GFL: Top U23 players in the competition revealed
With the GFL season near the end, we have broken down the competition’s future stars. Find out who made the list.
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There is no shortage of elite young talent in the Geelong Football League.
But who are the top under-23 players in the competition?
These are the emerging young guns who have taken the GFL by storm.
Tanner Lovell
Age: 22
Club: Geelong West
Position: Midfield
Lovell is the competition’s best ball winner, leading the league for disposals in 2023.
His campaign so far has been seriously impressive, averaging 33.3 disposals, 15.9 contested possessions, 5.5 clearances, 4.2 tackles, and 5.1 inside 50s per game.
Lovell is a lock for team-of-the-year honours, and could be a sneaky Mathieson Medal chance.
Bailey Scott
Age: 22
Club: Colac
Position: Midfielder
Scott has evolved from the wingman he started as at Colac, taking his game to a whole new level in 2023.
The 22-year-old has been prolific and incredibly damaging forward of centre, averaging 30.6 disposals, 22.2 uncontested possessions, 7.7 inside 50s and 1.7 goals.
He finished with 35 disposals, 11 inside 50, seven tackles and six clearances in the win over Grovedale and had a lazy 30 possessions and three goals in his return from injury in round 11. A genuine match-winner.
William McKenzie
Age: 22
Club: Lara
Position: Defender
McKenzie is new to the Cats, but has quickly become one of the competition’s best intercept defenders.
He leads the league in intercept marks, 19 more than the next best in Bell Park’s Stephen Bensted, while also averaging 24.2 disposals per game.
Emmanuel Ajang
Age: 21
Club: Geelong West
Position: Midfielder
The VFL-listed Ajang has been a star for the Giants in 2023, averaging 23.5 disposals, 3.5 marks, 3.3 clearances, 3.2 inside 50s and 0.8 goals per game.
He has also played six games for Werribee so far this season, averaging just under 11 disposals and three tackles per contest.
Connor Giddings
Age: 22
Club: Leopold
Position: Key forward
Giddings put his name into GFL folklore when he kicked the match-winning goal after the siren in last year’s preliminary final, and he has continued to impress in 2023.
The spearhead has averaged 10.8 disposals, 2.3 contested marks and 1.2 goals per game for the Lions this season as a strong presence inside-50, also providing a chop-out in the ruck.
Sam Witherden
Age: 21
Club: North Shore
Position: Defender/midfielder
Witherden has proved to be one of North Shore’s most important players this season, reading the play well to take intercept marks as a key back and using the ball well by foot. In recent weeks he has been moved into the Seagulls’ on-ball brigade where he has impressed as a big-bodied midfielder. The younger brother of West Coast defender Alex has averaged 25.8 disposals and 18.3 kicks this year and is highly rated internally.
Flynn Young
Age: 21
Club: Newtown & Chilwell
Position: Forward
Young made the switch from Grovedale to Newtown & Chilwell at the end of last season and he has slid straight into the Eagles’ best forward line.
The small forward is averaging 11.8 disposals and 1.4 goals per game this season.
Lachlan Handley
Age: 22
Club: Geelong West
Position: Defender
Another core member of the Giants young group, Handley has now played enough senior games to be truly embedded into GFL football.
Handley is averaging 22.8 disposals, 4.8 marks and 1.8 inside 50s per game, and has been one of Geelong West’s most consistent performers.
Ben Kellett
Age: 19
Club: South Barwon
Position: Ruck
Recruited from North Warnambool, Kellett has stood tall for South Barwon in the ruck, where his tapwork and clean hands at ground level have impressed. The Swans struggled during his three-week injury lay-off but have been back to their best since his return. Just 19, Kellett has some serious upside, averaging 12 disposals, 20.8 hitouts and 0.8 goals per game.
Kye Annand
Age: 19
Club: Geelong West
Position: Ruck/Forward
In his first season at the Giants, Annand has spent time at both GFL and VFL level so far this season.
Brother of Werribee ruck Kobe Annand, Kye has been plying his trade in the Cats’ VFL side the past eight weeks, having started the season for Geelong West.
