THE ALLIES made history in 2023 as the only squad of its kind to take out the AFL Under 18 National Championships title. No less, they were the first Allies team to win multiple games in a single campaign and ended up undefeated. 17 players went on to be drafted across the last two intakes.

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Despite 10 players being drafted out of the 2024 squad, and potentially more to come in 2025, the Allies could only manage a 1-3 record good enough for fourth place on the five-team ladder. But while their drafting fortunes may remain steady, an uptake in team results may also be on the horizon.

Last year’s Under 16 All-Australian squad was littered with Pool B talent – consisting of the four Northern Academies (Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast, Greater Western Sydney, and Sydney), Tasmania and the Northern Territory. A whopping 14 Pool B players made the cut, including 11 from Northern Academies.

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Needless to say, many of those prospects are set to reconvene as teammates in next year’s Allies squad. Of the 14 Under 16 All-Australians, five have already exposed to the Under 18 Championships, and one – Zeke Uwland – was named in the Under 18 All-Australian team as a bottom-ager this year.

Furthermore, 10 members of the 28-man National Academy are tied to the Allies in 2025. Uwland is one of four Suns Academy members included. Alongside him is Beau Addinsall, who was named best afield in the National Futures match, speedy utility Dylan Patterson, and Melbourne father-son gun Kalani White.

Queensland’s bumper crop will only be boosted by additions from the Lions Academy. Daniel Annable is considered a top 10 prospect and has long been a reliable ball winner. The midfielder has been a mainstay in maroon, blue and gold, and averaged 20 touches in this year’s National Championships.

Swans Academy standouts Lachlan Carmichael and Noah Chamberlain are also there. The former is a rebound defender who takes the game on with his run and foot skills, while Chamberlain is a versatile 192cm talent capable of playing on the wing or as a tall marking forward.

Tasmania’s leading prospect for next year, Jasper Hay has some hype around his mobility and competitiveness in the ruck. Likewise, Taj Murray is the NT’s top hope and is tied to South Australia’s development pathway. He’s currently plying his trade with North Adelaide’s Under 18s.

NSW-ACT is also represented on the national stage by key forward Liam Hetherton. The emerging Murray Bushrangers high-flyer booted five goals for the Rams’ Under 17s in their win over Vic Country this year, along with three majors in the National Futures game.

Many other Allied prospects could be considered unlucky not to make the National Academy, and will be in heavy draft contention. One such player is early top 10 contender Max King, an uber-athletic utility out of the Swans Academy. Standing at 191cm, he is effective overhead and can play a variety of roles.

Along with King, plenty more talent was on show as NSW-ACT and Queensland beat Vic Country and Metro respectively in this year’s Under 17 series. While both Victorian sides were without a handful of star players each, the results indicate just how deadly the other states will be when combined.

That’s not to mention Tasmania, who finished fifth overall in the Coates Talent League this season, and players out of the Northern Territory. Altogether, the sheer depth of genuinely draftable Allies players looms large next year, and may well rival the efforts of 2023 – both in a results and draft sense.

We mapped out how the Allies may line up in 2025. Note, the squad only consists of 2007-born talent, with over and bottom-agers likely to also be included.

POTENTIAL 2025 ALLIES LINEUP

B: Harrison Wilson (MB) – Kalani White (GC) – Max Hudson (GC)
HB: Harrison Bridge (BL) – Lenny Koller (MB) – Lachlan Carmichael (SS)
C: Dylan Patterson (GC) – Daniel Annable (BL) – Jai Murray (GC)
HF: Noah Chamberlain (SS) – Taj Murray (NT) – Max King (SS)
F: Raphael Geesu (BL) – Liam Hetherton (MB) – Bailey-Dean Latanis (GWS)
FOL: Jasper Hay (TAS) – Beau Addinsall (GC) – Zeke Uwland (GC)

INT: Cooper Collins (GC), Ryder Corrigan (MB), Benjamin Lillico (BL), Kalen Russell (NT), Isaac Waller (BL), Lucas Wootton (TAS)

EMG: Koby Coulson (GC), Jack Harrison (BL), Riley Hansen (GWS), Kaiden McNamara (SS), James Milner (OC)

BL = Brisbane Lions Academy, GC = Gold Coast Suns Academy, GWS = Greater Western Sydney Academy, SS = Sydney Swans Academy, TAS = Tasmania, NT = Northern Territory, MB = Murray Bushrangers, OC = Oakleigh Chargers