Under 18 National Championships scouting notes, ranking points: Vic Metro’s win over Allies
Small forwards have lit up for Vic Metro in their win over the Allies, while a No.1 prospect is also throwing his weight around in the ruck. See the full ranking points and scouting notes.
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A pair of Essendon-linked smalls continue to climb club draft boards after playing key roles in a Vic Metro forward line which packed a punch on Sunday.
Bombers Next Generation Academy prospects Adam Sweid (four goals) and Hussien El Ackar (three goals) were among a bevy of small forwards who propelled Vic Metro to a commanding under-18 national championships win over the Allies in Brisbane, 20.8 (128) to 13.8 (86).
Sweid — who stands 175cm tall — also gathered 17 disposals and five clearances rotating between midfield and forward roles in what was his best game of the championships so far.
Facing away from goal after sharking the footy from a forward-50 stoppage at the top of the goalsquare, Sweid cleverly snapped the ball over his shoulder for his first goal of the game late in the opening quarter.
He also got on the end of two majors in the space of 62 seconds during a second-quarter purple patch.
Coming off a 15-disposal and two-goal game against Western Australia the previous week, 171cm small forward El Achkar was also lively once again.
El Achkar brought some good forward pressure and showed plenty of class in kicking his three goals.
Hailing from the Calder Cannons in the Coates Talent League, Sweid and El Achkar both shape as top-25 draft prospects this year.
Fellow Vic Metro small forwards Lachy Dovaston and Tyson Gresham were also busy in a dynamic attack.
Another first-round draft prospect who looks up to Hawthorn’s Nick Watson, Dovaston logged 18 disposals, five tackles and four goals in an eye-catching display.
Returning to the Vic Metro side after being overlooked for the previous week’s game against Western Australia, Carlton NGA prospect Gresham also played a key role as a high half-forward with 20 disposals, eight inside-50s and two goals.
Xavier Taylor – a 191cm defender – was rock solid down back for Vic Metro, while his Eastern Ranges teammate Oliver Greeves finished as the side’s leading ball-winner through the midfield with 23 disposals and a goal.
Collingwood NGA prospect Zac McCarthy (11 disposals, two goals) showed some good signs, as did 200cm mobile ruckman Louis Emmett (14 disposals, 12 hit-outs).
Gold Coast Suns Academy member Dylan Patterson (17 disposals) was prolific off halfback for the Allies with his run and rebound, while Brisbane Lions Academy midfielders Tyan Prindable (21 disposals, two goals) and Daniel Annable (22 disposals, five clearances) worked hard.
Vic Metro’s win was soured only by a knee injury to key forward Archie Ludowyke, who sat out the second half.
Vic Metro faces off with Vic Country in the final match of the championships at Morrabbin next Sunday.
SCOUTING NOTES – ALLIES v VIC METRO
ALLIES
DYLAN PATTERSON
17 disposals, 9 rebound 50s, 4 marks
When this Gold Coast Suns Academy star has the ball across halfback, good luck stopping him. Patterson possesses serious speed, agility and strength and loves to take the game on. He’s also a beautiful kick, keeps his composure under pressure and showed some strong defensive actions including a nice run-down tackle in the second quarter. A top-five draft prospect, Patterson also spent some time rotating through the midfield but was predominantly used as a rebounding halfback in this match.
TYAN PRINDABLE
21 disposals, 4 clearances, 2 goals
Not named in the initial Allies’ squad, the Brisbane Lions Academy member ended up coming in and playing the final three games of the championships. A 181cm strong-bodied midfielder, Prindable is a good contested ball player who is also defensively-minded and gets after his opponents when he doesn’t have hold of the footy himself. He finished this clash with a game-high seven tackles.
KAIDEN MCNAMARA
18 disposals, 7 marks, 3 goals
Played as a defender during his first two games for the Allies in this tournament, this Sydney Swans Academy member was thrown forward against Vic Metro to great effect after being recalled into the side. The 186cm prospect found plenty of the footy as a lead-up player and showed his overhead marking abilities, taking two contested marks among seven grabs for the day. The highlight was a contested mark inside 50 in the third quarter, before McNamara went back to slot the set shot. He also steadied nicely in congestion to kick a nice fourth-quarter goal from the forward pocket.
LACHLAN CARMICHAEL
19 disposals, 3 clearances, 1 goal
After starring across halfback for the Allies against Vic Country the previous week, the Sydney Swans Academy member was given a new challenge through the midfield against Vic Metro. He used the footy well – recording a disposal efficiency of 89.5 per cent – to get himself involved in scoring chains going forward. Carmichael also pushed forward himself to kick a classy goal on the run in the third quarter.
DANIEL ANNABLE
22 disposals, 5 clearances, 1 goal
This was the Allies’ captain and Brisbane Lions Academy member’s quietest game of the tournament, after he been one of the standouts across the first three games. But Annable still worked hard playing onball and showed some great clearance work in the first half with his ability to step through traffic. He also snapped a classy goal in the forward pocket in the third quarter.
CALEB NANCARROW
12 disposals, 3 marks, 5 intercept possessions
Another Gold Coast Suns Academy member, the 191cm defender is showing some great signs in his development. Nancarrow is a good size, brings great speed and can take an intercept mark or get a spoil in on his opponents even when you think he might be out of the contest. He provided some good run and rebound off halfback in this contest and defended aggressively, pushing up the ground.
