The AFL Under 18 National Championships once again features many local talents looking to impress.

By Ben Andonoudis

Every year the AFL Under 18 National Championships provide a glimpse into the future of the game. The carnival provides a stage where young players can showcase their talents as they push towards an AFL or AFLW opportunity.

For the Barwon region, the championships have become another opportunity to showcase the immense talent coming through the local pathways.

This year is no different, with 12 local representatives selected across the boys and girls programs.

The opening games of the carnival has seen several Barwon region representatives perform well in their first hit-outs.

Leopold key forward Jet Elek provided an early look into his potential with a goal among his 12 disposals in Vic Country’s opening match against the Allies.

In the same game, St Joseph's' Noah Williams accumulated 13 disposals before a hamstring injury prematurely ended his day.

The opening girls match against the Allies featured a strong performance by St Mary’s utility Ava Bilyk as she kicked two goals among her 20 disposals to be one of the best players on the ground.

Williams and Meyah Fursland are both St Joseph’s juniors who will be looking to make the transition into the AFL at the end of the year.

Williams’ reputation continued to grow when he was named best-on-ground in the Under 17 AFL futures match at the MCG, joining previous winners such as Daniel Curtin, Matt Rowell and Izak Rankine.

This year has seen Williams continue that trajectory through his performance in the AFL Under 18 academy team, where he was also named captain, and has been appointed co-captain of the Vic Country side.

Williams was also named the Academy's best in their clash with North Melbourne.

Fursland (who was also a talented junior netballer at Newtown & Chilwell) is also making her mark. The tall defender was picked in the Vic Country Under 17 futures match last year and has continued with her form this season with the Geelong Falcons and Geelong Grammar.

For St Joseph’s senior football director Chris Hickey, the club’s commitment to junior development stretches beyond producing AFL players.

“We try and develop all our kids as footballers and humans,” Hickey said.

That approach has seen the club produce AFL stars including former Premiership winners Matthew Scarlett and Nick Maxwell, right through to the current day with the likes of Sam Walsh and Tom Atkins.

This year, the club will be hoping to see Williams and Fursland do enough during the carnival to get selected come draft time. If they do, they could very well join several other talents from the region who may find themselves in the same situation.

The full list of players selected from our competitions can be found below:

AFL Barwon has today announced the establishment of a Steering Committee to lead the development of the Barwon Blueprint - a long-term, region-wide strategy focused on strengthening the sustainability, competitiveness and future viability of community football and netball across the Barwon region. 

The Steering Committee will undertake a comprehensive review of competition structures, club sustainability, participation pathways and competitive balance levers across senior and junior netball and football leagues.

The key output of this work will be a recommendations report outlining a long-term competition roadmap, including structural options and transition plans. 

The initiative comes in response to ongoing concerns about widening competitive gaps, increasing pressure on volunteer-driven clubs, and the need to ensure local sport remains strong and sustainable for future generations.

AFL Barwon CEO and Chair of the Steering Committee, Kate Patterson, said the review represents an important opportunity for the region to work collaboratively on the future of community sport.

“Our region is widely recognised as one of the strongest community football and netball regions in Victoria, but we cannot afford to be complacent,” Kate said.

“We are seeing clear sustainability challenges caused by competitive imbalance, and participation issues that impact long-term club viability in some parts of our region, while others are experiencing rapid growth. This project is about taking a proactive, evidence-based approach to ensure our competitions remain strong, relevant and sustainable well into the future.

“Importantly, this process will be genuinely collaborative and consultative. Clubs, leagues, volunteers and key stakeholders will all have an opportunity to contribute to shaping the future direction of football and netball in our region.”

The Steering Committee will examine a broad range of issues, including competition structures, club movement mechanisms, junior-to-senior pathways, participation growth, operational impacts and support mechanisms for clubs.

Chair of the AFL Barwon Board, Ashley West, said the review is focused on protecting the long-term health of local sport rather than short-term outcomes.

“Community sport is one of the foundations of our region. It brings people together, creates connection and provides opportunities for people of all ages to participate and belong,” Ashley said.

“To protect that future, we must be prepared to have constructive conversations and make considered decisions that support the long-term sustainability of clubs and competitions across the region. 

“This is not about winners and losers between leagues or clubs. It is about ensuring the entire ecosystem of community football and netball remains strong, competitive and viable for decades to come.” 

The Steering Committee will include representatives from AFL Barwon, all four regional leagues, AFL Victoria, Netball Victoria and independent subject matter experts. Stakeholder consultation will occur throughout 2026.

A final recommendations report is expected to be presented.

To learn more about the Barwon Blueprint and register for project updates, visit www.aflbarwon.com.au/the-barwon-blueprint

AFL Victoria has today announced the formal implementation of the Barwon Regional Council, which will provide strategic leadership and advice to support community football in the Barwon region.

The formation of the Barwon Regional Council follows the announcement of governance reform made by AFLVictoria last November and represents an important milestone in the evolution of community football governance.

The Council has been established to provide strategic advice and regional leadership, ensuring decisions are informed by local knowledge while aligning with AFL Victoria's broader strategic direction.

Regional Administration Centres (RACs) were first introduced in response to the 2011 Peter Jackson Report, which recommended consolidating local league administration, umpiring, and game development into unified regional models.

It is a move which has allowed AFL Victoria and its regions to hone its efforts on participation growth, game development, and increased community engagement, as well as assist clubs and leagues in delivering increasingly complex football and netball operations and locally focused strategic initiatives.

