A pair of South Australians performing against senior bodies, an underrated prospect injured and a bolter announcing himself.
Catch up on what’s made news in the talent pathway this weekend below.
BOB BOG
Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier was North Adelaide’s best in its reserves loss to South Adelaide on Saturday.
The Roosters U18s captain had 23 disposals, six clearances and two goals, his best of a three-game stint in the reserves side, having played two senior games earlier in the year.
With all of North Adelaide’s sides out of finals, the National Combine invitee’s season is over, which will enable him to get surgery on a troublesome shoulder, which he has nursed all season.
The clean and quick midfielder who impressed in the second half of the Crow Eaters’ triumphant U18s National Championships has managed the injury well, averaging 25 disposals and five clearances at SANFL U18s level in 2025.
Mikunda injured
Geelong Falcons forward/midfielder Hugo Mikunda sat out the second half of the Falcons tight win after sustaining a hamstring injury in the second quarter.
The exciting 180cm prospect will get scans this week to determine the severity but it’s hard to see him playing any further part in 2025.
The injury will also limit his preparation for – or prevent his participation in – the AFL Draft Combine in early October, having received a national invite.
He’s viewed as a second round prospect, having averaged 17 disposals and three tackles in 10 Talent League games in a 2025 season where he faced a delayed start due to stress fractures.
Tall pair impress
Top five prospect Cooper Duff-Tytler and first round prospect Louis Emmett both impressed in Oakleigh’s victory over Calder at a wet Mars Stadium on Sunday.
In conditions not suited to talls, both showed their ability to take big grabs and impact forward.
It was an almost day for Duff-Tytler, who kicked 2.5 from 21 disposals and took 11 marks playing a mix of forward and ruck.
The game continues a pattern of promising forward promises across the last month to accompany his long established capacity to impact as an extra midfielder when played in the ruck.
Emmett, meanwhile, has been nursing a hip injury recently but showed little sign of soreness in a two-goal, 14-possession, 28-hitout game.
Emmett spent more time in the ruck for Oakleigh than Duff-Tytler for Calder, but also showed promise with his presence in attack.
Bolter announces himself
Eastern Ranges forward/midfielder Sullivan Robey was already gaining traction as a potential bolter for the AFL Draft prior to the weekend.
Then he collected 40 disposals and kicked three goals in a big Ranges win, capitalising on his first game as a starting midfielder at Coates League level.
It was his second consecutive best on ground performance, having only returned three weeks ago from a five-week layoff with a shoulder injury.
The 192cm talent impressed for the Ranges in his first three games which put him on the radar and earned him a state combine invite, but the last fortnight has further propelled his stocks.
Cut by Dandenong Stingrays as a 16-year-old, a dominant five-match patch for Eastern League premier club Rowville, where he kicked eight goals, piqued the interest of the Ranges.
His blend of strength, power, size and skill, which he’s showcased around stoppage and in attack, is perfect for the modern game and has been consistently on show since arriving at Coates League level.
Schubert debuts
Top-10 prospect Aiden Schubert made his SANFL senior debut in a do-or-die final for Central District and showed glimpses of his glimmering potential.
He kicked a goal with his first kick, an enormous long range goal from outside 50 and finished with four marks from his eight disposals.
It follows a season where he was among South Australia’s best and dominated for Central Districts at U18s level, before kicking three goals in a reserves callup last week.
Yze kicks 7
Casey teenager Noah Yze – the son of Richmond coach and Melbourne great Adem – kicked seven goals in a breakout game on Saturday.
It was a remarkable performance considering it was his first game back from a six-week hamstring injury and it’s just his eighth game at the level.
He averaged nine disposals and just over a goal per game in his first five VFL games this season, but the numbers deceive the presence and impact he’s had, mostly up forward.
Yze has also represented Oakleigh Chargers and the Young Guns in 2025.
Pickett breaks Bendigo hearts
Geelong Falcons bottom-aged forward Jack Pickett kicked Geelong Falcons into a quarterfinal on Saturday, dobbing a goal with the last kick of the game to get his side over the line by four points.
It was a climactic finish to a thrilling encounter, with Bendigo over-ager Tom Evans kicking a clutch goal a minute earlier which looked as though it would lift the Pioneers to victory.
Pickett’s goal was his fifth on the day, backing up a bag of five last week for the 193cm forward who represented Vic Country at the U18s National Championships this year and will feature in the Futures Game on AFL Grand Final day.
A point worth remembering…
Tom McGuane and Tom Burton’s seasons came to an end on Saturday, with Western Jets beaten convincingly by Eastern Ranges.
Both have bounced around in projected draft calculations after hot and cold seasons but it’s worth noting their win-loss record through 2025.
Across the AFL Academy, Vic Metro and Western Jets, Burton won just four of 18 games.
McGuane won just four of 17 across Vic Metro, Collingwood VFL and the Jets.
Wins and losses are scarcely referenced at underage level given the focus on development, but both have been uber-consistent, particularly at Talent League level, in a side which has largely struggled.
Coates League quarter finals set
Only eight teams remain in the Coates League in 2025 after the first five teams were eliminated across the weekend.
GWV proved far too strong for Tasmania, putting a gap on the scoreboard in the second quarter; Dandenong got the better of Murray Bushrangers in a wet affair; Geelong beat Bendigo with the last kick of the game; Eastern Ranges smashed Western Jets; and a big third quarter lifted Sandringham over Northern Knights.
Calder went down to Oakleigh, but as the highest placed losing Metro side, gets a second chance.
Eastern Ranges will face Calder Cannons, powerhouses Sandringham and Oakleigh will square off, Gippsland, which earned a bye as the top-placed Country team, will face Geelong and GWV Rebels take on Dandenong.