Ultimate Coates Talent League mid-season report card with exclusive stats for every player
The halfway mark of the Coates Talent League has passed and draft boards are changing every week. Take a deep dive into exclusive stats for every player and draft prospect ratings here.
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The halfway mark of the Coates Talent League season has passed, with 11 rounds completed as clubs and players begin to look towards the pointy end of the season.
Here is the lay of the land on the players shining bright — including top prospects for this year’s AFL draft and beyond.
Plus, we’ve got exclusive SuperCoach ranking points for every player from every club this season.
BENDIGO PIONEERS
Played: 7, Won: 3, Lost: 4
RUNNING HOT
Recruiters have taken notice of Pioneers co-captain Hunter Wright, who has been damaging as an onballer.
A clean inside and outside player, Wright has averaged 21.6 disposals and 5.7 clearances while also proving dangerous when rotated forward with seven goals from as many games.
Wright also featured in Vic Country’s first match of the under-18 national championships, gathering nine disposals as the only top-age Pioneers product in the squad.
Returning 19-year-old Tom Evans has also impressed, having moved from a midfield role to halfback this year and averaged 28.6 disposals and 6.7 rebound 50s across seven games.
That has included a 44-disposal performance in a round 3 match against Gippsland Power, while the boy from Echuca was also the leading disposal winner for the Young Guns in two matches in April and May but was overlooked as an AFL mid-season rookie draft prospect.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
Classy midfielder Cody Walker is only getting better and is putting himself in contention to be a No. 1 draft pick in 2026.
The Carlton father-son prospect — who is the son of former Blues high-flyer Andrew — has averaged 23.7 disposals, 4.6 clearances and 0.9 goals across seven games for the Pioneers as a bottom-age player.
Walker won Vic Country’s MVP award after dominating at the under-16 national championships last year and is part of Vic Country’s under-18 program for this year’s championships.
Seamus Doherty — a 194cm mobile ruckman who also represented Vic Country at the under-16 national championships in 2024 – has also played all seven games as a bottom-age prospect this season and has averaged 14.1 hitouts, 9.7 disposals and 3.7 marks.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
Keep an eye on these two names for the 2027 AFL Draft — Max Thompson and Riley Travaglia.
The pair made their debuts for the Pioneers in rounds 7 and 8 respectively and were both named in Vic Country’s squad for this year’s under-16 national championships.
Thompson logged 19 disposals and five goals as a forward in Vic Country’s first match of the tournament against Vic Metro, while Travaglia collected 15 disposals off halfback in his Pioneers debut.
Travaglia is the younger brother of St Kilda’s Tobie Travaglia, who was the No. 8 pick in the 2024 national draft.
CALDER CANNONS
Played: 7, Won: 4, Lost: 3
RUNNING HOT
Ruckman Cooper Duff-Tytler is in the mix to be the No. 1 draft pick at the end of the year and started the season in fine form for the Cannons before his AFL Academy and Vic Metro duties.
The 201cm mobile tall averaged 22.7 disposals, 19.7 hitouts and 5.7 clearances across an eye-catching first three games, while also floating forward to boot two goals against Oakleigh in round 1.
Small forward Hussien El Achkar – who is linked to Essendon as a Next Generation Academy member – has also only played three games for the Cannons but made his presence felt with 10 goals across those games.
El Achkar also booted three goals in his VFL debut for the Bombers in round 10 and featured in Vic Metro’s first match of the under-18 national championships.
Fellow Essendon NGA prospect and midfielder Adam Sweid has averaged 23.8 disposals and 4.8 clearances across six games to be one of the Coates Talent League’s top-ranked players this season.
Sweid also made a VFL debut for the Bombers on the weekend, logging 10 disposals and a goal.
Outside midfielder Felix Kneipp has averaged 22.7 disposals across three games, while 195cm key defender Jackson Barber was added to the Vic Metro squad for the under-18 national championships after a strong start to the season and an impressive trail match in April.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
The Cannons have already played 19 bottom-age players this season, with some stars and famous names among them.
Defender Jack Dodorico — a 2024 Vic Metro under-16 representative — continues to improve his game and was named the Cannons’ best player in a round 8 loss to Geelong Falcons, logging 22 disposals and 11 intercept possessions.
Essendon NGA prospect Blake Justice has excited in half-forward and wing roles, averaging 14.4 disposals and kicking five goals across five games.
Sam Harris — a father-son prospect for North Melbourne as the son of former Kangaroo Daniel — has featured in all seven games through the midfield and is showing good signs.
