Revealed: The top Queensland AFL products to put on your 2023 draft radar
Meet the new generation of Queensland youngsters vying for AFL and AFLW draft selection in 2023 and beyond.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Some of the AFL’s biggest names were born and bred in Queensland, from Brisbane Lions stars Charlie Cameron and Harris Andrews to AFLW guns Tayla Harris and Nat Grider.
Now, there’s a new generation of talent.
As clubs look towards the 2023 draft and beyond, eyes will no doubt be on plenty the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns academies.
In the Suns Academy, Palm Beach Currumbin product Jed Walter is already drawing attention as a top 10 draft pick, while 17-year-old Southport Sharks key forward Darcie Davies will no doubt follow in the footsteps of older sisters Giselle and Fleur, already signed with the Suns and GWS Giants respectively.
Further north, Cairns talent Caleb Nancarrow is doing the region proud as he continues to shine on a scholarship at Melbourne’s Scotch College, while playing with the Oakleigh Chargers in the NAB League.
And elsewhere in the regions is no different. Mackay’s Abbey Rankin was the recipient of the 2022 Troy Clarke Scholarship, awarded to an up-and-coming regional athlete with plenty of potential both on and off the field.
Meet the other athletes here:
Brisbane
Daniel Annable
Age: 15
Junior Club: Victoria Point Sharks
Representative honours: U15 Queensland Schoolboys, u15 All-Australian Schoolboys, u16 Brisbane Lions Academy
Brisbane Lions Academy member Daniel Annable is classy midfielder from Victoria Point Football Club. He represented the Lions at the 2022 National under 16 carnival showing his class as an underage player. He has a high football IQ and an exceptional work ethic. Annable also starred in the under 15 National schoolboys last year where his form warranted an All-Australian selection. Annable also plays cricket and basketball.
Raphael Geesu
Age: 15
Junior Club: Victoria Point Sharks
Representative honours: U16 Brisbane Lions Academy
Raph is a young boy who oozes class. The Brisbane Lions U16 Academy athlete has elite kicking skills and blinding speed. He is a talented small forward with great goal sense. His form in the 2022 National Under 16 Development Championships showed he has a great future in the game. Geesu is also a talented basketballer.
Billy Richardson
Age: 17
Junior Club: Kedron JAFC, Wilston Grange AFC
Representative honours: U17 Queensland, U16 Brisbane Lions Academy, U16 All-Australian
Richardson is a tall, athletic forward who can pinch hit in the ruck or play as a defender. He has a beautiful balanced kick and can take a strong contested mark.
Tom Fry
Age: 16
Junior Club: Sandgate JAFC, Mayne AFC
Representative honours: U16 Brisbane Lions Academy, U15 Met North Schoolboys
Tom Fry is a tough, strong inside midfielder. The Brisbane Lions Academy athlete plays with courage and displays good leadership qualities. His stoppage craft is also a highlight.
Alex Pope
Age: 16
Junior Club: Victoria Point JAFC
Representative honours: U17 Queensland, U16 Brisbane Lions Academy, U15 Queensland Schoolboys
Alex Pope is a wingman that possesses great speed and dynamite kicking skills on both sides of the body. He has a tremendous work rate enabling him to amass high possession rates in all games he plays. He was in exceptional form for the Lions Academy in 2022 which culminated in him being selected in the Queensland under 17 team as an under ager taking on Vic Metro.
Ryan Gilder
Age: 16
DOB: 15 May 2006
Junior Club: Calamvale JAFC, Sherwood JAFC
Representative honours: U16 Brisbane Lions Academy
The son of Melbourne Demons listed player Mark Gilder, Ryan is a fantastic prospect from the Sherwood Football Club. He is an athletic key defender who possesses elite speed and vertical leap. He is super competitive with an aggressive edge and was a was a key contributor to the Lions successful under 16 National Champs campaign last year. Gilder has a great ability to win his one-on-one contest even when undersized by reading the play seamlessly. Gilder is also a gun volleyballer.
Matthew Owen
Age: 14
Junior Club: Victoria Point
Representative honours: U16 Brisbane Lions Academy Squad.
Matthew Owen is a highly skilled midfielder with a well above average football IQ. He is a workaholic, both in training sessions and match day. The Lions Academy player is a very coachable young athlete who is seen as a top local prospect. In addition, Owen holds representative honours in cricket and cross country running. His talent across multiple sports has seen him awarded aged champion awards at Chisholm College for the last two years.
