Northern Knights confirm Coates Talent League Boys and Girls squads

A potential top-10 draft pick, Richmond father-son prospect and sister of a St Kilda forward headline the Northern Knights’ Boys and Girls squads.

Nate Caddy celebrates a goal for the Northern Knights.

AFL bloodlines flow thick through the Northern Knights Boys and Girls squads for 2023.

The club confirmed its lists on Thursday night ahead of the new Coates Talent League season with several players looming as draft chances.

The Knights have two players in the AFL Boys Academy, Yarrambat junior Nate Caddy and Northcote’s Will Green, while Ava Jordan is in the Vic Metro squad on the Girls side.

Caddy is the nephew of two-time Richmond premiership player Josh Caddy and made his senior football debut last season with Bundoora.

The 190cm key forward looms as a top-10 draft pick this year.

Nate Caddy takes a strong mark for the Northern Knights.

Molly McErlain fires off a handball for the Northern Knights. Picture: Stuart Milligan

“Nate’s obviously a really exciting prospect after what he showed as a bottom-ager and has been recognised and been selected in the Vic Metro squad and the AFL Academy as well,” Knights talent manager Nat Grindall said.

“We’ve got really high hopes for what he can potentially achieve this year and he’s had a really good pre-season, so it will be exciting to see him get into games.

“We’ve got Will Green in the same programs, he’s our ruckman, 202cm, so he’s quite an exciting prospect as well.”

Caddy is one of several Knights with AFL connections.

Charlie Naish is a father-son candidate for Richmond as the son of 143-gamer Chris Naish and brother of Patrick, while Isabella Caminiti will be looking to join her brother, newly-listed St Kilda forward Anthony, in the big leagues.

There is also a strong connection to local clubs with Josh Carelli, son of St Mary’s coach Fabian, Jesse Dattoli, son of Heidelberg coach Vinny and Tahlia Plunkett, daughter of Lower Plenty coach Phil earning list spots.

Jordyn Gillard, brother of Coburg VFL young gun Braedyn.

The Knights saw three players drafted last year.

Riley Wilcox was a first-round draft pick, selected at No. 21 by the Western Bulldogs, while Brooke Plummer was snapped up by Geelong with pick No. 42.

Cooper Harvey was selected as a father-son selection by North Melbourne, following in the footsteps of his dad, VFL/AFL games record holder Brent.

Lulu Beatty was considered unlucky not be drafted last year and will return to the Knights as a 19-year-old, while also playing for Carlton VFL.

“Lulu is returning as a 19-year-old and will split her time between us and Carlton’s VFL program,” Grindall said.

“She’s had a great pre-season, probably in the best physical shape, so we’ve got high hopes for her as well.

“She’s had a few years in the system now so is a mature head among the group and it could be difficult for a kid to juggle two high-level programs but Lulu’s showing great maturity to do that.”

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The Knights will hold intra-club matches across both programs this weekend before practice matches against Eastern Ranges on March 4 and Calder Cannons on March 18 for the boys and Calder on March 10 and Western Jets on March 22 for the girls.

“Both squads have had a great pre-season with, obviously, two new coaches into the program,” Grindall said.

“They’ve brought great energy to the program and I think both squads are loving having them involved and it’s great both programs have their own full-time coach.

“Expectations are always the same, we’re a development programs so we want to be providing our players with a wholistic experience so they leave our programs as better footballers and better people as well.”

Ruck prospect William Green in action for the Knights.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS BOYS

Zane Anderson (North Heidelberg)

Felix Bell (Lower Plenty)

Roman Black (Ivanhoe)

Nate Caddy (Bundoora)

Davin Cameron (South Morang)

Joshua Carelli (St Mary’s)

Jesse Christidis (South Morang)

Jack Chubb (Montmorency)

Aleksandr D’Arro (Whittlesea)

Jesse Dattoli (Heidelberg)

Adam De Propertis (South Morang)

William Dean (St Mary’s)

Aaron Doyle (Montmorency)

Liam Farrar (Diamond Creek)

Kristian Ferronato (Greensborough)

Archie Franklin (Ivanhoe)

Adam Galgano (Montmorency)

Jude Georgievski (Epping)

Jordyn Gillard (Montmorency)

Will Green (Northcote)

Ben Ham (Greensborough)

Dane Harvey (Fitzroy)

Parker Heatley (North Heidelberg)

Seth Hill (Research)

Zak Johnson (St Mary’s)

Ty Kitchell (St Mary’s)

Kristian Lawson (Montmorency)

Taj Logan (Diamond Creek)

Ryder Mantello (Ivanhoe)

Christian Mardini (Bundoora)

Levi McCormack (Yarrambat)

Rohan McKenzie (Ivanhoe)

Jett McLaughlan (Diamond Creek)

Charlie Naish (Wangaratta)

Braydon O’Connor (Banyule)

Charlie Opie (Ivanhoe)

Riley Ormerod (Banyule)

Laird Ramshaw (Fitzroy)

Nathan Raphael (Lower Plenty)

Jaxon Riley (Montmorency)

Flynn Riley (Montmorency)

Matthew Ryan (Whittlesea)

Samuel Sheard (Banyule)

Thomas Sims (Montmorency)

Angus Smith (Banyule)

Gabriel Stumpf (Warrandyte)

William Tsitsis (Macleod)

Tommy Vrkic (Montmorency)

Jed Wallace (Lower Plenty)

Jake Woodward (Montmorency)

Hudson Young (Lower Plenty)

Ava Jordan in action for the Northern Knights.

NORTHERN KNIGHTS GIRLS

Lulu Beatty (Darebin)

Molly Bell (Research)

Annabel Bourke (Heidelberg)

Charlotte Brimelow (Warrandyte)

Suwindi Buckley (Fitzroy)

Isabella Caminiti (Heidelberg)

Mia Caruso (Laurimar)

Brianna Cowley (Diamond Creek Women’s)

Matilda Fitzgerald (Yarrambat)

Ashley Fitzpatrick (Laurimar)

Paige Graham (Yarrambat)

Marlo Graham (Parkside)

Mia Haas (Darebin)

Zoe Hargreaves (Fitzroy)

Phoebe Hargreaves (Fitzroy)

Nessa Hunt (Parkside)

Lauren Jatczak (Banyule)

Ava Jordan (Banyule)

Chloe Kodagoda (Parkside)

Evie Lee (Darebin)

Kira Lemire (Montmorency)

Mikalee Maroney (West Preston-Lakeside)

Charli McClure (Laurimar)

Molly McErlain (West Preston-Lakeside)

Isabella Parnell (Heidelberg)

Tahlia Plunkett (St Mary’s)

Holly Ridewood (Heidelberg)

Mary Robinson (Montmorency)

Amber Sciacca (Research)

Hannah Scott (Research)

Tianah Te’o (Mernda)

Abbey Vaughan (Eltham)

Isabel Villarreal (Montmorency)

Ava Vincent (Heidelberg)

Emily Wunderlich (Whittlesea)