StreetSmarts SUNS Academy and Allies midfielder Leo Lombard has shared the prestigious Larke Medal as the best and fairest player of this year’s Under 18 National Championships.
 
Lombard was judged equal-best alongside Victoria Country midfielder Harvey Langford, with the pair each polling 21 votes to finish ahead of Victoria Metro captain Jagga Smith on 19 votes.
  
Lombard featured in the Allies’ title-winning team as a bottom-age player in 2023 and was a standout this year, accumulating 105 disposals and booting four goals across his four games.

It comes after the SUNS Academy star, who also played in the club’s VFL premiership as a 16-year-old last year, was also named the Allies MVP for the tournament.
 
It is the second-consecutive year a player for the Allies has won the Larke Medal, with Western Bulldogs recruit Ryley Sanders winning the award in 2023.
 
The Larke Medal voting panel was AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan (chair), Tarkyn Lockyer (Marsh AFL National Academy Manager) and AFL recruiters Michael Agresta (Carlton), Steve Conole (Brisbane Lions), Hamish Ogilvie (Adelaide Crows) and Adam Shepard (Collingwood).
 
The Marsh AFL National Championships U18 Boys All Australian team will be announced next week.
 

STANDINGS

 
TEAM MVP AWARDS

Allies: Leo Lombard (Gold Coast Suns Academy/Broadbeach)
South Australia: Ben Camporeale (Glenelg/Brighton Districts & Old Scholars)
Victoria Country: Harvey Langford (Dandenong Stingrays/Mount Martha)
Victoria Metro: Murphy Reid (Sandringham Dragons/South Melbourne Districts)
Western Australia: Jaxon Artemis (South Fremantle/Jandakot Jets)
 
The team MVP winners were selected by the coaching staff of each program.

RESULTS

South Australia 13.9 (87) def Allies 11.9 (75)
South Australia
Best: Dyson Sharp, Evan Bradley, Angus Clarke, Jacob Sheean, Ben Camporeale, Lucas Camporeale
Goals: Evan Bradley, Tyler Welsh 3, Noah Howes, Jacob Newton 2, Harley Barker, Sam Cumming, Charlie Nicholls
Allies
Best: Leonardo Lombard, Samuel Marshall, Daniel Annable, Nathaniel Sulzberger, Zeke Uwland, Joshua Murphy
Goals: Joshua Murphy 3, Oliver Depaoli-Kubank 2, Oliver Dean, Josaia Delana, Ty Gallop, Leonardo Lombard, Taj Stanley, Zeke Uwland
Details: Sunday, May 26 at Thebarton Oval
 
Allies 10.10 (70) def Western Australia 7.8 (50)
Allies
Best: Leonardo Lombard, Zeke Uwland, Samuel Marshall, Ryan Gilder, Josaia Delana, Lachlan Carmichael
Goals: Joe Harrison, Leonardo Lombard, Jobe Shanahan 2, Daniel Annable, Oliver Depaoli-Kubank, Samuel Marshall, Zeke Uwland
Western Australia
Best: Blake Kelly, Luke Urquhart, Darcy Petersen, Aiden Riddle, Charlie Burke, Clancy Dennis
Goals: Malakai Champion 2, Cody Angove, Kayle Gerreyn, Will Hayes, Blake Kelly, Luke Urquhart
Details: Sunday, June 2 at Blacktown International Sportspark
 
Victoria Metro 9.13 (67) def Allies 6.15 (51)
Victoria Metro
Best: Levi Ashcroft, Patrick Retschko, Murphy Reid, Harrison Oliver, Jagga Smith, Lucca Grego
Goals: Levi Ashcroft, Isaac Kako 2, Jesse Dattoli, Tom Gross, Damon Hollow, Charlie Richardson, Josh Smillie
Allies
Best: Zeke Uwland, Samuel Marshall, Lachlan Carmichael, Lachlan Hogan, Jobe Shanahan, Oliver Depaoli-Kubank
Goals: Oliver Depaoli-Kubank, Joshua Murphy 2, Daniel Annable, Lenny Douglas
Details: Sunday, June 9 at IKON Park
 
Victoria Country 13.9 (87) def South Australia 11.13 (79)
Victoria Country
Best: Tobie Travaglia, Harvey Langford, Xavier Ivisic, Joe Berry, Harry Charleson
Goals: Jasper Alger, Joe Berry 3, James Barrat, River Stevens 2, Archer Day-Wicks, Xavier Ivisic, Jack Whitlock
South Australia
Best: Alex Dodson, Jacob Newton, Tyler Welsh, Angus Clarke, Charlie Nicholls, Ben Camporeale
Goals: Tyler Welsh 4, Jacob Newton 3, Ned Bowman, Evan Bradley, Charlie Nicholls, Tallan Rosenzweig
Details: Sunday, June 9 at IKON Park
 