Rania Crozier
Age: 17
Junior Club: Moreton Bay JAFC, Morningside JAFC, West Juniors JAFC, Wilston Grange JAFC, Aspley AFC
Representative honours: U18 Brisbane Lions Academy, U15 Queensland Schoolgirls
Rania Crozier is a tall, athletic defender coming back from a torn ACL in 2021. Crozier has been tearing up the QAFLW and is very good in one-on-one aerial contests, and can mark and spoil a ball.
Mia Geere
Age: 14
Junior Club: Wilston Grange JAFC
Representative honours: U16 Brisbane Lions Academy, U15 Queensland Schoolgirls, U15 All-Australian Schoolgirls
Profile: Mia Geere is a talented youngster coming through the grades.
Lilu Hung
Age: 17
Junior Club: Kedron JAFC, Wilston Grange JAFC, Aspley AFC
Representative honours: U18 Brisbane Lions Academy
Another Lions Academy member, Lilu Hung is a strong aggressive player with the ability to play forward and pinch hit in the midfield. She thrives on the contest.
Laura Roy
Age: 17
Junior Club: Waratahs (NT), Morningside JAFC
Representative honours: U18 Brisbane Lions Academy, U18 Queensland
Hailing from the Northern Territory, Laura is balancing a promising netball career with a move to Australian rules football. She has a rare competitive edge, that sees her in win a huge amount of contested ball. With a little work on her kicking skills, she will no doubt be a prospective draft choice in the upcoming seasons. Roy is also a member of the Australian U17 netball squad.
Harlee McIlwain
Age: 14
Junior Club: Victoria Point JAFC
Representative honours: U15 Met East Schoolgirls, U15 Queensland Schoolgirls (shadow), Brisbane Lions Academy
At 14, Harlee McIlwain already looks to have her sights set on graduating to an AFLW career. The daughter of Canterbury Bulldogs footballer Dallas McIlwain, Harlee is a tall, athletic ruck/key position player with an exceptional football IQ and an ability to leap and mark beyond her years. She is set to show her talents at the upcoming under 14 Academy games in Maroochydore. Her attitude to improve makes her one of the best prospects across all ages in the Brisbane Lions Academy. In addition to footy, McIlwain is a gun touch footballer who represented Met East.
Zoe Petrides
Age: 14
Junior Club: Calamvale JAFC, Morningside JAFC
Representative honours: U14 Brisbane Lions Academy, U15 Met West Schoolgirls
Zoe Petrides plays her football at Morningside Football Club. Up until last season, Petrides showed her ability by being a key player in the clubs Division 1 boys premiership side. With exceptional football IQ and equally impressive skills, the sky is the limit for her. She has been training with the under 16 girls Lions Academy squad, showing what high regard she is held in by the Lions. She will show how good she is when competing with her own age at the upcoming Academy under 14 games in Maroochydore. Petrides also represented Met East in both futsal and soccer.
Sunshine Coast
Brad McDonald
Age: 17
Junior Club: Maroochydore JAFC, Maroochydore AFC
Representative honours: U17 Queensland, U18 Brisbane Lions Academy
Brad McDonald is an athletic, tall defender who can also play forward or ruck. McDonald takes a nice contested mark and covers the ground well for his size.
Nathan Jensen
Age: 17
Junior Club: Caloundra JAFC, Maroochydore AFC
Representative honours: U17 Queensland, U18 Brisbane Lions Academy
Playing at ruck, Nathan Jensen is developing a nice skill set to play the position. The Lions Academy athlete is aggressive and strong while also having a nice leap.
Harrison Ronchi
Age: 16
Junior Club: Caloundra JAFC
Representative honours: U16 Brisbane Lions Academy
Playing at half back and in the midfield, Harrison Ronchi has speed to burn but also has a neat left foot kick with good decision making skills.
Sophie Peters
Age: 17
DOB: 12 March 2005
Junior Club: Maroochydore JAFC, Maroochydore AFC
Representative honours: U18 Brisbane Lions Academy, U18 Queensland
Lions Academy member Sophie Peters is a speedy running winger who has the ability to break the lines and carry the ball with tricky bounces.
Indianna Williams
Age: 17
Junior Club: Hervey Bay Bombers, Maroochydore AFC
Representative honours: U18 Brisbane Lions Academy
A former triathlete, Indi Williams is a tall, athletic player that has a lot of upside coming in 2023 season.
Williams was a member of the Lions Academy last year. She has played defence and even rucked at Academy level. Williams can compete strongly in one-on-one contests and marks the ball well in defence.
