Cade Lucas
As co-captain of the Calder Cannons boys team in the Coates Talent League, Jackson Barber was already one of Victoria’s elite junior footballers.
But after recently being named in the Vic Metro squad for this year’s National Under 18 Championships, Barber could soon become an elite footballer regardless of the age group.
The 197cm key defender from EDFL club Aberfeldie, is one of five Cannons selected for the Vic Metro team which will take on Vic Country, South Australia, Western Australia and the Allies at the championships held throughout June and July.
“It’s unreal,” said Barber of his selection which was an early birthday present, coming just days before he turned 18 on June 1.
“It’s really good to get the opportunity.”
That opportunity is to test himself against the best under 18 players in the country and to do so in front of recruiters from all AFL clubs.
The vast majority of players drafted to the AFL play at the National Under 18 Championships and with tall defenders hard to come by, a strong performance could result in Barber’s name being called at the National Draft in November..
Fortunately, performing well in front of selectors is something Barber is already used to, with his invite to the Vic Metro training squad based on his performances for the Cannons in the first three rounds of this season.
“I don’t think it was my best three rounds but I clearly did enough to get an invite,” said Barber, who then played in trial matches against Vic Country and the Young Guns in order to gain selection for the final team.
Barber had just arrived home after a training session last week when Cannons boys coach Sam Willat and talent lead Sebastian Spagnulo called with the good news.
“Sam and Seb gave me a ring after and said ‘have you checked your emails,’ but I‘d already seen it,” recalled Barber of how he found out about his selection.
“I was stoked.”
Barber will join Cannons teammates Cooper Duff-Tyler, Hussein El Achkar, Felix Kneipp and Adam Swied in the Vic Metro side which will begin its campaign against South Australia at Alberton Oval in Adelaide on Sunday, June 8.
This year’s championships is spread out across the country, with Vic Metro playing in Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane before finally returning home for their last game against Vic Country at RSEA Park in Moorabbin on July 20.
Barber said the travel was one of the things he was most looking forward to about playing in the championships, along with the chance to showcase his talents against the nation’s best.
As for whether that could land him on an AFL list, the young defender responded like a seasoned veteran.
“At the moment I’m just focusing on each game at a time.”