Jordan Lane
Age: 22
Club: North Shore
Position: Key forward/ruck
Lane only played a handful of games this year but his GFL form was super impressive, booting 16 goals along with averaging 11.8 disposals and a whopping 6.5 contested marks - while often being triple teamed. The 203cm forward-ruck even attracted interest from AFL clubs after an exciting VFL debut for Port Melbourne where he kicked three goals, but his season was then cruelled by a groin injury.
Sam Donegan
Age: 19
Club: St Albans
Position: Midfielder
Donegan is seen as one of the competition’s brightest young talents, but the young midfielder has battled his body in 2023.
He dominated for the Supersaints in 2022, but has only played six games, primarily as a forward with stints through the midfield.
The club is hopeful Donegan can return to his best by the end of the season and put together a full pre-season ahead of 2024.
Harrison Whyte
Age: 22
Club: Grovedale
Position: Defender
The dashing defender suffered an injury halfway through the season but has since returned and is playing solid football for Grovedale.
Whyte is the Tigers’ primary ball carrier out of the back six, and is averaging 20 disposals per game in 2023.
Noah Lever
Age: 21
Club: North Shore
Position: Midfielder
Only played a couple of games in the BFL this year but there is no doubting his talent. Lever has gone on to play with Werribee in the VFL where he has thrived up forward, with the 21-year-old one of the leading score assist players in the competition. He has averaged 87 SuperCoach ranking points per game for the Tigers.
Jamieson Ballantyne
Age: 20
Club: Geelong West
Position: Midfield
Ballantyne is a silky outside midfielder who has come a long way since making his Giants debut .
He’s played four games at VFL level for Geelong, and is averaging 20.7 touches per game in the GFL this season.
Lachlan Bond
Age: 22
Club: Newtown & Chilwell
Position: Forward
Bond has been a star forward for Newtown & Chilwell the past two seasons, providing the Eagles with a strong marking target up forward.
He has booted 28 goals in 13 games so far this season, having kicked 37 in 15 games in his first full season at the club last year.
Bond also made his debut for Geelong’s VFL side last year.
Kane Loftus
Age: 22
Club: St Mary’s
Position: Forward
An athletic freak with talent in spades, Loftus was given the daunting match-up of ex-AFL ruckman Trent West last week and ran rings around him, finishing with 26 disposals, 17 hitouts, 12 inside 50s, eight clearances and two goals
Soft tissue injuries had held him back previously, Loftus has shown his major upside this year, highlighted by his five goal haul against Grovedale in June.
He is averaging 14.9 disposals, 4.6 marks and a goal per game and is only going to get better.
Jak Tute
Age: 20
Club: Grovedale
Position: Midfield
Tute not only finds the footy on the inside and outside, he also uses it efficiently going forward, with 73.6 per cent of his disposals hitting the target this year.
The 20-year-old is averaging 20.1 disposals and 4.0 clearances for the season – ranked fifth at the Tigers for both of those indicators.
Jordan Lyons
Club: St Joseph’s
Position: Forward
Lyons has shone in what has been another tough year for St Albans, averaging 12 disposals and a goal per game. Lyons is extremely elusive: he has a wicked sidestep that makes him difficult to tackle and he is very dangerous in front of goal when he is on song.
Hunter Lewis
Age: 18
Club: St Joseph’s
Position: Forward
One of the competition’s brightest young stars, Hunter Lewis has excelled in his first senior season of GFL football.
Still technically eligible for Geelong Falcons football, Lewis committed to the rest of the season with the Joeys, but suffered a potentially season-ending injury.
Lewis booted 25 goals through his first 11 games.
Archie Sinnott
Age: 19
Club: Newtown & Chilwell
Position: Midfielder
Sinnott has split his football this year between the Geelong Falcons, where he is co-captain as a top-age player, and Newtown & Chilwell.
The winger has great leadership qualities, as well as an abundance of natural and athletic talent, and has been consistent in both levels of football this year.
He was also selected for the mid-season Young Guns side, but was not picked up in the mid-season AFL draft.
