FOLLOWING the conclusion of the AFL National Under 18s Division Two Championships, the Allies have announced their squad for the upcoming division one championships. Greater Western Sydney’s academy has the most members of any division two side, with 12 players included, followed by Gold Coast Academy (10) and Sydney Academy (nine). Northern Territory (seven), Tasmania (six) and Brisbane Lions (four) round out the other division two sides.

Among those named are first round prospects Jarrod Brander and Charlie Spargo (GWS), both of whom were ruled ineligible to be drafted by GWS through the academy system and placed on the open market, as well as Brayden Crossley and Bailey Scott (Gold Coast) the latter of which is also eligible for father/son at Geelong and North Melbourne, Connor Ballenden (Brisbane) and Nick Blakey (Sydney – also eligible for father/son at North Melbourne and Brisbane).

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DHu5Xb0zzg[/embedyt]

From Matt Balmer’s top 25 Power Rankings, the Allies have Brander (#1), Ballenden (#8), Spargo (#11) and Jack Powell (#15) in the squad. A number of the GWS Academy members are on TAC Cup lists including Brander and Laine Fitzgerald (Bendigo Pioneers); and Alex Paech, Daniel Johnston, Doulton Langlands and Spargo (Murray Bushrangers).

The squad will play their final practice games on Sunday 28th May.

2017 National AFL Under 18s Championships Allies Squad:

NSW-ACT (GWS Academy): Nicholas Shipley, Brendan Myers, Jack Powell, Nathan Richards, Jarrod Brander, Alex Paech, Daniel Johnston, Laine Fitzgerald, Doultan Langlands, Jy Lane, Tom Highmore, Charlie Spargo
NSW-ACT (Sydney academy): Luke Skrivanic, Nick Blakey, James Bell, Michael Carroll, Harrison Carr, Luke Robertson, Jarrod Osborne, Jake Brown, Jack Hardman
Northern Territory: Rodney Baird, Zac Bailey, Matthew Green, Jeremiah Scrutton, Tony Olango, Adam Sambono, Dominic Grant
Queensland (Gold Coast academy): Brodie Foster, Brayden Crossley, Harry Simmington, Jacob Dawson, Bailey Scott, Sam Davidson, Damien Burke, Timakoi Bowie, Caleb Graham, Kwaby Boakye
Queensland (Brisbane Lions academy): Connor Ballenden, Jack Payne, Jack Clayton, Ben Sloan
Tasmania: Chayce Jones**, Tarryn Thomas, Hugh Dixon, Thomas Mundy, Jake Hinds, Nicholas Hutchinson
** Jones has been ruled out through injury and has been replaced by Zach Buechner (Tasmania)