The stage is set

Before he was playing in AFL Grand Final's, Cody Wightman was a Vic Country representative. Picture: KATE MITCHELL

By Tyler Lewis

The biggest stage of under-age football is set.

The dates for the 2022 NAB AFL National Carnival Championships are locked and loaded, as the country’s best prospects gear up for the biggest games of their career to date.

The under-16 and under-18 boys matches will be played predominantly over June and July, with the under-18 tournament set to conclude with a highly-anticipated Vic Country v Vic Metro clash on AFL Grand Final eve on Friday 23 September.

In the past, the Metro v Country clash has been played on the MCG with a sensational Indigenous ceremony.

But, considering the contest is on set to be played less than 24 hours before the AFL Grand Final, expect the match to be played at either Marvel Stadium, or Richmond Football Club’s Swinburne Centre.

Vic Country representation has been a tremendous launching pad for Dandenong Stingray’s in the past.

Lachie Whitfield, Jacob Weitering, Hunter Clark, Hayden Young, Caleb Serong, and Cody Weightman were all strong performers for Vic Country, which ultimately led to their first round AFL Draft selections.

VIC COUNTRY UNDER-18 FIXTURE:

Sun, 26 June: v South Australia – Thebarton Oval Adelaide

Sun, 3 July: v Allies – Gold Coast

Sun, 17 July: Western Australia – GMHBA Stadium Geelong

Fri, 23 September: Vic Metro – TBC