The best of the best from the North Coast of NSW and the Hunter/Central Coast will go head to head in the inaugural QBE Sydney Swans Academy Northern AFL Battle being held at Lakeside Oval on Saturday, June 27.

The match will be the perfect opportunity for players to showcase their talent in front of QBE Swans Academy coach Michael O’Loughlin and AFL club scouts.

The players selected in the two representative squads will also get the chance to attend the Swans v Richmond blockbuster clash at the SCG the night before the big match. 

QBE Sydney Swans Academy Talent and Operations Manager Chris Smith said the Northern AFL Battle will be a great experience for all involved.

“The most exciting aspect about this game is that it showcases the best regional talent in our northern Academy zones,” Smith said.

“The Northern AFL Battle will allow our coaches and recruiters to see first-hand how each boy competes while representing their region.

“To see the best 15-to-17-year-olds competing against each other and to see which region takes out the inaugural Northern AFL Battle is something that our Academy staff are looking forward to seeing.”

The Northern AFL Battle will commence at 11am on Saturday, June 27 at Lakeside Oval (opposite the Sydney Cricket Ground) and is open to the public.

The North Coast squad consists of players from Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Kempsey and Inverell while the Hunter squad is made up of players from Newcastle, Central Coast and surrounding areas.

Each squad of 22 players consists of the best 15-to-17-year-olds in Northern NSW. Click here to see the full squads for the game.