VIC METRO is soon to begin its Under 18 National Championships title defence, with a squad of 28 players and eight train-ons announced last week. Among them are nine inclusions from outside the summer training hub, with five coming from the Oakleigh Chargers. We profile all the fresh faces.

>> FULL SQUAD: 2025 Vic Metro Under 18s

Jackson Barber (Calder Cannons)
Key Defender | 195cm | 01/06/2007

CTL averages: 12.2 disposals, 3.4 marks, 3.6 rebound 50s

Defence wins titles and while other squads lack tall depth down back, Barber’s inclusion ensures Vic Metro is covered. The Calder Cannons co-captain impressed during the trial games and produced arguably his best performance to date over the weekend, collecting 19 disposals, 10 marks and eight rebound 50s. He reads the play well and has a safe pair of hands, proving reliable from week to week.

Hunter Holmes (Oakleigh Chargers)
Midfielder | 187cm | 19/02/2007

CTL averages: 18.5 disposals, 4.0 tackles, 4.2 inside 50s

A second ‘brother-of’ in the squad after Tyson Gresham, Hunter cuts a similar figure to elder sibling Max of Geelong fame. The lightly-built but fleet-footed midfielder can play inside or out, injecting speed to the game with each attacking foray. He is most likely to feature on a wing for Vic Metro where he will be free to take the game on in his usual style and showcase how he suits AFL ball movement trends.

Max Kondogiannis (Oakleigh Chargers)
Tall Defender | 190cm | 14/11/2007

CTL averages: 17.5 disposals, 3.5 marks, 4.5 rebound 50s

Kondogiannis took little time to find his feet having had an interrupted start to the season. His second of two Coates Talent League games to date was a ripper, posting 21 disposals and seven marks in Oakleigh’s loss to Sandringham. He’s a reliable interceptor and safe ball user out of defence who will provide assured aerial cover for Vic Metro’s genuine key defenders to compliment his rebound work.

Jacob Marron (Western Jets)
Key Defender | 195cm | 27/11/2007

CTL averages: 11.5 disposals, 4.5 marks, 2.5 rebound 50s

Yet another tall defender added to the mix, Marron is better than his numbers suggest. Like Kondogiannis, he fared better in the second of his two Coates Talent League outings thus far, registering 15 disposals, six marks and five rebound 50s as a rock in Western’s defence. His marking ability inside defensive 50 was on show during the trials and he offers solid depth to Metro’s defensive options.

Zac McCarthy (Oakleigh Chargers)
Ruck/Key Forward | 199cm | 27/10/2007

CTL averages: 20.0 disposals, 4.5 marks, 13.0 hitouts

McCarthy is one of three inclusions tied to a Next-Generation Academy (NGA) – Collingwood’s in this case. Vic Metro already has strong ruck stocks and while McCarthy has looked terrific in that role, he’ll more likely be a primary key forward here. The rangy key position prospect has great skills for a player his size and moves well around the ground. As a forward, watch for him to pluck the ball at the top of his reach.

Jai Saxena (Oakleigh Chargers)
Small Forward | 180cm | 27/07/2007

CTL averages: 15.7 disposals, 5.7 marks, 3.0 goals

Another Collingwood NGA find, Saxena burst onto the scene with nine goals in his first three Coates Talent League appearances. That included a bag of five in his third game, with the lively forward able to present up to half-forward or get dangerous with his movement closer to goal. He certainly knows how to finish and is a crafty type who should compliment Vic Metro’s already strong small forward stocks.

Aaron Sharkie (Oakleigh Chargers)
Defender/Midfielder | 184cm | 20/01/2007

CTL averages: 25.0 disposals, 5.0 marks, 4.5 rebound 50s

Sharkie made himself impossible to overlook on the back of consistently prolific early-season form for Oakleigh. The half-back accumulator is yet to drop below 22 touches at Coates Talent League level and boasts a high of 29, proving able to penetrate both arcs with regularity. He’s an industrious runner and neat ball user who will work hard all day to help generate plenty of transitional spark on the outside.

Adam Sweid (Calder Cannons)
Midfielder/Forward | 175cm | 14/09/2007

CTL averages: 24.4 disposals, 5.0 marks, 6.4 tackles

Sweid is already one of the stories of this year’s Coates Talent League season having quickly made a name for himself in Calder Cannons colours. He made up for lost time after an ACL tear, showcasing his range of traits as a tough, quick, and relentlessly productive midfielder. The Essendon NGA prospect packs a punch at 175cm with his two-way work rate and is wonderfully creative going forward.

Rory Wright (Sandringham Dragons)
Midfielder | 184cm | 02/06/2007

CTL averages: 23.5 disposals, 6.5 marks, 5.3 inside 50s

Another sensational early-season performer, Wright has rocketed into first round calculations and the Vic Metro squad. The classy left-footed midfielder found a happy knack for carving up opposition defences with his incisive kicking going inside 50, either through the middle or on the outside. He’s also strong through the core and gutsy in the air, able to stand tall when required in big moments.

>> PROFILED: 2025 Vic Metro summer training squad