VIC METRO’s squad for next month’s AFL Under 18 Championships has been released with 28 initial members named, as well as eight train-on players. The squad, which will be coached by Eastern Ranges mentor Lauren Morecroft, will look to go back-to-back at the 2025 edition.
There are five National Academy members within the squad including Oakleigh Chargers’ Louis Emmett and Sandringham Dragons’ Archie Ludowyke who both played in Vic Metro’s successful campaign. Potential pick one Cooper Duff-Tytler, Eastern Ranges midfielder-forward Oliver Greeves and Western Jets midfielder-defender Thomas Burton are the others.
Metro powerhouses Oakleigh Chargers (nine) and Sandringham Dragons (six) lead the way in terms of representatives, while Calder Cannons (five), Eastern Ranges (four), Western Jets (three) and Northern Knights (one) complete the main squad. In addition, the Knights have four train-on players including three bottom-agers, while the Ranges have two, and the Dragons and Jets have one apiece. Sandringham’s Arki Butler is the sole bottom-ager in the main squad.
Among the club-tied players are Jack Ison and Tyson Gresham (Carlton) Thomas McGuane, Zac McCarthy and Jai Saxena (Collingwood), Adam Sweid and Hussien El Achkar (Essendon) and Kye Fincher (St Kilda). Gresham (St Kilda’s Jade) and Hunter Holmes (Geelong’s Max) are brothers-of in the squad.
Vic Metro plays its first game at Alberton Oval on Sunday, June 8 when it clashes with South Australia, before heading to Perth on July 6 to face Western Australia, the Allies on July 13 in Queensland and then rounding out the carnival back at home against Vic Country.
2025 VIC METRO SQUAD
| NAME | CTL CLUB | COMMUNITY CLUB |
| Sam Allen | Oakleigh Chargers | Glen Iris |
| Xavier Bamert | Sandringham Dragons | Collegians |
| Jackson Barber | Calder Cannons | Aberfeldie |
| Andrew Barker | Eastern Ranges | Mooroolbark |
| Thomas Burton | Western Jets | Point Cook |
| Arki Butler* | Sandringham Dragons | Beaumaris |
| Jack Dalton | Sandringham Dragons | Old Xaverians |
| Lachy Dovaston | Eastern Ranges | Blackburn |
| Cooper Duff-Tytler | Calder Cannons | Woodend Hesket |
| Hussien El Achkar | Calder Cannons | Pascoe Vale |
| Louis Emmett | Oakleigh Chargers | Glen Iris |
| Kye Fincher | Sandringham Dragons | East Brighton Vampires |
| Oliver Greeves | Eastern Ranges | Vermont |
| Tyson Gresham | Northern Knights | South Morang |
| Sam Grlj | Oakleigh Chargers | Old Camberwell Grammarians |
| Hunter Holmes | Oakleigh Chargers | Old Melburnians |
| Jack Ison | Oakleigh Chargers | Parkside |
| Felix Kneipp | Calder Cannons | Collegians |
| Max Kondogiannis | Oakleigh Chargers | Old Carey Grammarians |
| Archie Ludowyke | Sandringham Dragons | East Sandringham |
| Jacob Marron | Western Jets | Yarraville Seddon Eagles |
| Zac McCarthy | Oakleigh Chargers | Old Carey Grammarians |
| Thomas McGuane | Western Jets | Keilor |
| Jai Saxena | Oakleigh Chargers | Doncaster East |
| Aaron Sharkie | Oakleigh Chargers | Kew Rovers |
| Adam Sweid | Calder Cannons | Pascoe Vale |
| Xavier Taylor | Eastern Ranges | East Ringwood |
| Rory Wright | Sandringham Dragons | Caulfield Grammarians |
| Train-Ons | ||
| Blake Chambers | Eastern Ranges | Rowville |
| Finn Davis | Western Jets | Williamstown CYMS |
| Tate Hodgson* | Northern Knights | Park Orchards |
| Lewis Houndsome* | Northern Knights | Yarrambat |
| Bailey Lloyd | Eastern Ranges | South Belgrave |
| Mitchell Moate | Northern Knights | Epping |
| Miles Tyrer | Sandringham Dragons | South Melbourne Districts |
| Harry Van Hattum* | Northern Knights | St Mary’s |
* denotes bottom-age player
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