Joe Salmon
Club: North Shore
Position: Midfielder/forward
Age: 22
The Indigenous talent from Darwin has impressed in the GFL this year with his speed off half back and through the midfield. Salmon has been named in the best in six of his 13 matches after starting the season in the reserves, averaging 17.5 disposals and kicking six goals for the season.
Will Parkhouse
Club: Colac
Position: Forward/defender
Parkhouse has missed a few games with injury but the key defender has shown this year that he has plenty of promise as a stopper.
His long arms allow him to stop his opponents in the air with spoils and his follow up work at ground level is strong for a player his size, averaging 7.5 touches for the year.
Austin Shepherd
Age: 22
Club: South Barwon
Position: Defender
Shepherd has become a senior regular this year and is growing by the week as a rebounding defender, where he has averaged 13.4 disposals at 76.6 per cent efficiency and 10.4 uncontested possessions.
The speedster was particularly impressive in their upset win over St Joseph’s, with 19 of his 22 disposals hitting the target.
Brady Ferguson
Age: 20
Club: Grovedale
Position: Key forward/ruck
A key-position player who can be used at either end and pinch-hit in the ruck, Ferguson is strong in the air and is competitive when the ball hits the deck. Overcoming some injury troubles, Ferguson has averaged 10.8 possessions, 8.0 of those won in a contest, 2.2 contested marks and 1.2 goals this season for the Tigers.
Josh Garner
Age: 20
Club: Colac
Position: Forward/defender
The Tigers wish they could two of him, such is his versatility and talent.
Garner has played predominately this forward this year where he has been ulta-competitive, kicking 1.2 goals per game and averaging 9.6 touches.
An all-round sports freak, Garner represented Australia at the U19 Cricket World Cup in 2022 and is also a handy golfer. Must be nice.
Euriah Hollard
Age: 19
Club: Newtown & Chilwell
Position: Forward
Hollard missed out on selection in the AFL draft after a strong campaign for Geelong Falcons in 2021 and 2022, and even got a chance to play two VFL games for GWS Giants last year.
Since the start of 2023, Hollard has slotted into Newtown & Chilwell’s senior side and has played good football there, averaging 12.4 disposals and 1.1 goals per game.
Ben Worme
Age: 22
Club: Bell Park
Position: Midfield
Worme is a consistent player at the GFL level, showing that he has a classy outside game with clean hands and can deliver the ball to teammates well.
He is also very versatile, with the ability to go forward and kick goals while also possessing the ability to play inside a contest.
Worme is averaging 23 disposals, 39 clearances, 4.4 inside 50s and half a goal per game.
Sam Bourke
Age: 21
Club: St Mary’s
Position: Key defender
Coming off a broken ankle that wiped out most of his 2022 season, Bourke has started to hit his straps and build some good form in the last six weeks.
The Geelong VFL listed defender has averaged 11.2 disposals, 4.8 marks and 1.8 intercept marks for the Saints in 2023, also featuring in one game for the Cats.
Rory Desnoy
Age: 19
Club: Leopold
Position: Forward/midfielder
A standout in the Lions U18 last year, Desnoy has managed to make an impact in the senior side, averaging 15 disposals and a goal per game as a forward-midfielder.
Desnoy is tough around the contest, a testament to his strength for his age, and is skillful with ball in hand.
Will Milsome
Age: 21
Club: North Shore
Position: Midfielder
Milsome has shown promising signs in the midfield for the Seagulls, tallying 23 disposals, 19 kicks and three clearances against Bell Park in round 14.
A hard-edged midfielder, Milsome uses the ball well and has a good running capacity, averaging 13 touches per game this year.
Thomas Gunther
Age: 19
Club: Lara
Position: Defender
Gunther spent his first season in the GFL seniors in 2022 as a forward, booting 20 goals in 18 games.
But he has since been swung back, now playing as a taller defender who can grab marks and uses the ball well out of the back line.
He is averaging 10.4 disposals, 3.1 marks and 0.9 inside 50s per game.
Rani Jamieson
Age: 19
Club: Colac
Position: Midfielder
Jamieson has had an promising first season of senior football, where he has showcased his explosive speed, tidy skills and long raking kick up forward.
He has averaged 8.6 touches and a goal per game for the Tigers.