Monique Corrigan
Age: 15
Junior Club: Hervey Bay Bombers
Representative honours: Brisbane Lions Academy
Monique Corrigan has improved significantly over the past 12 months. The 186cm ruck has a great marking ability and her follow up work and aggression on the ground is a real highlight of her game.
Travelling weekly from Hervey Bay to the Sunshine Coast to take part in training, there is no questioning her commitment to the game. Corrigan is also a netballer.
Gold Coast
Jed Walter
Age: 17
Junior Club: Palm Beach Currumbin
Representative honours: 2022 Allies U18, All Australian U18, 2022 & 2023 National Academy, 2021 Suns Academy U19 debut, 2021 & 2022 U17 QLD, QLD U12, QLD U15, All Australian U15, 2022 QSchools Cup winner with PBC
Heading into his second season in the AFL National Academy, key forward Jed Walter will be one of Queensland’s top prospects eligible for this year’s draft. He earned All-Australian honours from the 2022 U18 National Championships and played in the NAB AFL Futures Match on grand final day at the MCG.
Jake Rogers
Age: 17
Junior Club: Broadbeach
Representative honours: Allies U18, 2023 National Academy, 2022 Suns Academy U18 MVP, 2022 QLD U17
Boasting extremely clean skills on both sides, terrific agility and speed, Rogers earned the Suns U18 MVP in 2022, AFL Academy selection for 2023 and has been training alongside the Suns’ AFL squad in pre-season. Rogers plays at inside mid or small forward.
Ethan Read
Age: 17
Junior Club: Palm Beach Currumbin
Representative honours: Allies U18, Suns Academy since 12, 2023 National Academy, 2022 U17 QLD
Pushing 2m tall, ruckman Ethan Read’s agility for his size is incredibly impressive, as is his running ability which has shown well in pre-season with the AFL squad. Very good ruck craft and a strong overhead mark. Played in the 2022 Futures Match for QLD U17 against Victoria.
Will Graham
Age: 17
Junior Club: Palm Beach Currumbin
Representative honours: 2022 QSchools Cup winner with PBC, 2022 U17 Queensland rep
Will Graham won the 2022 Queensland Schools Cup alongside Jed Walter. The pair also played together in the AFL Futures Match with Rogers and Read on AFL grand final day. Graham is an inside mid with elite power and handball craft, is good by foot and can hit the scoreboard.
Leo Lombard
Age: 16
Junior Club: Broadbeach
Representative honours: U16 All-Australian, 2022 Suns Academy U16 MVP, 2022 QLD U17, QLD U12, 2022 Under 16 NAB AFL National Development Championships MVP & All-Australian
Leo Lombard represented Queensland throughout his teenage years and displays an elite work rate while hitting the scoreboard and contributing defensively. Lombard will be eligible for the 2024 Draft. He plays at inside mid.
Sienna McMullen
Age: 18
Junior Club: Burleigh
Representative honours: 2023 National Academy, QLD U18, QLD U17
One of two female Suns Academy members in the 2023 National Academy. Eligible for the 2023 draft with speed being her main weapon, playing at wing.
Darcie Davies
Age: 17
Junior Club: Southport
Representative honours: QLD U18, 2023 National Academy
Tall and athletic with a netball background, key forward Darcie Davies gets better each year. Davies has a strong mark overhead, kicks goals and can play in the ruck if needed too. She is the younger sister of AFLW players Giselle (Suns) and Fleur (GWS). Davies is in the National Academy for 2023.
Havana Harris
Age: 17
Junior Club: Burleigh
Representative honours: 2022 Suns Academy U16 MVP runner-up, QLD U18, QLD U17
Equipped with a booming kick and athletic for her size, Havana Harris could slide into an AFLW set-up if eligible. The ruck and key forward was runner-up MVP of the Suns Academy U16 squad in 2022.
Tara Harrington
Age: 17
Junior Club: Broadbeach
Representative honours: 2022 Suns Academy U16 MVP, QLD U18, QLD U17
Tara Harrington is a big ball winner with a clean pair of hands who’s known for her work rate. Harrington plays at inside mid.
Josie McCabe
Age: 17
Position: Mid/Forward
Junior Club: Burleigh
Representative honours: QLD U17, QLD U18
Toowoomba
Amelia Leigh
Age: 16
Junior club: Toowoomba AFC
Amelia Leigh is an athletic tall that has great versatility. She can play in the ruck and also key positions, back or forward. She has great kicking skills and a good ability to take strong overhead marks. Leigh also plies her trade at basketball and athletics.