South Australia 6.12 (48) def by Western Australia 18.7 (115)
South Australia
Best: Lucas Camporeale, Thomas McKay, Jacob Newton, Ned Bowman, Louie Montgomery, Alex Dodson
Goals: Ned Bowman 3, Evan Bradley 2, Jacob Newton
Western Australia
Best: Max Rohr, Aiden Riddle, Charlie Burke, Darcy Petersen, Hugh Boxshall, Will Hayes
Goals: Max Rohr 4, Kayle Gerreyn 3, Charlie Burke, Hamish Davis, Koby Evans 2, Cody Angove, Charlie Banfield, Malakai Champion, Will Hayes, Blake Kelly
Details: Sunday, June 16 at Alberton Oval
 
Western Australia 10.13 (73) def by Victoria Metro 15.16 (106)
Western Australia
Best: Jaxon Artemis, Will Hayes, Fred Rodriguez, Bo Allan, Malakai Champion, Loch Mactaggart
Goals: Malakai Champion 3, Bo Allan, Hamish Davis 2, Cody Angove, Charlie Banfield, Koby Evans
Victoria Metro
Best: Jagga Smith, Isaac Kako, Levi Ashcroft, Luke Trainor, Joshua Dolan, Lucca Grego
Goals: Thomas Sims 3, Joshua Dolan 2, Harry Armstrong, Jesse Dattoli, Tom Gross, Isaac Kako, Christian Moraes, Harrison Oliver, Murphy Reid, Josh Smillie, Jagga Smith, Gabriel Stumpf
Details: Sunday, June 23 at Optus Stadium
 
Western Australia 9.12 (66) def by Victoria Country 11.11 (77)
Western Australia
Best: Loch Mactaggart, Clancy Dennis, Jaxon Artemis, Hugh Boxshall, Jaxon Douglas, Cody Angove
Goals: Hamish Davis 3, Wesley Walley 2, Hugh Boxshall , Kayle Gerreyn, Fred Rodriguez, Max Rohr
Victoria Country
Best: Harvey Langford, Harry Charleson, Xavier Lindsay, Cooper Hynes, Jack Ough
Goals: Jasper Alger, Joe Berry, Cooper Hynes 2, Floyd Burmeister, Archer Day-Wicks, Willem Duursma, Jonty Faull, River Stevens
Details: Saturday, June 29 at Revo Fitness Stadium
 
South Australia 7.7 (49) def by Victoria Metro 15.11 (101)
South Australia
Best: Phoenix Hargrave, Ben Camporeale, Alex Dodson, Sid Draper, Dyson Sharp, Benny Barrett
Goals: Ned Atkinson, Benny Barrett, Ned Bowman, Alex Dodson, Dyson Sharp, Tyler Welsh, Charlie West
Victoria Metro
Best: Murphy Reid, Tom Gross, Luke Trainor, Levi Ashcroft, Christian Moraes, Isaac Kako
Goals: Harry Armstrong, Murphy Reid 3, Isaac Kako, Christian Moraes 2, Levi Ashcroft, Jesse Dattoli, Archie Ludowyke, Bailey McKenzie, Thomas Sims
Details: Sunday, June 30 at Alberton Oval
 
Allies 14.4 (88) def by Victoria Country 13.12 (90)
Allies
Best: Jobe Shanahan, Leonardo Lombard, Zeke Uwland, Joel Cochran, Samuel Marshall, Lachlan Carmichael
Goals:  Ty Gallop, Jobe Shanahan 3, Joshua Murphy 2, Daniel Annable, Waylon Davey, Josaia Delana, Lachlan Hogan, Leonardo Lombard, Ricky Mentha
Victoria Country
Best: Harvey Langford, Jonty Faull, Xavier Ivisic, Sam Lalor, Matt Whitlock, Lachie Jaques
Goals: Jonty Faull, Sam Lalor 3, Matt Whitlock 2, Joe Berry, Cooper Hynes, Tobie Travaglia, Rhys Unwin, Jack Whitlock
Details: Sunday, July 7 at Brighton Homes Arena
 
Victoria Metro 12.13 (85) def Victoria Country 13.6 (84)
Victoria Metro
Best: Jagga Smith, Murphy Reid, Harry Armstrong, Josh Smillie, Isaac Kako
Goals: Harry Armstrong 5, Isaac Kako 3, Josh Dolan 2, Levi Ashcroft, Luke Trainor
Victoria Country
Best: Xavier Lindsay, Harvey Langford, Joe Berry, Tobie Travaglia, Floyd Burmeister
Goals:  Joe Berry 3, Archer Day-Wicks, Jack Whitlock 2, Jonty Faull, Cooper Hynes, Xavier Ivisic, Sam Lalor, Harvey Langford, Riley Onley
Details: Sunday, July 14 at Marvel Stadium