APS Football 2024: Top prospects and the players to watch from every school
The APS competition is jam-packed with AFL Draft prospects. With the season kicking off, we analyse every team and assess the players to watch.
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The APS football season is here — and there are plenty of top talents on show.
Who are the leading prospects, who could surprise AFL recruiters and how will each team fare?
We analyse every team.
BRIGHTON GRAMMAR
LAST TITLE: 2022
TOP PROSPECTS
AFL Academy products Levi Ashcroft and Luke Trainor are going to be hard to stop for Brighton Grammar while Bailey McKenzie and captain Josh Dolan have put in a strong pre-season.
FAMILIAR NAMES
Ashcroft is the son of Brisbane premiership hero Marcus and brother of gun midfielder Will. The Ashcroft’s are swiftly becoming synonymous with the Lions.
SURPRISE PACKET
Lennox Hofmann may not be among Brighton Grammar’s top-end but he will be a serious player in the APS competition. Hofmann, a member of St Kilda’s Next Generation Academy, will use 2024 to develop his craft as an intercept defender.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Brighton Grammar is stacked with talent this year. In a season where it is expected to contend for the title, coach Simon McPhee has placed focus on structure and unity.
“They’ve just connected so well,” McPhee said.
“We’ve got some structure into them and they’ve done it with a smile on their face, they’re passionate to get back to their school.
“I suppose the responsibility for us to try and win for the school, it’s a pretty prestigious competition and something special for the boys to take away.
“But ultimately you want the boys to play their best footy and enjoy their footy.”
CAREY GRAMMAR
LAST TITLE: 2019
TOP PROSPECTS
Northern Knights talent Jesse Dattoli is the standout prospect from Carey Grammar, with the inside midfielder shaping as a potential first-rounder after a hot start to the Coates League season. He is averaging 21 disposals, five clearances and 1.7 goals per game. Meanwhile, in Carey’s girls side there are a couple of future stars in Emma Johnston (Year 10) and Lily Parker (Year 9).
FATHER-SONS AND NGA PROSPECTS
Levi West, the son of Western Bulldogs legend Scott, is one to keep tabs on in the future. Although just in Year 10, he is tipped to play in Carey’s first team this year. Oakleigh Chargers defender Tadhg McCarthy is tied to Collingwood as a member of their Next Generation Academy.
SURPRISE PACKETS
Oakleigh Chargers forward Zane Cochrane took part in Vic Metro’s trial games last weekend. His Chargers teammate Quinn McKay showed good signs in his Coates League debut in round three and is another who has attracted some AFL interest as a versatile 197cm prospect. Northern Knights intercept defender Zac Harwood is another who will be looking to impress.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Carey might not have the top-end talent to match it with the likes of Brighton and Caulfield, but they should be fairly competitive like they were last season. Can they improve on their equal-fifth return from 2023?
CAULFIELD GRAMMAR
LAST TITLE: 2022
TOP PROSPECTS
Murray Bushrangers winger Oliver Warburton will be one of Caulfield Grammar’s top prospects, as will Murphy Reid. Reid was impressive in his recent match for the Sandringham Dragons, collecting 28 disposals both on the inside and on the wing.
SURPRISE PACKET
Pre-season bolter Nathaniel Sulzberger will be a must-watch, as he tackles the best in the APS system. The Tasmanian has let his footy do the talking in the early stages of the Coates league season, winning the attention of recruiters with his supreme power in the contest.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Caulfield Grammar will be as strong as ever in 2024, with the clear expectation to challenge for another APS title.
There’s a difference to CGS this year however, with experienced coach Anthony Phillips confident this year’s crop is the deepest he’s ever seen.
“I think we aim to be competitive, for sure,” Phillips said.
“We’ve had a big, long pre-season, a camp, our biggest thing is we’ve got multi campuses, metro kids, country kids – they’re from all over Victoria.
“The first few rounds are always interesting, we will see how we go but the way we train the program, I think compared to previous years we should be pretty competitive.
“We’re pretty even across the group, pretty deep … sometimes in the past – like a lot of APS schools – we’ve had a few beacon players but it’s about depth and we have a lot of focus on development.
“We’re probably as deep as we’ve ever been in my time.”
GEELONG COLLEGE
LAST TITLE: 2006
TOP PROSPECTS
The school’s standout prospect is AFL Academy member Sara Howley, who won the Coates League girls best and fairest last season as a bottom-ager. A ball-magnet on the inside and outside, Howley shapes as a potential top-10 prospect in a talent stacked AFLW draft crop.
FATHER-SONS AND NGA PROSPECTS
River Stevens, the son of North Melbourne legend Anthony, is the leading talent in their boys side. The small forward booted three goals in the Geelong Falcons’ win over GWV Rebels in round two and trialled for Vic Metro. Year 11 prospect Mackenzie Brown is the daughter of 108-game St Kilda player Tony and is eligible for the 2025 draft.
FAMILIAR NAMES
While not a player, former Western Bulldogs and Essendon Adam Cooney has come on board as coach of the boys side and has received rave reviews.