Mikael Artavilla-Bennett
Age: 15
Honours: Darling Downs U14 Best & Fairest 2021
Junior club: Toowoomba AFC
Mikael Artavilla-Bennett is a very coachable young athlete. He is very competitive and has very good skills. He is developing quickly with his football IQ. Lions Academy staff are looking forward to working with him over the next couple of seasons. Artavilla-Bennett plays at centre half back.
Penelope Bruce
Age: 14
Junior club: Toowoomba AFC
Penelope Bruce is a natural footballer with a very high level of skill and great competitive edge. After only a couple of sessions with the Lions Academy she has proven her ability with some strong performances in the cross region trial games. Bruce plays in the midfield.
Sienna Wilson
Age: 15
Junior club: Toowoomba AFC
Sienna Wilson has impressed Lions Academy staff with her high level and skill and natural football IQ. She has impressed in the U16 cross region trials and looks set to represent the Lions at the upcoming National Championships. Wilson plays across the wing and midfield.
Townsville
Neive Ryan
Age: 16
Junior club: Thuringowa Bulldogs
Representative honours: U18’s SUNS Academy Team, U15’s Queensland School Sport Merit Team
Neive Ryan is a fierce competitor, when she sees the ball, she gets it. Whether she is playing in the middle or running off the backline, she is a natural ball winner. Ryan plays at midfield or half back.
Siobhan Ross
Age: 17
Junior club: Thuringowa Bulldogs
Representative honours: U18’s Suns Academy team
Siobhan Ross is versatile with the ability to compete at a high level as a key forward or ruck. She has an
impressive set of hands up forward and loves booting a goal.
Lachlan Jones
Age: 16
Junior club: Curra Swans
Representative honours: U17’s Townsville SUNS Academy Team, U15 Queensland School Sport Team
Lachlan is a smooth runner out of the midfield with an excellent kick up forward. He is a versatile player
and can play any position on the field.
Stuart Guest
Age: 16
Junior club: Thuringowa Bulldogs
Representative honours: U17’s Townsville SUNS Academy Team, U15 Queensland School Sport Team
Stuart Guest is always around the ball; where the ball is, so is Stuart. He is always in and under a contest
cleaning up the scraps with a clean set of hands below his knees. Guest can play at midfield and forward.
Cairns
Harry Cook
Junior Club: Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs
Representative honours: AFL Cairns senior debut 2021, QLD State Schoolboys Squad 2021, AFL Cairns U16 Best and Fairest 2021, Suns Academy since 2019.
Harry is a midfielder and half forward who has strong endurance, a great turn of speed and is adept at winning the footy at ground level or in the air. Has good hands and is a reliable kick. Cook can push forward and impact games on the scoreboard as well.
Noah Cockerell
Junior Club: Cairns Saints
Representative honours: AFL Cairns senior debut 2021, Gold Coast Suns Representative U16 2021, Suns Academy since 2018.
Noah is a key defender who continues to impress He has held down a key defensive position in the Cairns Saints senior side, where his ability to defend one-on-one, intercept mark, and make good decisions by foot have seen his footy go to another level. Cockerell is calm under pressure and has good footy smarts.
Maddox Hunt
Junior Club: Port Douglas Crocs
Representative honours: AFL Cairns senior debut 2021, QLD State Schoolboys Squad 2021, SUNS Academy since 2019.
Maddox is a strong bodied inside midfielder who enjoys the contested side of the game and is just a pure footballer. Hunt puts himself in the right spots and possesses a quality skill set by hand and foot.
Heidi Talbot
Age: 17
Junior Club: North Cairns Tigers
Representative honours: Best on Ground AFL Cairns U15 Youth Girls Grand Final 2021, North Queensland U15 representative 2021, SUNS Academy since 2020, AFL Cairns Under 18 Youth Girls Best & Fairest, National Diversity Games (Woomeras)
Heidi Talbot is a midfielder with outstanding running capacity who can win the ball on the inside and outside. Talbot played an unbelievable game in the AFL Cairns U15 youth girls grand final kicking nine goals from the midfield to win best on ground, and has been a strong performer through the Suns U17 program in Cairns so far. Talbot is an exciting prospect to watch over the coming years.
