden joining the Dragons’ coveted ‘big boys’ club this year.

In terms of others to watch, word out of the Dragons camp is that mercurial forward Harry Sheezel is closing the gap on Ashcroft in terms of top-end draftability, especially after a prolific preseason hitout in front of goal. Mitchell Rowe and Olli Hotton are other top-agers the Dragons are happy with in terms of development.

For Oakleigh, Luke Teal will be out to cement his name within the first round frame with some early season form to back his potential, while smalls Blake Drury and Jack O’Sullivan are a couple who the Chargers will turn to for some tone-setting efforts.

The list goes on, but one thing is clear – this game is a must-watch.

Elsewhere, there are some games of note which take place outside of the academy driven double-headers. An all-Country clash between Bendigo and Greater Western Victoria (GWV) takes place in Bendigo on Saturday, before Dandenong and Eastern, and Murray and Gippsland go head-to-head in Frankston and Bundoora respectively.