While there will be three games of AFL football at Metricon Stadium on Saturday as part of a ‘Festival of Football,' and the Gold Coast SUNS will be represented in another game of footy less than 10km down the road at Southport.

Round 1 of the 2017 Under-18 Academy Series starts this weekend, with the Gold Coast Academy hosting the Brisbane Lions Academy in a game that commences at 11.00am.

The Academy Series is the restructured version of the former division two championships, with all four northern clubs to field their own Academy sides in the new competition alongside Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

Two SUNS to keep an eye out for are Kwaby Boakye and Brayden Crossley, who recently joined the NAB AFL Academy for their annual US trip.

Boakye was added to the Academy as a multicultural player and his speed and agility will provide the SUNS with run and carry off the half back line, while Crossley is a ruckman who impressed at NEAFL level last year against AFL-listed ruckmen.

Standing 198cm tall and weighing in at 105 kilograms, Crossley has drawn comparisons to GWS man mountain Shane Mumford and the teenager will be looking to stand up in the Academy series in his draft year.

"Brayden has had glandular fever but he's starting to work back into better fitness. He still has a way to go, but he's just a natural footballer. He loves contact,” Queensland talent manager Adrian Fletcher told AFL.com.au.

“As a ruckman he's Shane Mumford all over; he's physical and throws himself around. If he can get his body right, he will show in the back-end how good he can be. He's a footballer."

Gold Coast SUNS Academy Squad
Round 1 Academy Series v Brisbane Lions Academy

B: R. Stone, C. Graham, D. Burke
HB: K. Boakye, D. Koenen, B. Foster
C: L. Smith, H. Simington, S. Davidson
HF: J. Heron, T. Frazer, N. Kempe
F: T. Bowie, B. Hewitt, C. Offerman
FOLL: B. Crossley, B. Scott, J. Dawson
INT: C. Beaman, C. Nutting, L. McDonald, M. Olarenshaw, E. Baru, H. Arnold, C. Portelli