Precious Simeona
Junior Club: South Cairns Cutters
Representative honours: AFL Cairns U18 Youth Girls Best and Fairest Runner Up 2021, AFL Cairns U15 Youth Girls Best and Fairest 2021, North Queensland U15 representative 2021, SUNS Academy since 2020.
Precious Simeona is a super competitive midfielder who wins plenty of the ball at the contest and around the ground. She has a fantastic workrate and is clean around the contest. Simeona tackles strongly and has a fantastic attitude to her footy. She was a strong performer for the North Queensland U15 last year and sets the tone with her work rate and attitude to footy.
Jezz Butler
Junior club: Cairns City Lions
Butler played eight senior games for the Lions during their 2022 AFL Cairns premiership season, kicking five goals with three best on ground selections.
Predominantly a small forward, Butler was used as a back pocket during the under 16s NAB AFL development championships for Gold Coast.
A super competitive player who can play both ends of the ground, Butler will still train in Cairns and will fly out to meet up with the squad ahead of games.
“I started playing eight years ago and this is massive and I am really honoured and it’s a reward for all my hard work,” Butler said.
“It was pretty intense, training three nights a week, two of those were heavy training sessions and then we had a lot of education as well.”
Will Derrington
Junior club: Cairns Saints
Derrington missed out on Gold Coast Suns Academy squads over the past three seasons, and has finally received his call-up after a breakout season at the Saints.
The 18-year-old played 16 games in the Saints’ seniors side, kicking eight goals being among the best on ground six times.
A half-back flanker, Derrington moved to the Gold Coast to start a Bachelor of Events Business at Griffith University and was picked up through the pre-season training over December and January.
“I made the North Queensland squad previously but didn't get into the Gold Coast Suns Academy in the past,” Derrington said.
“This means a lot. It is a goal and a dream to get to and then it is another stepping stone to further my career to get the best out of myself.”
Kyle Greenwood
Junior club: Cairns Saints
The hard running wingman, Greenwood played 12 games for the Saints winning four best on grounds as he looked to develop into a senior footballer.
The 18-year-old will add the speed on the outside and run-and-carry for the Gold Coast Suns Academy.
Greenwood can be used as a swingman off the halfback flank to help reload the counter attack forward.
“Moving down to the Gold Coast was such a big thing, moving away from family was very hard,” Greenwood said.
“But at least making the squad has made me feel better about myself because it shows I can go places and I have a chance to make it somewhere.”
Caleb Nancarrow
Age: 16
Junior Club: Cairns City Lions, Scotch College
Representative honours: QLD U17, 2022 National Development Championships U16 All-Australian Team
Originally from Cairns, key forward Caleb Nancarrow was offered a scholarship at Scotch College in Melbourne and will play for the school in the APS competition as well as Oakleigh Chargers in the NAB League.
The 195cm teenager was picked in the All-Australian under 16s team in 2022 where he played as the starting centre-half forward. Nancarrow has strong hands with an impressive vertical leap and is handy at ground level too. The Sun Academy member is eligible for the 2024 draft.
Andi Heard
Junior club: Cairns Saints
Andi Heard was developing into a professional basketballer before the talented athlete made the jump across to the Sherrin.
In just two seasons of senior football, Heard had heads turning and mouths talking with her brilliant run and carry with speed through the midfield.
Even though the 17-year-old has limited footy exposure, Heard hasn’t looked out of place on the football field and played a vital role through the midfield in the Saints premiership in 2022.
Mackay
Abbey Rankin
Age: 16
Junior club: Mackay City Hawks
Representative honours: Recipient of the Troy Clarke Scholarship 2022, Gold Coast Suns Academy representative, Grand Final Winner 2022
Abbey Rankin is reigning premiership player in 2022 for the Mackay City Hawks in Mackay women’s competition. She is a versatile midfielder who can play anywhere on the ground. She is a natural leader, who has amazing skill. She is a talented young midfielder and has a big future ahead in AFLW Space.
Mia Trinder
Age: 16
Junior club: Whitsunday Sea Eagles
Representative honours: Gold Coast Suns Academy Representative
Mia Trinder is a promising midfielder, who has fantastic skill, as well as great decision making. She can run all day and can really open the game up. She is a natural leader, talented young player and also has a huge future in the AFLW space.
Alysha Nunn
Age: 15
Junior club: North Mackay Saints
Representative honours: Gold Coast Suns Academy Representative, Grand Finalist Player in 2022
Alysha Nunn is an upcoming star, who has improved massively throughout her time within the Suns Academy, she was a grand finalist player for the North Mackay Saints in 2022. She is versatile player who can play in the midfield or up forward. She has great skill, great determination, and an unreal will to win the footy. She also has a big future in the AFLW Space.