SURPRISE PACKETS
Falcons prospects Archer Hanegraaf, Jack Henderson and Sam Sinnott will have more prominent roles in APS football than in the Coates League. Archer’s younger brother, Charlie, headlines a promising crop of Year 10s who are part of the under-16 Geelong Falcons side. For the girls, Chloe Bryant is tipped to push for Vic Country selection.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Geelong College had been on the bottom rungs of the ladder in recent years but proved to be one of the surprise packets in 2023, finishing seventh with four wins. Under Adam Cooney there is no reason why the school can’t better that return in the boys competition.
GEELONG GRAMMAR
LAST TITLE: 1902
TOP PROSPECTS
Potential top 10 prospect Sam Lalor is the standout talent from Geelong Grammar but the AFL Academy member is yet to feature at any level this season due to an ongoing hip issue. Lalor’s school and GWV Rebels teammate Flynn Penry both featured in the futures game on grand final day and Penry has also had an interrupted pre-season with an ankle injury. The 201cm ruckman will be in the mix to return in the opening rounds of the APS season. Falcons midfielder Xavier Ivisic, who will co-captain Geelong Grammar with Lalor, has had an eye-catching start to the Coates League, averaging 26 disposals. He and Lalor dominated in the APS competition last year with Penry giving them silver service. Looking ahead to 2024, athletic Colac defender Ben Rongdit was named alongside Lalor in the AFL academy after an impressive U16 carnival for Vic Country.
FATHER-SONS AND NGAs
Rongdit, who is Sudanese, is tied to Geelong as a Next Generation Academy prospect.
FAMILIAR NAMES
Keep an eye out for Australian U19 Cricket World Cup champion Ollie Peake. The 17-year-old shone on the world stage for Australia in South Africa, but he is also a handy footballer.
SURPRISE PACKETS
Marley McCombe is yet to feature for the Falcons with a broken wrist interrupting his pre-season, and the defensive stopper will be eager to start the APS season well. Josh Lindsay already impressed as a Year 10 last year at APS level and the bottom-ager has made a promising start with the Falcons in 2024. Fellow bottom-ager Geordie Richardson showed his x-factor with a three-goal hail against Geelong College last year and played alongside Lindsay and Rongdit at the U16 championships for Vic Country.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Geelong Grammar should be aiming much higher than their equal-10th finish in 2023 with the talent at their disposal. With their highly-touted Year 10s and 11s from 2023 another year older, there should be significant improvement.
HAILEYBURY COLLEGE
LAST TITLE: 2023
TOP PROSPECTS
Taj Hotton, the brother of AFL-Saint Ollie and son of former Magpie and Blue Trent, was a late addition to the AFL Academy match against Coburg and was one of the better players on the day. He also captured attention earlier this year with a 32-disposal, four-goal match for Sandringham. Haileybury will look to use Harry Armstrong up forward, who, for his size, has pace to burn, strong hands and a fluent set shot routine. Mitch Kirkwood-Scott, who sealed Haileybury College’s title last year, will captain the side.
SURPRISE PACKET
Year 11 Tarion Ah-Mu has impressed across early weeks of the Coates league season with the Dandenong Stingrays. Already pushing 200cm, the Vic Country under-16s representative from last year is a developing ruck/key forward.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Expect another successful year from Haileybury. They’ll be right in the mix alongside the likes of Caulfield, Brighton and Xavier for the 2024 premiership. There’s an even-spread among Matthew Lloyd’s side this season, which makes them all the more dangerous. Last year’s success was built around a strong top-age group, but there is always a steady flow of star footballers coming out of Haileybury, It hosts Geelong College first up, which should be an indicator just how dominant it will be in 2024.
MELBOURNE GRAMMAR
LAST TITLE: 2013
TOP PROSPECTS
He may be tied to Brisbane through their academy, but Sam Marshall has boarded at Melbourne Grammar since Year 10. Marshall shone in the U17 futures match on grand final day last year and tallied 18 disposals for the AFL Academy against Coburg over the weekend. Like his former Melbourne Grammar teammate Ryley Sanders last year, Marshall will feature for the Allies at the national carnival and will miss a couple of APS games due to schedule clashes.
FAMILIAR NAMES
It was in the APS where Adelaide draftee Charlie Edwards began playing in the midfield, with a switch into the guts for the Sandringham Dragons then seeing him taken in the first round of last year’s draft. His brother, Archie, will feature for Melbourne Grammar this year as a Year 11 and has plenty of tricks as a forward. The brother of another draft bolter will also take the field in Hunter Holmes, the brother of Geelong speedster Max Holmes. Holmes isn’t part of a Coates League program but Melbourne Grammar football director Brad Gotch believes he has really come on as a player.
SURPRISE PACKETS
Vice-captain Fletcher Teelow is yet to feature for the Sandringham Dragons but he will play a pivotal role in Melbourne Grammar’s midfield. His Dragons teammate Oscar Cheetham, a 195cm defender played the first two games of the Coates League season. Another Dragon, 199cm Year 11 Miles Tyrer, will play as their first ruck.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Melbourne Grammar managed just two wins last season — and that was with Ryley Sanders and Charlie Edwards. They are two tough players to replace and a lot will fall on the shoulders of Sam Marshall when he is available.
