Showing posts for: Ethan Matthews
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 […]

Rising Stocks: Steed, Matthews stake first round case

LEO Steed and Ethan Matthews were the stories of the weekend as the Under 18 National Championships got underway. The former co-captained Western Australia to an upset win over title-holders South Australia, while the latter was outstanding as his Allies went down to Vic Country. With both players strengthening their top 15 chances, we highlight […]

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 […]

Allies lock in 27-player squad ahead of AFL U18s

A FINAL trial match ahead of their first match on Sunday week will take place this weekend, but the Allies have confirmed an initial 27-player squad for the upcoming AFL Under 18 Championships. In previous years the selection process has largely just come from Talent League Boys form without coming together too long before the […]

Scouting Notes: 2026 South Australia vs. NSW/ACT Academies

THE COMBINED Giants and Swans Academies have raided South Australia with a seven-point win over the Croweaters at Norwood Oval on Saturday morning. Leading at every break, the NSW/ACT contingent held off a late surge from the hosts to salute 11.9 (75) to 9.14 (68) in their annual trial game. It was an incredibly even […]

Scouting Notes: Giants get going late to defeat Dandenong

THE GREATER Western Sydney (GWS) Giants Academy produced a seven-goal final quarter to kick away to their fourth-straight victory at Shepley Oval on Saturday afternoon. After an inaccurate third term which yielded nine behinds, the visitors straightened up to salute 13.20 (98) to 10.10 (70). Kicking to the wind-advantaged end in term four, GWS was […]

Scouting Notes: Giants mids stamp authority in win over Devils

THE GIANTS Academy notched its third win on the bounce after accounting for Tasmania to the tune of 28 points in Blacktown on Saturday. A dominant first half set the platform for victory as GWS’ core midfielders ran riot throughout, helping their side lead by an unassailable 46 points at the main break. A total […]

Scouting Notes: Swans and Giants impress in emphatic wins

THE SWANS Academy moved to 4-0 in their Talent League stint after a comfortable 40-point road win over Oakleigh on Saturday. The success continued for NSW-based academies on Sunday, as the Giants thumped Murray to the tune of 77 points in somewhat of a local rivalry game in Lavington. We took note of the top […]

Scouting Notes: 2026 AFL Academy vs. Richmond VFL

RICHMOND-TIED prospect Tanner Armstrong was among the standouts as the AFL Academy suffered another loss in its second and final showcase game for 2026. The Under 18 outfit pushed Richmond’s VFL side through three quarters, but ultimately went down by 49 points at IKON Park on Saturday. Armstrong’s audition against potential future teammates saw him […]

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