This implementation of the Barwon Regional Council will provide greater clarity of roles, strengthen connections with local leagues, and maintain a strong regional focus to support the continued growth of football and netball

The Barwon Regional Council will focus on the long-term sustainability of football across the Barwon region by providing advice on matters including:

• Participation growth
• Club sustainability
• Competition structures
• Governance standards
• Infrastructure priorities
• Inclusion and diversity initiatives
• Volunteer and workforce development

These priorities are aligned with AFL Victoria's commitment to building stronger and more sustainable community clubs and competitions.

The Barwon Region Council provides an important mechanism for local clubs and stakeholders to havetheir voices represented in regional strategic planning. By bringing together respected leaders from across the football community, the Council will help ensure regional priorities continue to inform AFL Victoria's decision-making and investment.

AFL Victoria Regional Manager (Barwon), Lisa Patterson said the Council is an important step in ensuring the sustainability of football across the region.

"The establishment of the Barwon Regional Council marks an exciting new chapter for community football in our region,” Patterson said.

“By bringing together experienced leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds, we are creating a strategicadvisory group that will help shape the future of football and ensure our clubs remain strong, sustainable and connected to the communities they serve.

“Their collective expertise will provide invaluable guidance as we continue to grow participation and strengthen the game across Barwon."

The following five administrators will sit on the Barwon Regional Council.

Craig Keating

Craig Keating is a highly respected community leader and administrator with an extensive history in Australian football governance and regional community service. The inaugural Chair of the AFL Barwon Commission, he served for 10 years, earning Life Membership in 2023. Beyond AFL Barwon, Keating has enjoyed a distinguished career as a pharmacist and has held numerous leadership positions, including President of the Heywood Football Netball Club, Chairman of the Western Border Football League and director roles across community health and banking organisations.

Kent Hannam

Kent Hannam is a highly experienced sport integrity and investigations professional with extensive expertise across Australian and international sport, including AFL Victoria, Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council (ICC). His reputation for impartiality, procedural fairness and meticulous investigative practice has made him a trusted advisor across the sporting sector.

Gerard Evans

Gerard Evans is a highly regarded community football administrator, holding senior roles at both Lara and Grovedale Football Netball Clubs, helping drive strategic planning, club development and sustainable growth while fostering strong community connections and volunteer engagement.

Gerard was awarded the John Edsall Award for Service to Football by AFL Barwon, and has Life Membership at Lara Football Netball Club, with His collaborative leadership style, governance expertise and unwavering commitment to volunteers and participants making him a highly respected figure within the Barwon football and netball community.

Aaron Verlin

Aaron Verlin is a respected community leader with extensive experience in governance, strategic leadership and community engagement through both sport and the disability sector. Serving as President of the Leopold Football Netball Club, alongside his professional career within the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), reflects his passion for creating inclusive, sustainable and people-focused organisations.

Nicole Baceley

Nicole Baceley is a passionate and respected leader in community football, recognised for her outstanding contribution to the growth and development of female football at the Barwon Heads Football Netball Club. Nicole has been a driving force behind the club's female football pathway, working closely with players, coaches, volunteers and families to create a positive and supportive environment where participants can

A local sporting star has made the jump to the elite level.

Author: Ben Andonoudis | Photo: Elisa Caldwell (Newtown & Chilwell FNC)

From the courts of Elderslie Reserve to the Super Netball stage, Ruby Pekin-Schlicht’s dream has become reality.

The Newtown & Chilwell defender stepped onto court alongside some of Australian Netball’s biggest names when she made her Melbourne Vixens debut in round 10 against the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

The talented youngster held her own on the court as she became just the 69^th player to play for the Vixens.

For Newtown & Chilwell head coach Jason Woolley, Ruby’s debut was particularly rewarding.

“She's worked towards it for a long time and I’m really proud of her having been able to see her put a lot of work and time into it,” Woolley said.

Woolley is very well placed to comment on Pekin-Schlicht’s journey having spent over a decade with her at Newtown & Chilwell.

Woolley first met Pekin-Schlicht following her move from Camperdown in the state’s south-west.

According to Woolley, she still had plenty of development ahead of her, but the signs were obvious.

“She came in as a sort of very gangly, skinny kid who was still growing into her body, but she always had a level of natural ability,” Woolley said.

That has certainly shone through as Pekin-Schlicht has gone on to become a mainstay of the Newtown & Chilwell defence in her time at the club.

Her defensive attributes were obvious to her coach as she moved up the ranks.

“She just always seemed to naturally have that defensive ability,” Woolley said.

Ruby’s performances on the netball court have caught the eye of many.

Her 2025 season saw her cement her status as one of the competition’s premier defenders as she claimed both the Julia Woolley Medal (GFNL A-grade best and fairest) and the Newtown & Chilwell A-grade best and fairest in just 15 games.

For Woolley, the awards were a just reward for her outstanding season.

“It was great to see her get that recognition,” Woolley said.

Pekin-Schlicht’s success hasn’t just been confined to netball.

She has also impressed in the world of athletics, earning a United States college scholarship in track and field.

While her talent has opened doors, having as busy a schedule as Ruby does has required plenty of support from those around her.

Newtown & Chilwell have always been committed to supporting her ambitions, even when they extended beyond netball.

“We've always tried to help her manage through all those competing priorities,” Woolley said.

While Newtown & Chilwell provided a lot of support, Pekin-Schlicht’s parents played a crucial role.

“Her parents are fantastic at helping keep her coordinated and even when she was young making sure she was where she needed to be,” Woolley said.

With her success over the years, you could be forgiven for thinking that Pekin-Schlicht may not return to Newtown & Chilwell soon.

However, Pekin-Schlicht’s connection to home remains as strong as ever.

“We fully expect that she'll be back into the Newtown kit later this year,” Woolley said.

Her dedication to Newtown & Chilwell is proof that not all stars lose touch with where they came from.

No matter where she goes from here, for Pekin-Schlicht home remains exactly where it started: Elderslie Reserve.