Under 18 National Championships: All the scouting notes and ranking points stats from Vic Metro v Allies and Vic Country v SA
A junior basketball star has the AFL recruiting world talking after a dominant performance at the under-18 national championships. Get the exclusive ranking points.
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A junior basketball star has the AFL recruiting world talking after producing a huge game for South Australia in the under-18 national championships last weekend.
Alex Dodson was labelled “AFL material” after finishing as the top-ranked player on the ground in South Australia’s eight-point loss to Vic Country at Ikon Park last Sunday.
A raw but athletic 203cm ruckman, Dodson racked up 19 disposals, 19 hitouts, five marks, three clearances and five score involvements for a total of 135 SuperCoach ranking points.
The performance eclipsed that of Vic Country captain Tobie Travaglia (131 points) and Carlton father-son prospect Ben Camporeale (129 points), who were also impressive in the same game.
An incredibly exciting prospect, Dodson was playing his first match of the championships after missing South Australia’s win over the Allies last month.
Earlier this year the 17-year-old won a gold medal playing basketball for Australia at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany, before turning his attention back to football this season.
Meanwhile, top-five draft prospect Jagga Smith finished as the top-ranked player in Vic Metro’s win over the Allies last Sunday.
In wet conditions, Smith’s composure and clean hands stood out as he gathered 32 disposals (18 contested possessions), nine clearances, five marks and five score involvements for a total of 155 SuperCoach ranking points.
Sandringham Dragons pair Murphy Reid (135 points) and Levi Ashcroft (132 points) also shone brightly for Vic Metro.
Reid – who has drawn comparrisons to Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury – was also clean and made good decisions with the ball throughout the game, while Brisbane Lions father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft had 24 disposals and kicked two goals from the midfield.
U18 SCOUTING REPORT: STATS, STANDOUTS AND CAMPOREALE’S CLASS
A trio of father-son prospects lit up a gloomy day at Ikon Park as the AFL under-18 national championships fired up on Sunday.
Brisbane Lions father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft starred in Vic Metro’s 16-point win over the Allies in the first game of a double-header in Melbourne.
Carlton father-son prospect Ben Camporeale and Adelaide father-son prospect Tyler Welsh were then among then South Australia’s best in an eight-point loss to Vic Country in the second match.
A standout player at all levels in the first half of his draft year, Ashcroft was clean and composed in what were particularly wet conditions during Vic Metro’s match.
The son of three-time Brisbane premiership player Marcus and the younger brother of current Lions young gun Will, Ashcroft spent most of the game onball and racked up 24 disposals, four marks, six clearances and two goals.
His first major came in the opening quarter with a quick snap out of congestion from a forward-50 stoppages, with a stunning second goal coming from a free kick tight on the boundary line in the forward pocket during the final term.
Ashcroft, who doesn’t turn 18 until December, said his older brother had been a source of inspiration and advice entering the championships.
“He won the Larke Medal and dominated in his year,” he said of Will’s 2022 campaign.
“(He’s given me) so many tips. Stoppage craft, all that sort of stuff he does so well, I’ve learnt off him. Hopefully I did that today.”
Ashcroft wasn’t the only top-five draft prospect to shine for Vic Metro, with fellow onballer Jagga Smith (32 disposals, eight clearances) also showing his class in the difficult conditions.
In the second match, Camporeale was similarly prolific through the midfield for South Australia, giving Blues fans plenty to be excited about.
With his father Scott – a 1995 Carlton premiership player – watching on from the stands of the club’s headquarters, Camporeale was seemingly everywhere as he provided plenty of drive going forward for his side.
He finished with a game-high 28 disposals along with five clearances and multiple score assists.
Key forward Welsh made the most of his limited opportunities forward, again showing off his strong overhead marking and accurate set-shot goalkicking as he finished with 4.2 from just seven disposals and five marks.
Two of those goals came in the last quarter, helping South Australia get back in the game.
The championships continue next Sunday, with South Australia set to host Western Australia at Alberton Oval.
SCOUTING NOTES
VIC METRO v ALLIES
Jagga Smith (Vic Metro)
32 disposals, 5 marks, 8 clearances
A top-five pick contender who gathered 50-disposals in a recent Coates Talent League match for Oakleigh Chargers, Smith showed his class in the wet conditions. Playing onball throughout the match, he won his own footy in tight, used the ball well when he was in space and was unselfish in the way he set up teammates forward.
Levi Ashcroft (Vic Metro)
24 disposals, 4 marks, 6 clearances, 2 goals
The Brisbane Lions father-son prospect continued a dominate season to date with another eye-catching performance. Playing primarily onball he won plenty of the footy and was cleaner than most in the thick of the action. His two goals – one from a forward-50 stoppage and another from a free kick tight in the forward pocket – were sublime.