SCOTCH COLLEGE
LAST TITLE: 2006
TOP PROSPECT
Tom Wenzel will lead from the front for Scotch College this year. In his first full year with the Oakleigh Chargers, Wenzel has propelled his value through his elite use by foot.
SURPRISE PACKETS
Louis Emmett is a developing bottom-aged key position player who has a good tank for a big man. He was voted best on by Oakleigh in its clash against Eastern Ranges earlier this Coates league season. With Emmett is Sam Allen, who is an energetic bottom-ager that is strong in all areas.
WHAT TO EXPECT
There’s a sense of mystery around Scotch College. Having not won a title for some time, there will be a huge hunger to challenge the top-end programs, but does it have the A-Graders to achieve that? For players like Wenzel, Emmett and Allen, the 2024 season is a perfect chance to capitalise on the opportunity to compete with some of the best players in leading roles.
ST KEVIN’S
LAST TITLE: 2012
TOP PROSPECTS
AFL Academy tall Harry O’Farrell will be key to the fortunes of St Kevin’s this season. The 196cm prospect was strong defensively for the AFL Academy over the weekend and has had a solid start to the season for Calder Cannons. He filled holes at both ends last year for St Kevin’s in the APS competition.
FATHER-SON AND NGAs
Doug Kerr is part of Collingwood’s Next Generation Academy and will co-captain St Kevin’s. The 191cm Oakleigh Chargers midfielder was picked to trial with Vic Metro.
FAMILIAR NAMES
Sandringham Dragons listed player Angus Phillips is the brother of Ethan, who became a Hawthorn player through the pre-season supplemental selection period.
SURPRISE PACKETS
Dexter Prime was another who played for Vic Metro on Sunday after a promising first Coates League game of the season for the Sandringham Dragons. The 192cm defender reads the play well and is a good user out of halfback. Fellow co-captain Michael McLachlan isn’t part of the elite talent pathway but the skilful midfielder is tipped to surprise a few this year after showing steep improvement. Small forward Dante Tomarchio will co-captain the side alongside Kerr and, like McLachlan, isn’t on a Coates League list.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Can St Kevin’s go close to replicating their third-placed finish from last season? It might be tough with Brighton (fourth in 2023) looking strong.
WESLEY COLLEGE
LAST TITLE: 2010
TOP PROSPECTS
Vic Metro player Charlie Rozenes won’t need many opportunities to do damage for Wesley College this season. His positioning will be intriguing, as his normal stay-at-home small forward role may not be the most beneficial for his side. Felix Kennedy, Xavier Bamert and Blake Leidler are also players to watch in 2024.
SURPRISE PACKET
Brodie Hicks will enter the season under the radar but may exit it as a well-known prospect. He made the team of the year for Vic Metro in the under-15s last season and is expected to get significant game time for Wesley College this year.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Wesley College may not be at the pointy end of the APS season or send off a raft of draftees, but it holds pride in the sustainable success of its system.
“Our performances at APS have been okay, sometimes middle of the road, sometimes closer to the bottom,” Footy operations manager Brent Thiele said.
“But last year we had Collegians win A Grade (VAFA) and 18 of the 22 players have come through the Wesley program.
“We have a Lions program where our year sevens get mentored by our first XVIII, which means the kids have a real affiliation with the school.
“From a school that’s probably been middle of the road for the past 10 years, for 18 guys to play A Grade sort of shows how we pass on our boys.”
XAVIER COLLEGE
TOP PROSPECTS
No.1 pick favourite Finn O’Sullivan boards at the school, with the Koroit product in the mix to play in Xavier’s season opener despite missing the AFL Academy game on the weekend with a thumb injury. Looking ahead to the 2025 draft, classy midfielder Jack Dalton was named as Vic Metro’s MVP at last year’s U16 carnival and came close to winning the overall Kevin Sheehan Medal. But the Sandringham Dragon has been sidelined by a navicular injury.
FATHER-SONS AND NGAs
There is another Davey coming through the ranks with Elijah Davey, the younger brother of twin Bombers Alwyn Jr and Jayden, in Year 11. Not to be confused with two-time premiership Tiger, Jack Graham, the son of Geelong superboot Ben, is eligible for the 2025 draft. But the Year 11 prospect will sit out the start of the season with an ankle issue.
FAMILIAR NAMES
As well as a Davey, Xavier College has Northern Territory product Waylon Davey-Motlop in their side, who has put plenty of work into his pre-season with the Oakleigh Chargers.
SURPRISE PACKETS
Tom Evans has had a strong start to the Coates League season for the Bendigo Pipneers as a goalkicking midfielder, while his Pioneers teammate Archie Watt has also shown some good signs playing a similar role. Oakleigh Charger Jack Poustie was called up to trial for Vic Metro despite not playing a Coates League game this year, while Murray Bushrangers defender Ben Kennedy and is another to watch out for.
WHAT TO EXPECT
With O’Sullivan and Dalton another year older, an APS football premiership certainly isn’t beyond them. They should improve on their equal fifth effort from 2023.
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