The AFL has officially announced the teams for the highly anticipated 2024 Marsh AFL National Futures Boys match, which will be held at the MCG this Saturday as a curtain-raiser to the 2024 Toyota AFL Grand Final.
This annual showcase of young talent will feature two teams named after recently retired AFL legends, Dyson Heppell and Rory Sloane.
The match will bring together 46 of the most promising under-17 footballers from across Australia, all born in 2007 and eligible for the AFL Draft following the 2025 season.
These future stars have been selected based on their performances in state talent programs, national championships, and through recommendations by AFL club recruiters.
19 players in the 2024 squad were part of the 2023 U16 All Australian team, including standout Queenslander Zeke Uwland, who also impressed at the U18 level for the Allies.
Dyson Heppell, a former Essendon captain with 253 AFL games under his belt, and Rory Sloane, a 255-game stalwart for the Adelaide Crows, will address their respective teams on Friday evening.
Both players are widely admired for their leadership and dedication across their long-serving careers at the Bombers and Crows, making them fitting namesakes for the squads.
Team Heppell, coached by Dale Eames, head of the Northern Territory Academy, will feature a talented lineup including players like Thomas McGuane, son of Collingwood great Mick McGuane, and Willem Duursma from Gippsland Power, whose brother Xavier currently plays for Port Adelaide.
Meanwhile, Team Sloane will be led by Ash Close, with stars such as Dyson Sharp, the best and fairest winner at last year's U16 Championships, and Beau Addinsall from the Gold Coast Suns Academy taking the field.
| # | NAME | STATE | STATE LEAGUE CLUB | COMMUNITY CLUB |
| 1 | Thomas Burton | VIC M | Western Jets | Point Cook |
| 2 | Charlie Banfield | WA | Claremont | Swanbourne |
| 3 | Harley Barker | SA | Sturt | Mt Barker |
| 4 | Luke Candy | SA | Glenelg | Brighton |
| 5 | Lachlan Carmichael | NSW/ACT | Sydney Swans Academy | Mosman |
| 6 | Samuel Cumming | SA | North Adelaide | Wentworth |
| 7 | Willem Duursma | VIC C | Gippsland Power | Foster |
| 8 | Bailey-Dean Latanis | NSW/ACT | GWS Giants Academy | Ingleburn |
| 9 | Josh Lindsay | VIC C | Geelong Falcons | Newtown & Chilwell |
| 10 | Thomas McGuane | VIC M | Western Jets | Keilor |
| 11 | Dylan Patterson | QLD | Gold Coast Suns Academy | Palm Beach Currumbin |
| 12 | Kalen Russell | NT | NT Academy/Sturt | Darwin Buffaloes |
| 13 | Wes Walley | WA | Subiaco | Warwick Greenwood |
| 14 | Daniel Annable | QLD | Brisbane Lions Academy | Redland-Victoria Point |
| 15 | Noah Chamberlain | NSW/ACT | Sydney Swans Academy | East Sydney |
| 16 | Louis Emmett | VIC M | Oakleigh Chargers | Glen Iris |
| 17 | Oliver Greeves | VIC M | Eastern Ranges | Vermont |
| 18 | Matthew LeRay | SA | Central District | Golden Grove |
| 19 | Archie Ludowyke | VIC M | Sandringham Dragons | East Sandringham |
| 20 | Fred Rodriguez | WA | South Fremantle | Fremantle City |
| 21 | Aidan Schubert | SA | Central District | Gawler Central |
| 27 | Cody Curtin | WA | Claremont | West Coast |
| 28 | Jasper Hay | TAS | Tasmania Devils | Clarence |
| # | NAME | STATE | STATE LEAGUE CLUB | COMMUNITY CLUB |
| 1 | Zeke Uwland | QLD | Gold Coast Suns Academy | Burleigh |
| 2 | Jai Murray | QLD | Gold Coast Suns Academy | Broadbeach |
| 3 | Beau Addinsall | QLD | Gold Coast Suns Academy | Burleigh |
| 4 | Jack Dalton | VIC M | Sandringham Dragons | Camberwell |
| 5 | Raphael Geesu | QLD | Brisbane Lions Academy | Redland-Victoria Point |
| 6 | Samuel Grlj | VIC M | Oakleigh Chargers | Old Camberwell |
| 7 | Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves | VIC C | Dandenong Stingrays | Mornington |
| 8 | Jack Ison | VIC M | Oakleigh Chargers | Parkside |
| 9 | Joshua Reichelt | SA | Central District | Nuriootpa |
| 10 | Dyson Sharp | SA | Central District | Barossa District |
| 11 | Toby Whan | WA | South Fremantle | Roleystone |
| 12 | Harrison Wilson | NSW/ACT | Murray Bushrangers | Lavington Panthers |
| 13 | Lucas Wootton | TAS | Tasmania Devils | Launceston |
| 14 | Felix Kneipp | VIC M | Calder Cannons | Fitzroy |
| 15 | Koby Evans | WA | Perth | Kenwick |
| 16 | Blake Kelly | WA | Swan Districts | Caversham |
| 17 | Taj Murray | NT | NT Academy North Adelaide | Nightcliff |
| 18 | Riley Onley | VIC C | Murray Bushrangers | Shepparton United |
| 19 | Ben Rongdit | VIC C | Geelong Falcons | Colac |
| 27 | Cooper Duff-Tytler | VIC M | Calder Cannons | Woodend-Hesket |
| 28 | Liam Hetherton | NSW/ACT | Murray Bushrangers | North Albury |
| 29 | Kalani White | QLD | Gold Coast Suns Academy | Broadbeach |
| 30 | Tairon Ah-Mu | VIC C | Dandenong Stingrays | Berwick |