Expect the young goalsneak, who broke his thumb at the start of the year, to create havoc for
Will Sheahan
Age: 20
Club: Leopold
Position: Key forward
The Geelong VFL big man has great athleticism and a long kick on him. He has been a regular when he has featured at GFL level, recently booting two goals in the loss to St Mary’s. Sheahan has averaged 10.6 disposals, 5.9 hitouts, 4.4 marks - 1.5 of those contested - and 1.2 goals this season.
Darcy Brown
Age: 20
Club: Bell Park
Position: Defender
Brown holds down the key defensive post for Bell Park, which is not an easy job to do at 20 years old, but then he also works as a back up ruck.
Standing at 193cm, he has averaged seven disposals and 9.4 hit outs so far this season.
Connor Linehan-Cunningham
Age: 22
Club: Lara
Position: Midfield
Lara’s midfield bull was on track to put together a team-of-the-year worthy season, but a season-ending injury put a stop to Linehan-Cunningham’s impressive campaign.
At the time of his ankle injury, Linehan-Cunningham was leading the competition for contested possessions and tackles.
He averaged 25.3 disposals, 15.2 contested possessions, eight clearances, 5.9 tackles and 4.4 inside 50s per game.
Cameron Anderson
Club: North Shore
Position: Defender
The silky skilled defender crossed over from WAFL side Claremont the beginning of the year when he signed with Werribee, but hasn't cracked in at VFL level just yet. But that has been North Shore's gain with Anderson named in the best in half of his 10 matches, averaging 16 disposals and kicking five majors.
Brady Ferguson
Age: 20
Club: Grovedale
Position: Forward
The big key forward also helps star Ryan Abbott with some ruck duties, but he is mainly offering a marking target up forward.
Ferguson has averaged 10.8 disposals and 1.6 goals per game, but has struggled with injury, returning to the senior side in the past weeks.
Jack Sarcevic
Age:
Club: Bell Park
Position: Forward
The classy forward has enjoyed stints running further up the ground in 2023, but his best work is done providing the Dragons a link going into the forward line.
Sarcevic is averaging 18.5 disposals, 5.8 marks, 3.8 tackles, 3.8 inside 50s and 1.3 goals per game.
Rowan Gough
Age: 22
Club: South Barwon
Position: Key defender
The developing key defender has Mr Gadget arms that allow him to spoil and intercept and also uses the ball well by foot, going at 75 per cent efficiency across the year.
Gough is averaging 14 disposals, 4.7 marks and 2.4 intercept marks this season.
Has shown he can win his own ball, tallying 23 disposals in the win over St Joseph’s.
Aaron Hawker
Age: 20
Club: Colac
Position: Midfielder/forward
Hawker has played every game this season and has shown encouraging signs in his role on the wing and across half-forward, averaging 15.3 disposals per game.
Hawker is highly touted internally, with the Tigers believing he is a 200-game player in the making.
Matthew Keast
Age: 20
Club: St Mary’s
Position: Midfield/Forward
Keast has been one of the competition’s best improvers in 2023, really stepping up his game for the Saints.
He is averaging 22.8 disposals per game, as well as 4.5 clearances, 4.5 inside 50s and a goal per game.
Keast has also played 12 games for Werribee in the VFL this season, including a 30 disposal outing against Northern Bullants.
Zak Mirkovic
Age: 20
Club: Bell Park
Position: Defender
A rebounding back, Bell Park’s Zak Mirkovic has come through the Dragons’ junior program to flourish as a premier ball mover for the senior team.
He is averaging 17.9 disposals as well as almost a goal per game so far this season.
Tommy Stephen
Age: 19
Club: Grovedale
Position: Forward
Stephen possesses electric speed as a small forward improving by the week in the Tigers side. Given some extra midfield time this year, Stephen is averaging 7.5 touches and 0.8 goals per game.
Phil Moimoi
Age: 22
Club: Geelong West
Position: Forward
Moimoi is arguably in the conversation for the competition’s best half forward in the GFL, dominating the position for the Giants this season.
Averaging 2.3 goals from his 15 touches each week, Moimoi sets up plenty of chances at goals for his side.
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