Foxx LaMonica
Age: 15
Junior club: Whitsunday Sea Eagles
Foxx LaMonica is a genuine pressure player. He creates chaos for the opposition with his tackling presence down forward while also wanting to win the hard ball in the midfield. He knows where the goals are and is a goal sneak. LaMonica plays out at midfield or forward.
Blake Thompson
Age: 17
Junior club: Moranbah Bulldogs
Honours: AFL Mackay U17’s Runner Up B&F
Pacy midfielder that can break the lines with his speed. Very good at getting his hands free to dish the ball out to teammates. A classy finisher when up forward. Thompson plays in the midfield.
Blake Tissington
Age: 14
Junior club: Whitsunday Sea Eagles
Blake Tissington is a brilliant decision maker who always keeps his cool in heavy traffic. He finds space where there is none, is a smart user of the footy and always put the ball to space for his forwards. Tissington plays on the wing or at half forward.
Rockhampton
Ty Fitzgerald
Age: 17
Junior club: BITS Saints
Representative honours: U16 Suns Academy State Championships, U15 QLD School boys AFL representative
Ty Fitzgerald, known as the “bull” by teammates, is a big bodied midfielder who is able to swing down to help out in defence if required. Fitzgerald’s work ethic, fitness and willingness to put his body on the line to be first to the ball are a feature of his game. He has a fantastic attitude towards training and learning about the game which holds him in good stead for furthering his representative honours. Fitzgerald also plays rugby league.
Age: 16
Junior Club: BITS Saints AFC
Representative honours: 2022 U16 GC Suns National Development Squad. 2021 U15 Qld Merit Selection. Three times Best on Ground – Capricornia Grand Final. Two times Best and Fairest Capricornia League. Kicked 113 goals in one season.
Max Marsh can do it all: he has a strong mark, reads the play well, is a solid team player and breathes competitiveness. He is a sports leader at his school and won their Sportsperson of the Year in 2021. Marsh helps in the development of younger players by coaching Auskick, umpiring younger teams and was awarded the 2022 U17 Capricornia Volunteer of the Year. He plays out at full back.
Age: 15
Junior club: Brothers AFC
Representative honours: 2022 – Brothers AFC Under 13.5s Encouragement Award; Under 15s Girls’ Capricornia Representative, Suns Academy 2022. 2023 – NQ All Stars squad
A quiet achiever with definite x-factor, Jessica Large has only recently crossed over to AFL. She is relentlessly hard at the ball and uses her speed to clear the pack and get the ball away with her famously big boot. She provides excellent support to teammates through steady hands and has a keen game sense that is unwavering, even in the most challenging moments.
Age: 18
Junior club: Brothers AFC
Representative honours: 2021, 2022: Club Best & Fairest (Under 17.5s), 2022 Club Male Rising Star Award, 2017-2022 Suns Academy squad member, 2022 Suns Academy squad captain, 2021, 2022 NQ All Stars squad member
Thomas Hutchieson is an outstanding leader whose confidence is contagious on field. A strong mark, he uses his body to advantage, hitting his opponent hard and fast. Hutchieson’s ability has always preceded his age, playing in higher age groups from a young age and making an instant impact on dynamics. Hutchieson plays at centre half forward.
Age: 19
Junior club: Yeppoon Swans & West Whyalla FC
Representative honours: Recipient of best Backman and rising star awards at the Yeppoon Swans over the past two seasons, Suns Academy in 2022
Playing the majority of his junior footy at the Yeppoon Swans, Ethan Ashman really came into his own in the U17s in 2021 when his leap, and deft tap ruck work was noticed by Suns Academy coaches. He was invited to join the Suns Academy Capricornia squad for the NQ talent games in 2022. Ashman was named in the best players over the carnival.
Ashman has recently plied his trade in the reserves, but has had a fantastic pre-season and he will be looking to push his case to be the Yeppoon Swans number one ruckman in season 2023 and beyond.
‘Took some coaxing’: The switch that propelled teen rugby phenom
16-year-old Kingsley Uys is shaping as one of the Wallabies brightest prospects after a scintillating tour of NZ. Inside his rise and the positional switch he never wanted.
REVEALED: QLD’s top strikers, players and football officials
BEST OF THE BEST: We reveal the best strikers, players, coaches and volunteers who made their mark on Queensland football this season. Find out who cracked the list here.