Fellow father-son prospects Jack Rutten (Adelaide — son of Ben) and Levi West (Western Bulldogs — son of Scott) have also had an early taste of under-18 football.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
An Essendon father-son prospect for 2027, Koby Bewick is already making his mark.
The son of two-time Bombers premiership player Darren, the 16-year-old was outstanding with 28 disposals, eight score involvements and one goal on debut for the Cannons against Northern Territory in round 4.
Bewick has also kicked 10 goals twice this season for his local under-16 side Strathmore and starred for Vic Metro in its first match of the under-16 national championships this year with 23 disposals, seven clearances and three goals.
DANDENONG STINGRAYS
Played: 9, Won: 5, Lost: 4
RUNNING HOT
Midfielder Callum Smith has been the Stingrays’ top-ranked player so far this season, averaging 23 disposals, five clearances and 0.7 goals from his seven games.
Smith’s best performance of the year came against Oakleigh in round 11, where the Vic Country squad member logged 29 disposals (19 contested), 11 clearances, seven tackles and one goal for a total of 170 ranking points.
Key forward Tairon Ah-Mu made his presence felt in three early-season games, kicking 2.5 from 16 disposals and eight marks (five contested) in a round 3 game against the GWV Rebels before school football duties kicked in with Haileybury College.
Melbourne NGA prospect Toby Sinnema has built into the season through the midfield and has averaged 19.9 disposals and two clearances from his eight matches, while classy forward and AFL Academy member Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves missed some footy with a shoulder issue but stood out with four goals from 13 disposals against the Calder Cannons in round 7.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
Bottom-aged midfielders Gus Kennedy and Marcus Prasad haven’t missed a beat this season, playing all nine games.
Kennedy has averaged 15.6 disposals and 2.7 clearances, with Prasad averaging 16.4 disposals, 3.1 clearances and 1.1 goals a game.
Both players represented Vic Country at last year’s under-16 national championships and were included as a train-on player for this year’s under-18 national championships.
Bottom-age defender Darcy Szersyn has also impressed, averaging 11.3 disposals, 2.9 marks (two intercept marks) and 1.4 spoils across eight games.
Szerszyn represented Vic Country in its first match of the under-18 championships.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
The Stingrays certainly have a player to watch for 2027 in Port Adelaide father-son prospect Louis Salopek.
The son of former Power player Steven, the 16-year-old has already played two games at under-18 level for the Stingrays this season, featuring as a forward and kicking two goals in a round 8 game against Bendigo.
Salopek was also Vic Country’s best player in its first match of the under-16 national championships, racking up 32 disposals and 11 clearances against Vic Metro.
EASTERN RANGES
Played: 8, Won: 5, Lost: 3
RUNNING HOT
Vic Metro squad members Lachy Dovaston and Xavier Taylor have been standouts for the Ranges this year.
Small forward Dovaston has kicked 18 goals — the second-most of any player in the competition — from his eight games.
Key defender Taylor — who measures 191cm tall — has been one of the highest-ranked backmen in the league, averaging 18.1 disposals, 6.4 marks (three intercept marks) and 2.1 spoils from his eight games.
Midfielder Oliver Greeves impressed as he averaged 25 disposals from three games early in the year, before Caulfield Grammar, AFL Academy and Vic Metro duties took over.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
Developing bottom-age ruckman Jaden Lawrence has played every game this season as the Ranges’ main ruckman.
A Vic Metro representative at under-16 level last year, the 199cm tall has averaged 7.5 disposals, 18.4 hitouts and 3.8 score involvements.
Fellow 2024 Vic Metro under-16 squad members Willam Waller (five games), Hunter Ryan (five games), Archie Spencer (five games) and Jordan Knapp (three games) have also had a good taste of under-18 football already this year.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
Mid-sized forward Seth Macdonald made a VFL debut for Richmond in round 11, after being overlooked in the AFL mid-season rookie draft.
Returning as a 19-year-old this season, Macdonald had kicked seven goals across three games for the Ranges early in the year.
He was also good in two games for Young Guns in April and May, spending time through the midfield during those matches.
Another overlooked mid-season draft prospect — athletic intercept defender Rod Ali — featured in two VFL games for Collingwood earlier this year but has since returned to the fold at the Ranges to continue his development.
GEELONG FALCONS
Played: 8, Won: 3, Lost: 5
RUNNING HOT
A Geelong NGA prospect, midfielder-forward Jesse Mellor has been kicking goals at every level this season.
