2023 Vic Metro talent hubs announced
THE TOP talents for next year’s Under 18 Vic Metro squad have been recognised through initial Talent Hubs, which will come together this weekend for their maiden training camps at The Hangar. The 19-player girls squad will convene on Friday and Saturday, while the 22-player boys squad meets on Saturday and Sunday.
>> Vic Country hub announced | Boys | Girls
Newly appointed Northern Knights girls coach Allana Dickie heads one side of the Metro squad, while Oakleigh Chargers mentor Jason Davenport again takes on the boys group. There will be additional camps early in 2023, with the boys to come together again in January, before the girls do so in February. More players are set to be added to each side prior to the National Championships commencing.
Six male prospects who earned AFL Academy honours have been included, with the likes of livewire forward Nick Watson and high-marking talent Nate Caddy among them. Nathan Philactides joined the aforementioned pair in the 2022 Under 18 squad, while rebound defender Archie Roberts, ruckman William Green, and midfielder Will Lorenz round out the list.
On the girls side, the Eastern Ranges are well represented with AFL Academy members in Alyssia Pisano, Laura Stone, and Jess Vukic leading the way, while Western Jets premiership players Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner and Kiera Whiley are joined by Calder Cannons midfielder Amy Gaylor. All of the above players will be profiled on Rookie Me Central later this week.
2023 VIC METRO TALENT HUBS
GIRLS:
| NAME | SURNAME | HT | NAB LEAGUE PROGRAM | COMMUNITY CLUB |
| – | ||||
| Ava | Campbell | 173 | Eastern Ranges | Vermont |
| Annabelle | Embelton | 175 | Sandringham Dragons | East Malvern |
| Kyla | Forbes | 167 | Calder Cannons | Aberfeldie |
| Amy | Gaylor | 170 | Calder Cannons | Strathmore |
| Judie | Goldman | 164 | Sandringham Dragons | South Melbourne Districts |
| Lara | Hausegger | 172 | Oakleigh Chargers | Yarra Old Grammarians |
| Tamara | Henry | 170 | Western Jets | Darley |
| Jacinta | Hose | 184 | Eastern Ranges | Vermont |
| Ava | Jordan | 150 | Northern Knights | Banyule |
| Maggie | Mahony | 165 | Oakleigh Chargers | Glen Iris |
| Molly | Paterson | 171 | Eastern Ranges | Vermont |
| Alyssia | Pisano | 160 | Eastern Ranges | Rowville Knights |
| Laura | Stone | 169 | Eastern Ranges | Lysterfield |
| Sienna | Tallariti | 175 | Oakleigh Chargers | Whitehorse Colts |
| Caitlin | Voss | 180 | Sandringham Dragons | South Melbourne Districts |
| Jess | Vukic | 180 | Eastern Ranges | Vermont |
| Kristie-Lee | Weston-Turner | 176 | Western Jets | Spotswood |
| Kiera | Whiley | 172 | Western Jets | Caroline Springs |
| Mia | Zielinski | 174 | Sandringham Dragons | East Malvern/Ajax |
BOYS:
| NAME | SURNAME | HT | NAB LEAGUE PROGRAM | COMMUNITY CLUB |
| – | ||||
| Levi | Ashcroft | 179 | Sandringham Dragons | St Kilda City |
| Kynan | Brown | 180 | Oakleigh Chargers | Blackburn |
| William | Brown | 192 | Sandringham Dragons | East Brighton Vampires |
| Nate | Caddy | 191 | Northern Knights | Yarrambat |
| Jordan | Croft | 199 | Calder Cannons | Maribyrnong Park |
| William | Green | 202 | Northern Knights | Northcote |
| Brayden | LaPlanche | 188 | Eastern Ranges | Rowville |
| William | Lorenz | 186 | Oakleigh Chargers | Boroondara Hawks |
| Tadhg | McCarthy | 190 | Oakleigh Chargers | Kew Rovers |
| Logan | Morris | 192 | Western Jets | Werribee Districts |
| Cam | Nyko | 178 | Eastern Ranges | Healesville |
| Nathan | Philactides | 180 | Oakleigh Chargers | Blackburn |
| Archie | Roberts | 182 | Sandringham Dragons | Hampton Rovers |
| Josh | Smillie | 191 | Eastern Ranges | Park Orchards |
| Iliro | Smit | 198 | Eastern Ranges | Montrose |
| Jagga | Smith | 179 | Oakleigh Chargers | Richmond |
| Mahmoud | Taha | 182 | Calder Cannons | Pascoe Vale |
| Luke | Trainor | 185 | Sandringham Dragons | St Kilda City |
| Vigo | Visentini | 199 | Sandringham Dragons | Brighton Beach |
| Nick | Watson | 170 | Eastern Ranges | Montrose/East Ringwood |
| Riley | Weatherill | 195 | Eastern Ranges | East Ringwood |
| Caleb | Windsor | 180 | Eastern Ranges | Lysterfield |
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