Up the Grades: Cochrane, Walker stand tall in defeats
LEADING draft prospects Dougie Cochrane and Cody Walker showed their class in stat-stuffing state league performances over the weekend. Considered by some as the top two talents in this year’s crop, the pair proved their readiness for higher levels with strong performances in heavy defeats. Meanwhile, the debuts kept on coming across the country. There […]
Champions Vic Metro dominate Under 18 All-Australian team
CHAMPIONS Vic Metro have contributed a high of 10 players to the 2026 AFL Under 18 All-Australian team, with prospects scattered across each line. West Australian star Heath Mellody was awarded the prestigious Larke Medal and named captain of the 23-player side. Named at half-back, Mellody proved to be a rampant playmaker throughout the carnival, […]
RECAP | 2026 AFL Under 18 National Championships
THE 2026 AFL Under 18 National Championships came to a close on Sunday, as Vic Metro completed an undefeated campaign to be crowned champions. Every other team bagged at least one win in a relatively even competition. We recap how it all unfolded across the 10 fixtures, with the Larke Medal and All-Australian team to […]
Scouting Notes: 2026 AFL U18s – Vic Country vs. Vic Metro
VIC METRO has completed an undefeated Under 18 National Championships campaign after thumping rivals Vic Country by 92 points at Mars Stadium on Sunday. The newly crowned champions piled on the first 11 goals of the game, setting up their comfortable victory with 13 to one in the opening half. A 35-22 clearance trouncing helped […]
Scouting Notes: 2026 AFL U18s – Vic Country vs. South Australia
SOUTH Australia has ended its Under 18 title defence on a positive note after beating Vic Country by a single point in Ballarat on Wednesday. The Croweaters overcame an inaccurate start and early Victorian onslaught to get over the line via a minor score off the boot of captain Kodah Edwards. After Vic Country’s run […]
Top of the crop: State-by-state breakdown
WITH one round of National Championships action in the books, the picture of this year’s AFL Draft class is becoming clearer. What’s also relatively clear is which prospects are cementing themselves at the top of each state’s crop, and given AFL clubs aren’t strangers to picking local, we outline how the talent stacks up around […]
Scouting Notes: 2026 AFL U18s – Allies vs. Vic Country
POTENTIAL title favourite Vic Country has kicked off its Under 18 National Championships campaign in style, notching a 13-point win over the Allies on Sunday. The win came at a cost though, with co-captains Cody Walker (shoulder) and Noah Williams (hamstring) having their days ended by injury. The Vics led at every break but were […]
PREVIEW | 2026 AFL Under 18 National Championships
THE 2026 AFL Under 18 National Championships are set to get underway tomorrow, as South Australia begins its title defence over in Western Australia. Before the action gets underway, get the lowdown on how each squad is shaping up, and which players you should be keeping a close eye on. >> NEED TO KNOW: 2026 […]
Vic Country locks in 2026 AFL U18s squad
A STAR-STUDDED Vic Country outfit – headlined by potential number one pick Cody Walker and a host of top-end talents particularly from the Gippsland region – is ready to go ahead of next week’s AFL Under 18 Championships. Vic Country take on the Allies up in Blacktown to kick off proceedings, and have named a […]
VFL Player Focus: Cody Walker (Carlton)
IT WOULD not be out of the ordinary to suggest that, if eligible, Cody Walker would be playing in Carlton’s AFL side right now. That’s not a cheap shot at the struggling Blues either, he’s just that good. The highly touted father-son prospect turned out for his VFL debut over the weekend, impressing with his […]