Across eight games with the Falcons, he has averaged 18.1 disposals, 2.4 clearances and has kicked 14 goals.
That included a 20-disposals, five-clearance and five-goal game against Tasmania in round 7.
Mellor also booted six goals for Vic Country in a match against the Young Guns in May.
Wingman Rilley Aquilina — who is also part of Vic Country’s under-18 squad — has also played some good footy and has averaged 14.9 disposals and 3.1 marks from seven games.
Aquilina has been named among the Falcons’ best players in six of those games.
Halfback or midfielder Josh Lindsay — who is the club’s top draft prospect — only played two Coates Talent League games early in the season before school football duties with Geelong Grammar and matches for the AFL Academy and Vic Country sides.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
Bottom-age players Jack Pickett and Fletcher Pulleine were both included as train-on players for Vic Country’s under-18 squad this year as they continue to show great promise.
Pickett is a 193cm forward who kicked five goals from the first two games of the season for the Falcons, while Pulleine is a 189cm defender who has averaged 11.5 disposals, 3.5 marks and 1.8 spoils from four games.
Midfielder Mason Williams has also played some good footy, averaging 14.8 disposals from eight games.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
Midfielder-forward Tom Handley kicked four goals from 18 disposals in just his second game against Calder Cannons in round 8.
Handley, who turned 18 in early June, was parachuted into the Falcons’ squad in May off the back of strong form playing senior local football for Geelong West.
GWV REBELS
Played: 7, Won: 3, Lost: 4
RUNNING HOT
Forward Charlie McKinnon has been on fire and leads the league’s goalkicking table with 22 majors from just five games.
A mid-sized marking forward at 190cm tall, McKinnon kicked eight goals against the Western Jets in round 8 and booted seven against the Murray Bushrangers in round 11.
He has also averaged 11.6 disposals and 5.6 marks, including 2.8 contested marks.
At the other end of the ground, 189cm defender Brodie Phillips has also been playing some good footy, averaging 9.7 disposals, five intercept possessions and 2.9 spoils across seven games.
Midfielder Talor Byrne has averaged 18.2 disposals and five clearances from his six games.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
Rebounding defender Ethan Drever has showed some good signs in his bottom-age season and was included in Vic Country’s train-on squad for the under-18 national championships.
Drever represented Vic Country at the under-16 national championships last year and has averaged 16.9 disposals and 2.9 rebound 50s from seven games in the under-18s for the Rebels this season.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
After being overlooked in the AFL mid-season rookie draft, returning 19-year-old Floyd Burmeister has continued to excite as a highly athletic marking forward.
Burmeister has averaged 12.5 disposals, 4.8 marks (two contested) and 1.3 goals across six games this season.
GIPPSLAND POWER
Played: 8, Won: 7, Lost: 1
RUNNING HOT
Midfielder Willem Duursma is clearly the Power’s most draftable prospect this season and has started the year strongly.
A potential top-five pick, Duursma has averaged 25.4 disposals, 4.7 clearances and 0.9 goals across seven games this season.
Hard-at-it onballer Brodie Atkins has also been finding plenty of the footy, averaging 23.9 disposals and five clearances.
Another Vic Country midfielder — Zachary O’Keefe — has averaged 24.8 disposals and 4.5 clearances from four games, while Adelaide father-son prospect Mitchell Stevens has averaged 19 disposals and 6.5 tackles from his eight games.
Small forward Thomas Matthews kicked six goals from his first three games of the season.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
The Power have three guns coming through for 2026 in Will Malady, Cody Templeton and Marlon Neocleous.
A 190cm marking forward, Malady kicked 4.2 in a round 1 game against the Murray Bushrangers and was picked as a bottom-age player in Vic Country’s under-18 squad this year.
Midfielder-forwards Templeton and Neocleous were both picked as part of Vic Country’s train-on squad.
Templeton starred with 27 disposals and five goals in a round 2 win over Dandenong, while Neocleous averaged 23 disposals, 3.8 clearances and 1.3 goals from the first three rounds.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
Gippsland already has one up on its Coates Talent League rivals this year, having had one draftee for 2025 already.
Key defender Zac Walker was picked up by the Western Bulldogs in the AFL mid-season rookie draft after averaging 14.8 disposals, 6.5 marks (4.5 intercept marks) and two spoils from four early-season games.