HARRY KYLE
16 disposals, 3 marks, 1 goal
Playing on a wing, the 188cm Kyle worked hard throughout the day but was particularly impressive in the first half as he racked up 11 disposals to the main break. He found a bit of the footy on the outside, while also winning two clearances in the first half. One of those clearance wins came from a forward 50 stoppage in the second quarter, with Kyle slotting a goal out of that. He is a Sydney Swans Academy member.
VIC METRO
ADAM SWEID
17 disposals, 5 clearances, 4 goals
The Bombers are set to bag a beauty here. An Essendon Next Generation Academy member, Sweid missed last year with an ACL injury but has gone from strength-to-strength during his return in 2025. Measuring 175cm, he impacted in both midfield and forward roles against the Allies, showing his ability to extract the footy from contested situations and impact the scoreboard when forward. He kicked a goal over his shoulder in the opening quarter, before booting two majors in 62 seconds in the second quarter. The second of those came from a mark on the lead, just inside 50m, with Sweid quickly turning around and going ‘bang’ from long range. He finished with a game-high 10 score involvements, while also laying four tackles.
LACHY DOVASTON
18 disposals, 5 tackles, 4 goals
There’s a few quality small forwards in this year’s draft pool and Dovaston is among those at the top of the list. The Eastern Ranges product kicked 4.1 among eight score involvements against the Allies, hitting the scoreboard in different ways. His first major came from a free kick, but he nabbed a second before halftime after gathering a loose ball in the goalsquare. Dovaston kicked a set-shot goal from 45m in the fourth quarter, before gathering another loose ball and snapping a fourth goal late in the game. He also worked hard up the ground and found teammates with the ball going back inside-50. Forward-half pressure was also a highlight with his five tackles.
TYSON GRESHAM
20 disposals, 9 marks, 2 goals
Recalled to the Vic Metro side after kicking three goals for the Northern Knights in the Coates Talent League the previous week, Gresham played one of his best games of the year on the national stage. The 169cm small forward – who is an NGA prospect for Carlton – worked hard up the ground as a link-up half-forward and showed some great evasive skills. Both of his goals came in the third quarter, one coming on the run from 30m and the other coming after he found a path through congestion at a forward-50 stoppage. He also set up teammates for goal and score assists with some neat kicks going inside-50.
HUNTER HOLMES
15 disposals, 4 inside-50s, 7 score involvements
The younger brother of Geelong’s Max Holmes, this hard-running speedster continues to impress. Playing mostly on the wing – with a few onball rotations – Holmes broke the lines with his run and dash through the middle of the ground, helping Vic Metro chain the ball through handball while also finding some targets by foot going forward. He also got on the end of a goal himself, kicking truly from a 40m set shot after receiving a 50m penalty in the opening quarter.
OLIVER GREEVES
23 disposals, 6 clearances, 1 goal
A strong, big-bodied onballer, Greeves was the leading disposal winner on the ground and also topped the stats sheet for contested possessions (12) and clearances (six). The 191cm Eastern Ranges product stood out around the contest, as is often the case. But he was also rotated forward for brief periods and took a strong contested mark in the forward pocket during the first quarter before going back to kick a lovely goal.
XAVIER TAYLOR
17 disposals, 3 marks, 9 intercept possessions
This 191cm Eastern Ranges product looks to be one of the best key defenders in this year’s draft pool, leaving him in the frame to be a first-round pick. Taylor was a one-man wall at times, stopping and repelling anything that came his way from the Allies. He defends strongly one-on-one and also reads the play well to get to the right spots and intercept the footy.
HUSSIEN EL ACHKAR
10 disposals, 2 tackles, 3 goals
A livewire 171cm small forward, El Achkar has now kicked 11 goals across his past three games in the national championships and at Coates League level with the Calder Cannons. The Essendon NGA prospect made the most of his opportunities against the Allies, crumbing a goal in the second quarter, before gathering a loose ball and sidestepping an opponent to snap a second major in the third term. His forward pressure got him a third goal, with El Achkar nailing a set shot from 49m after receiving a holding the ball free kick.
ZAC MCCARTHY
11 disposals, 5 marks, 2 goals
On paper, it wasn’t a huge day on the stats sheet for McCarthy. But there was plenty to like about the Collingwood NGA prospect. A 199cm mobile tall from the Oakleigh Chargers, he played forward with some rotations in the ruck but was often seen helping out deep in defence, such is his athleticism and workrate. He provided a target and took some good grabs overhead, while also taking his chances inside-50. McCarthy crumbed the ball and kicked a goal from the pocket in the third quarter – not usually the domain of big men – before converting a set shot from a free kick in the final term. He also set up a Cooper Duff-Tytler goal in the second quarter, among six score involvements for the day.
COOPER DUFF-TYTLER
13 disposals, 3 marks, 11 hit-outs
A top-five draft prospect, this star young ruckman has been made to share ruck duties across these national championships, which is why some of his numbers have been a little down. However, the 200cm former basketball ace had some nice moments rotating between ruck and forward roles. He showed some good tap work at stages in the ruck against bigger opponents, while also getting involved in chains going forward around the ground. There was one impressive play on the wing where he shrugged off a tackle to still get a kick away. When forward during the second quarter he beat his opponent to take a mark in the pocket and snap a nice goal on his right foot.
Originally published as Under 18 National Championships scouting notes, ranking points: Vic Metro’s win over Allies
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