Seven Northern Knights selected in Vic Metro Under-18 National Championships squad

Northern Knights has had seven players picked in the Vic Metro squad for the Under-18 Girls National Championships, giving them a significant AFLW Draft boost.

Scarlett Johnson in action for Northern Knights.

In 2023, Northern Knights had two players in the Vic Metro Under-18 Girls National Championships squad.

In 2024, the Coates League club had four.

In 2025, seven players have been selected in the championships squad, highlighting the progress of talent in the region.

Maddison Meagher and Olivia Gorman (Diamond Creek Women’s), Phoebe Hargreaves (Fitzroy), Marlo Graham (Parkside), Olivia Jesser (Heidelberg), Scarlett Johnson (Eltham) and Isobella Hishongwa-Gibb (Brunswick) all made the cut for the tournament, which kicks off this weekend.

The Knights’ seven selections is the second most, behind Eastern Ranges’ incredible 12.

Olivia Jesser in action for the Northern Knights.

It will be a second honour for Graham and Hishongwa-Gibbs who both earned selection last year as 17-year-olds, while Meagher is bottom-age this year.

Knights talent manager Nat Grindall said it was great reward for each player.

“It’s a significant result for the program and for the girls to get that recognition individually is really pleasing for them,” Grindall said.

“They’ve all done a mountain of work and we’re all looking forward to seeing how they go.

“We knew this age group was pretty special, we played a lot of them as Futures, and over a three-year period have played a substantial number of games.

“We’re biased, we rate all our players, so to have them recognised externally – by those in the industry and predominantly by AFLW recruiters – we’re really happy.”

Meagher and Gorman are two of three players selected from Northern league club Diamond Creek Women’s, along with Calder Cannons captain Jade McLay, who will miss the carnival through injury.

Gorman has been named for the championships-opener against South Australia, while Meagher is a train-on player.

“Olivia’s one we’re really bullish on and she was really happy to be recognised in the Vic Metro summer squad,” Grindall said.

“She started playing wing but some of her best attributes are her competitiveness, contest work and ball use, so she’s transitioned to inside mid and forward.

“And Maddie’s a bottom-ager and a train-on in the squad.

“She has elite speed, she’s a national-level sprinter, so she plays wing or half-back and shows that regularly in a game.

“She’s one for next year we’re really excited about and at AFLW level, with 16 a side, the wings are so important.”

Hargreaves is the Knights’ captain this season and both she and Jesser impressed in the recent Vic Metro trial matches.

“Phoebe is our captain, she’s had a change in position from inside mid-forward to predominantly forward,” Grindall said.

“She has elite footy IQ and sees the game better than most, so when she gets the ball in hand the game slows down a little bit.

“While ‘Juice’ has been a great one, she had a stress fracture in her back so has played a little less footy but has worked super hard to get back.

“She’s a small-medium forward, she’s got great goal sense and her ability to hit the scoreboard is one of her weapons – in a trial game she kicked four in her best performance of the year.”

Graham will unfortunately miss the start of the champs due to a leg injury but hopes to be back for the next lot of games in July.

Meanwhile, Johnson and Hishwonga-Gibbs loom as two of the Knights biggest AFLW Draft hopes.

Both were selected in the recent All-Stars squad, along with Graham, which faced the AFL Academy in two matches.

“She’s had a phenomenal year, last year she played predominantly as a forward – her aerial work is her No.1 weapon – but athletically she has all the traits to play wing and half-back,” Grindall said.

“On the weekend she had 10 marks, 25 disposals, kicked a goal and had nine rebound 50s, so she’s good at both ends.

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“She’s got some serious traits that clubs should be looking at.

“Bella will share ruck duties and rest forward, her craft has always been a weapon.

“The part we wanted her to keep working on was her ability to impact around the ground and she’s definitely added that and we’ve experimented with her at full-back and full-forward and done well there.”

Vic Metro’s opening match of the national championships will be played on Sunday at RSEA Park against South Australia.

VIC METRO 2025 UNDER-18 GIRLS SQUAD

Maddison Meagher (Northern Knights/Diamond Creek Women’s)

Scout Semple (Eastern Ranges/Wantirna South)

Tayla McMillian (Eastern Ranges/Wantirna South)

Phoebe Hargreaves (Northern Knights/Fitzroy)

Isabelle Creaton (Eastern Ranges/Blackburn)

Chloe Baker-West (Calder Cannons/Strathmore)

Marlo Graham (Northern Knights/Parkside)

Leni Lockyer (Oakleigh Chargers/Kew Comets)

Emily Rankin (Eastern Ranges/Park Orchards)

Storm Johnson (Oakleigh Chargers/Kew Comets)

Jordyn Allen (Eastern Ranges/Heathmont)

Zoe Vozzo (Eastern Ranges/Wantirna South)

Chloe Thorn (Oakleigh Chargers/Blackburn)

Olivia Gorman (Northern Knights/Diamond Creek Women’s)

Olivia Jesser (Northern Knights/Heidelberg)

Teagan Murtic (Oakleigh Chargers/Templestowe)

Zoe Wilkinson (Eastern Ranges/South Belgrave)

Amy Smith (Sandringham Dragons/Mordialloc-Braeside)

Macy Watkins (Sandringham Dragons/St Kilda City)

Brylee Anderson (Eastern Ranges/Healesville)

Scarlett Johnson (Northern Knights/Eltham)

Kiara Boyd (Western Jets/Aberfeldie)

Alex McBride-Loane (Western Jets/Maribyrnong Park)

Bailee Martin (Oakleigh Chargers/East Malvern)

Chloe Bown (Oakleigh Chargers/Kew Comets)

Sienna Sharp (Sandringham Dragons/East Brighton)

Bree Horne (Eastern Ranges/Lysterfield)

Isobella Hishongwa-Gibb (Northern Knights/Brunswick)

Josie Bamford (Eastern Ranges/Ferntree Gully)

Jade McLay (Calder Cannons/Diamond Creek Women’s)

Bridie Neale (Eastern Ranges/Heathmont)

Asher Fearn-Wannan (Eastern Ranges/Blackburn)

Chloe Williams (Sandringham Dragons/Prahran)

Zara Neuwirth (Oakleigh Chargers/Kew Comets)