MURRAY BUSHRANGERS
Played: 8, Won: 3, Lost: 5
RUNNING HOT
The star of Carlton father-son prospect Harry Dean has been rapidly rising this season after the key defender produced a hot start to the year in the Coates Talent League.
The 193cm backman has averaged 17.3 disposals, seven marks, 8.5 intercept possessions and 2.5 spoils from five games for the Bushrangers, while he has also been part of the Vic Country under-18 program.
Fellow defender Ben Kennedy has also impressed, averaging 17.6 disposals and 4.3 intercept, while overage 199cm ruckman Zac Harding leads the competition for hitouts, averaging 33 a game along with 17.6 disposals.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
A Richmond NGA prospect for 2026, Tanner Armstrong made an impact in a round 3 loss to the Geelong Falcons.
Armstrong registered 24 disposals, five marks and seven clearances, with the versatile small continuing to stamp himself as a top draft prospect for 2026.
Armstrong was an All-Australian last year after starring for Vic Country at the under-16 national championships and was picked as a train-on player for Vic Country’s under-18 squad this season.
Small forward Blake Newton — who was also a Vic Country under-16 squad member last year — is also impressing in his bottom-age year.
Newton has kicked 11 goals from eight games for the Bushrangers.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
Don’t forget about 197cm key forward Liam Hetherton, who made a dominant start to the season.
A fierce competitor who is strong in the air, Hetherton kicked 11 goals from his first three games of the year for Murray, including five majors in a round 2 loss to the Bendigo Pioneers.
However, the AFL Academy member is not featuring for Vic Country at the under-18 national championships after suffering a stress fracture in his back.
NORTHERN KNIGHTS
Played: 8, Won: 4, Lost: 4
RUNNING HOT
A co-captain of the Knights, Seb Murphy has led the way across the first half of the season.
The younger brother of Adelaide forward Lachlan, the midfielder has averaged a team-high 23.1 disposals across seven matches.
Forward-midfielder Tyson Gresham — the younger brother of Essendon’s Jade — has averaged 17 disposals across seven games, with the standout being a 27-disposal, seven-clearance and four-goal performance against Sandringham in round 8.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
Forward-ruck Lewis Houndsome has featured in seven games as a bottom-age player, averaging 9.4 disposals, 7.6 hitouts and one goal a game.
The 199cm tall is also part of the Vic Metro squad for this year’s under-18 national championships.
Fellow bottom-age prospect Jamison Leeson (six games) has also played some good footy across halfback.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
Top-age midfielder and Vic Metro squad member Mitchell Moate has played five games for the Knights this season, making a successful return from an ACL injury in round 2.
OAKLEIGH CHARGERS
Played: 9, Won: 4, Lost: 5
RUNNING HOT
Hard-running midfielder Hunter Holmes has been eye-catching across the first half of the year and has averaged 19.5 disposals and 3.8 clearances from eight games.
The younger brother of Geelong star Max, Holmes was not on a Coates League list last year but impressed for Melbourne Grammar in the APS competition and has taken some huge strides forward with his game this year.
Small forward Jai Saxena — a Collingwood NGA prospect — has only played three games for the Chargers due to school football duties with Xavier College.
But Saxena has kicked nine goals from those appearances, including a five-goal haul against Sandringham in round 3.
Midfielders Sam Grlj (three games) and Aaron Sharkie (four games) have also impressed from limited appearances, while 187cm defender Harry Dixon has been named among the side’s best players in five of his nine matches.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
Promising bottom-age players Flynn Woolhouse and Jack Poustie are showing great signs in the under-18s after featuring for Vic Metro at last year’s under-16 national championships.
Woolhouse is a 195cm key forward who booted four goals in Oakleigh’s round 11 win over the Dandenong Stingrays, while Poustie has averaged 13.3 disposals from four games as a midfielder-forward.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
The Chargers are hopeful that smooth-moving midfielder Sam Allen has done enough to still be drafted in November, after he suffered an ACL injury at training in late May.
Chargers coach Ash Close describes Allen as “the most athletic kid in the draft” and he had averaged 21.3 disposals across three early-season games while also playing some good school football for Scotch College.
Allen had been part of the Vic Metro under-18 squad this year.
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS
Played: 8, Won: 4, Lost: 4
RUNNING HOT
Top-10 draft prospect Archie Ludowyke has only played two games for the Dragons this season between AFL Academy, school football and Vic Metro duties.
However, the 197cm forward showed why he is so highly rated in those matches, kicking five goals from 13 disposals and six marks against the Eastern Ranges in round 2.