Josh Smillie (Vic Metro)
16 disposals, 3 marks, 2 clearances, 1 goal
The potential No. 1 draft pick started at the first centre bounce and spent some time onball throughout the match but was also used in the forward line for extended periods. He only kicked one goal but it was a good one, coming from about 50m out on a slight angle after taking a mark on the lead.
Harrison Oliver (Vic Metro)
24 disposals, 6 marks, 5 rebound 50s
An emerging player, Oliver pushed his draft credentials with a very impressive game off halfback. The Sandringham Dragons product provided plenty of run rebound and consistently used the ball well.
Isaac Kako (Vic Metro)
11 disposals, 2 marks, 2 goals
An Essendon Next Generation Academy prospect, Kako was his lively self in attack as he worked hard and regularly got himself in dangerous positions. He snagged one goal over the back of the defence in the second quarter, before kicking another late in the last quarter with a lovely snap. Kako finished with seven score involvements from his 11 touches.
Zeke Uwland (Allies)
24 disposals, 5 marks, 1 clearance
A bottom-age player who is not draft eligible until 2025, Uwland had a team-high 24 touches in a strong performance through the middle as he worked hard up and down the ground. All but two of his disposals were kicks as he accumulated a massive 729 metres gained. Part of the Gold Coast Suns Academy, he is the younger brother of current Suns player Bodhi.
Sam Marshall (Allies)
23 disposals, 4 marks, 4 clearances
The Brisbane Lions Academy member was one of the Allies’ best performers through the midfield. He showed some good stoppage craft, used the ball and was defensively strong with seven tackles.
Leo Lombard (Allies)
18 disposals, 2 marks, 5 clearances
A likely top-15 pick, the Gold Coast Suns Academy member made a slow start to the match. He had only six touches to his name at halftime, but worked his way into the match after that playing mostly onball. A fierce competitor, Lombard also laid seven tackles.
VIC COUNTRY v SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Harvey Langford (Vic Country)
25 disposals, 7 marks, 6 clearances
A hard-nosed onballer, Langford got from contest-to-contest throughout the game and had a major impact. The Dandenong Stingrays product won stoppages and broke away at speed, with desire to take the game, booming kick and some score assists also being features of his game.
Tobie Travaglia (Vic Country)
24 disposals, 7 marks, 3 rebound-50s
The Vic Country captain led from the front in defence. He was fiercely competitive in one-on-one contests, read the ball well to take five intercept marks and used his strong running ability to push up the ground and provide some rebound for his team.
Joe Berry (Vic Country)
12 disposals, 4 marks, 3 goals
Vic Country’s most dangerous forward on the day, the 180cm Murray Bushrangers product continued a consistent season with three majors. He was able to hit the scoreboard in different ways, taking marks on the lead inside-50 as well as getting over the back of the defence.
Jasper Alger (Vic Country)
12 disposals, 4 marks, 3 goals
A surprise star up forward, Alger snapped his side’s first goal of the game and had a second from a set shot at distance before quarter-time. He snapped a third major in the third quarter and had a goal assist for James Barrat in the final term. Originally from Warragul, Alger is boarding at Xavier College but had kicked only two goals across the first three games of the season for the Oakleigh Chargers in the Coates Talent League.
Ben Camporeale (South Australia)
28 disposals, 7 marks, 5 clearances
Get excited, Carlton fans. This midfielder looks a beauty. The Blues father-son prospect was in everything, showing great workrate up and down the ground and using the ball exceptionally well by hand and foot. He set up multiple forays forward and logged some score assists.
Tyler Welsh (South Australia)
7 disposals, 5 marks, 4 goals
The Adelaide father-son prospect isn’t finding a lot of the footy, but is impacting when he does. Welsh showed off his overhead marking abilities and accurate set-shot goalkicking once again as he slotted 4.2 from limited disposals, including two important goals in the last quarter to keep South Australia in the contest. The performance came after Welsh had kicked three goals from six disposals in his side’s first match of the championships against the Allies.
Sid Draper (South Australia)
26 disposals, 3 marks, 4 clearances
Having missed the start of the season with stress fractures in his shin, the top-10 draft prospect is quickly warming into his top-age draft year. He found plenty of footy through the midfield – including winning four centre bounce clearances – and made good decisions with ball in hand.
Alex Dodson (South Australia)
19 disposals, 5 marks, 20 hitouts
There’s a big watch on the big ruckman from South Australia. A former Australian representative in basketball, the 203cm big man has turned his attention to football and looks a player. He is highly athletic and has good football smarts. Dodson took the ball out of the ruck and got it on his boot multiple times, while he was also able to impact around the ground with his contested marking.
Originally published as Under 18 National Championships: All the scouting notes and ranking points stats from Vic Metro v Allies and Vic Country v SA
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