A record number of QBE Sydney Swans Academy athletes have been named in the 2026 Allies squads to compete in the 2026 Marsh AFL National Championships.
Eleven players from the Top End Female program and eight from the Top End Male program have been selected.
Guy Jenkin, Lachie Price, Henry Meaney and Jake Medved (all from Manly Warringah), Ben Pignatelli and Mason McGroder (UNSW Bulldogs), Will Morahan (North Shore) and Coen Hardy (Cronulla) have been selected in the 2026 Allies U18 male squad.
Aurelia Russell (Maitland), Frankie Walsh (Glebe), Emma Haley, Ash Barlow and Grace Tracey (UNSW Bulldogs), Charlotte Tidemann and Ava Hordeman (North Shore), Evie Bowie (Sydney Uni), Emma McCallum (Warners Bay), Jordan Davis (St George) and Lola Savala (Maroubra) have been selected in the 2026 Allies female squad.
VIEW THE FULL ALLIES SQUADS HERE
Head of the QBE Sydney Swans Academy Wayne Campbell said he was thrilled for the athletes selected.
“We are incredibly proud to have 11 girls and 8 boys in the 2026 Allies squads which is a record for our Academy," Campbell said.'
"The majority of these players joined our Youth Program at 12 years of age, which is a testament to the program the club has established in nurturing local talent.
"The depth talent in our Top End boys and girls programs is outstanding and there are many other players who could have joined their teammates in Allies selection and were unlucky to miss out due to the depth of overall talent in this age group."
"Just like those selected for the Allies, they will continue to work hard in 2026 with the goal of ending up on an AFL or AFLW list."
Alongside athletes, several QBE Sydney Swans Academy staff will be involved with the Allies program over the next month. U18 Top End Male Head Coach Trent Goodrem has been named a lines coach for the Allies boys while U16 Girls coach Bron Gulden has also been named a line coach for the girls side. Aimee Whelan has been named the Allies girls team's physio and Kate Arnol and Nick Hay the Strength and Conditioning Coaches for the two respective teams.
The haul of Academy athletes will will take centre stage over the next month when they compete at the 2026 Marsh AFL National Championships.
The best under 18 footballers from across Australia will showcase their skills in the AFL Talent Pathway’s highest standard of representative state and territory football ahead of the Telstra AFL Draft and Telstra AFLW Draft later this year.
Both the boys and girls Championships will commence this weekend, launching with a double-header between Western Australia and South Australia at Mineral Resources Park in Perth on Saturday.
The action continues on Sunday, with the Allies and Victoria Country to meet in another double-header at Blacktown International Sport Park. Meanwhile, Victoria Metro hosts Queensland in a standalone girls match at GMHBA Stadium on the same day.
The 2026 Marsh AFL National Championships – U18 Boys will be played from Saturday, June 13 to Sunday, July 19.
The Allies, South Australia, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro and Western Australia will each play each other once in the round-robin series. The Allies will again comprise players from the ACT, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland and Tasmania.
This year’s boys carnival features matches in four states, which includes a double-header at Marvel Stadium on Friday, July 3 and another at Mars Stadium on Wednesday, July 8.
The team that finishes atop the standings at the conclusion of the carnival will be crowned title winner.
If two teams finish equal on points atop the ladder, the title will be awarded to the team that won the round-robin match between those teams. If more than two teams finish equal on points atop the ladder, the title will be awarded to the team with the highest percentage.
South Australia is the reigning title holder after completing a clean sweep last year to lift the trophy for the first time since 2018.
The Larke Medal for the competition best and fairest and the All Australian team will be selected by a panel comprising AFL Talent Pathways staff and AFL club recruiters at the conclusion of the 2026 Marsh AFL National Championships – U18 Boys.
The 2026 Marsh AFL National Championships – U18 Girls will be played from Saturday, June 13 to Saturday, July 11.
The girls Championships again features six teams, including Queensland, South Australia, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro, Western Australia and the Allies, with the latter to comprise players from the ACT, New South Wales, Northern Territory and Tasmania.
Each team will play four matches, with the team that finishes atop the standings at the conclusion of the carnival to be crowned title winner.
If two teams finish equal on points atop the ladder, the title will be awarded to the team that won the match between those teams. If those two teams didn’t play against each other, or if more than two teams finish equal on points atop the ladder, the title will be awarded to the team with the highest percentage.
Victoria Metro is the two-time reigning title holder, having claimed title victory in both 2025 and 2024.
A competition best and fairest and All Australian team will be selected by a panel comprising AFL Talent Pathways staff and AFL club recruiters at the conclusion of the 2026 Marsh AFL National Championships – U18 Girls.
All matches in the 2026 Marsh AFL National Championships will be streamed live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.
