Young Talent Time: Who impressed in colts as young Shark shines in senior stintMonday, September 1, 2025 - 9:26 AM - by Denholm Melrose

Each week we are shining the spotlight on some of the young WA talent that has been in brilliant form at WAFL level in the lead up to November’s AFL draft.

Whether its WAFLW, Hart Sport Rogers Cup, Sullivan Logstics WAFL, EGT WAFL Colts top-agers, bottom-agers or Futures, there is talent bursting at the seams and in this week’s edition of Young Talent Time, we take a look at some of the under 18s talent who caught our eye and impressed during the first week of the WAFL Finals Series.

Son of a Gun Dominates on big stage

The dominant player on the ground during the first game of the weekend, West Coast father-son prospect Charlie Banfield was everywhere on Saturday morning.

With 33 disposals, seven marks, seven tackles and two goals, Banfield was electric despite the Tigers' Qualifying Final loss to East Fremantle.

Whether through the midfield, in the air flying through packs, or forward of centre hitting the scoreboard, the son-of-a-gun lit up Revo Fitness Stadium and showed plenty of promise for hopeful Eagles fans.

Young Shark fits right at home at League level

It isn’t easy to step into a League side at 18 years old and play finals footy, let alone step up and perform well but Luke Carrello was among the Sharks' most prolific ball winners on Sunday afternoon, racking up 19 disposals and four inside 50s.

The big-boded midfielder stepped into a new role in the senior side on the wing and made it his own, averaging 22 disposals and over four marks in his four appearances at the top level.

Carrello, who was selected to play in the National Under-18s Championship earlier this year but missed due to injury, has plenty of talent and put it all on show for the League side, and will likely step straight back into his club’s Colts team to finish out his top-age season.

Star Colts forwards duke it out at either end

Despite the result not going his way, livewire forward ‘Neon Leon’ Kickett was outstanding for the Black Ducks, booting four goals in their final game of the season.

The loss to the Falcons eliminates swans from the EGT WAFL Colts finals series, but Kickett, through fantastic form in the back end of the year, did his AFL draft hopes no harm as he continues to prove his talent.

Kickett stepped up to play two league games in rounds 19 and 20 for Swans, kicking three goals and impressing enough to warrant a late call-up to the WA State Draft Combine later this year.

Like Kickett, Marcello was not a member of this year’s WA under-18s squad but has put together a fine season at WAFL Colts level from which he averaged nearly 25 disposals a game though the first seven outings in a predominantly midfield role.

In the last three weeks the 192cm prospect has returned to his roots as a key forward and booted eight goals, including a vital bag of four in this weekend’s finals win.

He has laid seven tackles in each of those games as he brings high-intensity pressure inside 50.

Marcello is a versatile talent capable of starring wherever he plays and should have a huge impact on the Falcons’ premiership hopes.

Who else caught the eye

Falcons star Sam Swadling continues to win more of the football than anyone at any level and earned another 34 disposals against Swan Districts, while teammate Jacob Farrow amassed 26 disposals and took four marks. Blake Kelly was also superb in the same game, collecting 24 disposals, laying five tackles and kicking a goal. In the Sharks’ Colts win, Finlay Yeo was outstanding (and quietly took mark of the year and kicked goal of the year in the same game), as was double-bottom-ager Reid Foot who has slotted into Colts level seamlessly. Hunter Bewick is another double-bottom-ager who impressed, kicking three goals in West Perth’s win, while Fremantle NGA prospect Joshua Nomlatyu was solid in the ruck for East Fremantle.'

Young Talent Time - presented by EGT
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