AFL Draft 2024: Gold Coast Suns academy product Leo Lombard reflects on his journey to top 10 fancy

He won a VFL premiership at 16 as his mum worked three jobs to support him, now he is set to join the Suns and has a martial arts background to thank for it. Go inside the rise of Leo Lombard ahead of the national draft.

Leonardo Lombard and Mabior Chol of the Suns celebrate following the 2023 VFL premiership. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos.

A martial arts background and an unwavering level of self belief has propelled first round fancy and VFL premiership player Leo Lombard to the upper echelon of AFL draft boards around the country.

Lombard will end up at the Gold Coast Suns at Wednesday night’s draft barring exceptional circumstances, with the club expected to match a bid for their academy product inside the top 10.

The Suns have known they’ve had a special talent on their hands for some time, at the very least since the dying moments of last year’s VFL grand final, when a 16-year-old Lombard wheeled onto his right foot snapped a sensational goal from the pocket to land the knockout blow Werribee’s premiership chances.

Put simply, he isn’t one to be overawed by the occasion.

Leonardo Lombard of the Gold Coast Suns U18 boys academy. Picture: Rob Lawson/AFL Photos.

“I base my game around confidence,” Lombard said.

“I think just backing yourself and staying confident and believing in everything you’ve worked for up until that moment.”

He had made his VFL debut a month earlier against Carlton in round 22.

“I love competition and putting myself up for a challenge. I actually started playing senior footy when I was 16 and when they asked me to step up one game for VFL, I was more than happy to do so,” Lombard said.

“I just felt like I was going to go out there and play a role and do my best for the team.”

He described playing in the Suns inaugural premiership as a “surreal experience”.

“It’s something I took for granted at that time,” Lombard said.

“I wish I could soak in the moment more, but being so young I couldn’t do what the other boys were doing after the game to celebrate, but it was fun, I loved it.”

Leonardo Lombard of the Allies hand balls during the Marsh AFL National Championships. (Photo by Jenny Evans/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The 18-year-old has always been a strong and powerful player, and it’s something he attributes to his jiu jitsu background.

“I feel like I’ve always had that natural strength, I think a lot of it comes from doing jiu jitsu at such a young age as well,” Lombard said. “Doing the gym sessions two or three times a week also helps with that.”

Lombard had pursued jiu jitsu for a handful of years until he was about 12 years old.

“It’s all about balance, strength and everything, so I think that’s really (improved) my tackling,” he said.

“Just that core strength and escaping or breaking tackles, it’s definitely helped me with my footy for sure.”

He has been in the Gold Coast academy since age 12, and capped off his journey with male academy player of the year honours in 2024, along with under-18 and under-16 All Australian jackets along the way.

He was also crowned the most valuable player at the under-16 national championships in 2022, and shared the prestigious Larke Medal for the best and fairest at this year’s under-18 national championships.

Suns academy manager Kath Newman described Lombard as an “absolute competitor”.

“(He) has a fantastic work ethic to get the most out of himself,” Newman said.

“On the field he has great power and speed which allows him to burst out of stoppages, and also a good goal sense which gives him the versatility to play either forward or in the midfield.”

Leonardo Lombard of the AFL Academy in action during the 2024 AFL Academy match between the Marsh AFL National Academy Boys and Coburg Lions. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Ahead of the 2024 season, Lombard was one of four academy players afforded the opportunity to complete a six-week training block with the AFL program.

“It was an unreal experience seeing all the elite players get to work and learning off them, they don’t even have to say anything, you just watch them and learn so much,” he said.

“I definitely feel like I’m at that level, but I’m not picked yet or selected yet for round one, so I’m just trying to work my arse off to push for that sport for sure.”

Lombard is the biological son of famous mixed martial artist Hector Lombard, but it’s understood the pair don’t have a relationship.

The Varsity College graduate and Burleigh Bombers junior was raised on the Gold Coast by his hardworking single mother, who he said had had the greatest influence on his life.

“She’s worked three jobs at the moment just to be able to give me the opportunity to play footy and work for things that I can have,” he said.

“She’s been a big influence on me for sure.

“She’s a hardworking mother, she’s very resilient, dedicated, I get all my traits from her.”

Originally published as AFL Draft 2024: Gold Coast Suns academy product Leo Lombard reflects on his journey to top 10 fancy