Small forward Ricky Theodoropoulos has also been hitting the scoreboard, kicking an equal team-high 12 goals from eight games while also averaging 14.9 disposals.
Midfielder Sacha Levine has been another early-season standout, averaging 16.8 disposals and 3.3 clearances while being named among the side’s best in seven of his eight matches.
Vic Metro team member Rory Wright has also been good when back with the Dragons, as has halfback and St Kilda NGA prospect Kye Fincher.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
The Dragons have blooded 16 bottom-age players already this season.
Arki Butler — quick and creative 181cm forward — booted five goals from the first three rounds and was the only bottom-age player picked as part of this year’s Vic Metro under-18 squad.
Butler featured in the side’s first match of the championships against South Australia.
Henry Thomas — a rebounding defender who also represented Vic Metro’s under-16s last year — has featured in four games for the Dragons, averaging 10.5 disposals.
Midfielder Albert Macgowan — another Vic Metro under-16 — has averaged 16.5 disposals from two games.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
High half-forward Charlie Rozenes (Sandringham Zebras), midfielder-forward Jhett Haeata (Richmond) and key forward Sam Buck (Sandringham Zebras) have all had some VFL opportunities this year after returning to the Dragons as 19-year-olds this season.
TASMANIA DEVILS
Played: 8, Won: 3, Lost: 5
RUNNING HOT
Midfielder and Allies squad member Lucas Wootton has averaged 18.7 disposals, 4.1 clearances and 6.7 tackles to be one of Tasmania’s better performers across the first half of the season.
Marking defender Toby Callow, who measures 187cm, has also been in good form, averaging 12.3 disposals, 6.6 marks (3.1 intercept marks) and two spoils across seven games in the Coates Talent League while also doing some nice things in the Allies’ first match of the under-18 national championships.
Small forward Jack Miller has booted 13 goals across seven games, including a five-goal haul against the GWS Giants Academy in round 6.
Miller also kicked three goals from 16 disposals in the Allies’ first match of the under-18 national championships.
Overage midfielder Max Roney has been strong at the coalface, averaging 23.8 disposals and 4.7 clearances.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
Sixteen bottom-age players have already got opportunities for the Devils this year, with seven of those having played in six or more games.
Archie Devine — who co-captained Tasmania at last year’s under-16 national championships — has averaged 14.4 disposals from eight games in defence.
Midfielder Hugh McCallum has averaged 13.3 disposals across seven games, while 193cm forward Charlie Bovill has kicked nine goals from his past four matches.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
Max Gulliver is yet to make his under-18 debut for the Devils, but was a dominant force through the midfield for his state in the first match of the under-16 national championships.
Gulliver logged 27 disposals, nine clearances and kicked four goals in a best-on-ground performance, emerging as a player to watch for the 2027 national draft.
WESTERN JETS
Played: 7, Won: 1, Lost: 6
RUNNING HOT
Previously used across halfback, Tom Burton got to work on his fitness over the off-season and has had an impact through the midfield this year.
Burton has averaged 31.7 disposals and 5.8 clearances across his six games, between AFL Academy and Vic Metro duties.
Fellow onballer Tom McGuane — a father-son prospect for Collingwood — has also been among the top disposal winners in the Coates Talent League this year, averaging 30.3 touches and six clearances.
Rebounding defender Finn Davis hit the ground running after returning from injury in round 6, while key defender and fellow Vic Metro squad member Jacob Marron has shown some positive signs.
Onballer Oskar Ainsworth has been a regular among the Jets’ best players each week.
EYE TO THE FUTURE
Marking defender Billy Wigmore has been in super form in his bottom-age year, with the 17-year-old averaging 23.8 disposals, 11.5 marks (5.5 intercept marks) and 11 intercept possessions across four games.
Wigmore can play taller than his 187cm frame suggests and reads the play beautifully.
Fellow 2024 Vic Metro under-16 representative Lachlan Hicks has averaged 14.7 disposals from three games in Jets colours.
Small forward Khaled El Souki had a standout game against the Northern Territory in round 5 with 31 disposals, nine clearances and a goal.
ALSO WORTH NOTING …
Kobe Williams was good in two early-season games for the Jets before going back to school football duties at Scotch College where he has done some nice things.
Williams is a Hawthorn father-son prospect this year as the son of 2008 premiership player Mark.
He is also a member of the Western Bulldogs Next Generation Academy.
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