THE AFL Academy will turn out for a second time in 2023 when they take on Carlton VFL at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

It comes after the elite Under 18 squad featured during Gather Round last month, going down by 13 points to Port Adelaide’s reserves.

>> Scouting Notes: AFL Academy vs. Port Adelaide SANFL

In a curtain-raiser for the AFL’s Round 9 match between Carlton and the Western Bulldogs, the Australian representatives will cap off their third camp of the 2023 program.

All states and territories are represented in the 30-man squad, which will again have a full selection of players available. They will undergo their final training session at Arden Street Oval on Friday afternoon.

NEED TO KNOW

Who: AFL Academy vs. Carlton VFL
When: Saturday May 13, 4:10pm
Where: Marvel Stadium, Docklands
How to watch: via AFL website

AFL ACADEMY SQUAD

#1 Nick Watson (Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro)
#2 Jack Callinan (Tasmania Devils)
#3 Caiden Cleary (Swans Academy/NSW-ACT)
#4 Jack Delean (South Adelaide/South Australia)
#5 Riley Hardeman (Swan Districts/Western Australia)
#6 Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils)
#7 Harley Reid (Bendigo Pioneers/Vic Country)
#8 Archie Roberts (Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro)
#9 Jake Rogers (Suns Academy/Queensland)
#10 Ryley Sanders (Sandringham Dragons/Tasmania)
#11 Orlando Turner (Norwood/Northern Territory)
#12 Darcy Wilson (Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country)
#17 Lachlan Cabor (Swans Academy/NSW-ACT)
#18 Nate Caddy (Northern Knights/Vic Metro)
#19 Zane Duursma (Gippsland Power/Vic Country)
#20 Will Lorenz (Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro)
#21 Kane McAuliffe (North Adelaide/South Australia)
#22 Ashton Moir (Glenelg/South Australia)
#23 Connor O’Sullivan (Murray Bushrangers/NSW-ACT)
#24 Will Patton (West Adelaide/South Australia)
#25 Nathan Philactides (Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro)
#26 Cooper Simpson (Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country)
#27 George Stevens (GWV Rebels/Vic Country)
#28 Koltyn Tholstrup (Subiaco/Western Australia)
#29 Daniel Curtin (Claremont/Western Australia)
#30 Mitchell Edwards (Peel Thunder/Western Australia)
#31 Will Green (Northern Knights/Vic Metro)
#32 Ethan Read (Suns Academy/Queensland)
#33 Archer Reid (Gippsland Power/Vic Country)
#34 Jed Walter (Suns Academy/Queensland)

Note: Carlton VFL’s squad is yet to be announced.

POTENTIAL LINEUP

B: W. Patton – D. Curtin – G. Stevens
HB: R. Hardeman – C. O’Sullivan – A. Roberts
C: K. Tholstrup – H. Reid – D. Wilson
HF: A. Moir – A. Read – Z. Duursma
F: N. Watson – J. Walter – J. Callinan
FOL: M. Edwards – C. McKercher – R. Sanders

INT: L. Cabor, N. Caddy, C. Cleary, J. Delean, W. Green, W. Lorenz, K. McAuliffe, N. Philactides, E. Read, J. Rogers, C. Simpson, O. Turner

The pieces fall nicely into place for the Academy squad, which underwent heavy rotation last time out. All players spent at least one quarter on the pine against Port Adelaide in a match where many of them also got to show their wares in a range of roles.

Conditions should suit the idea of a talent showcase nicely under the Marvel Stadium roof. It will be an interesting fixture for top prospect and main event Harley Reid, who comes up against those who he has run out alongside for two recent VFL games.

Reid will likely again start in midfield but can play on any line, while pocket rocket Nick Watson has proven his ability to thrive at either end of the ground. The same can be said for Daniel Curtin and Connor O’Sullivan, though both will likely have to plug holes as specialist key defenders.

As is often the case, the midfield is absolutely stacked, but it also means most on-ballers should be fresh once injected into the game. Tasmanians Colby McKercher and Ryley Sanders are our starting candidates alongside Reid, with 207cm talent Mitchell Edwards as the primary ruck.

Watch for high-markers Ashton Moir and Nate Caddy to lift their output in more suitable conditions, though the former has recently missed game time with a hip flexor issue. Speaking of, Zane Duursma should be back to his best after suffering a corkie in the last Academy game.

Stay tuned to Rookie Me Central, we’ll have Scouting Notes on all 30 AFL Academy members after the game.