Coates Talent League 2025: Every Sandringham Dragons boys player analysed
Premierships, high draft picks...the Sandringham Dragons continue to set the pace in under-18 football. We look at this year’s boys CTL squad, player-by-player.
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This truly is a golden era for the Sandringham Dragons.
As well as winning three Coates Talent League premierships in a row (2022, ‘23 and ‘24), the Dragons have produced 32 draftees in the past three years.
Luke Trainor and Harry Armstrong were running around with the Sandy Dragons six months ago and at the MCG on Thursday night they will make their AFL debuts for Richmond.
Three other 2024 Dragons, Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane), Murphy Reid (Fremantle) and Josh Dolan (Western Bulldogs), are also in line to debut this weekend.
Will Ashcroft and Harry Sheezel were a couple of Dragons taken in the 2022 draft and have taken the AFL by storm (Sheezel winning the 2023 Rising Star award and Ashcroft winning a premiership and a Norm Smith Medal in 2024).
It can happen quickly — from Moorabbin Oval to sporting stardom in a matter of months, it’s possible for a kid with talent and drive.
Dual Sandringham Dragons premiership coach Rob Harding is working tirelessly to continue the Dragons’ “rich vein” of success.
He believes the Dragons’ 2025 list is full of ability.
“It’s probably a bit more of an unknown this year,’’ he said.
“It would be nice to get to four (premierships in a row) and certainly I feel we’ve got the talent to do that but we talk to the boys a lot about how we like to give opportunity. We don’t pick our best side until the back end of the year. Last year the team we picked round one to the team that played on grand final day there were seven or eight changes.
“I would expect it to probably be the same this year.’’
Harding looks at the 2025 list:
1 Jack Surkitt
Played in the Sandringham Dragons’ premiership last season as a 16yo high half forward. Great competitor with a high work rate. A player of the future.
2 Jack Dalton
Is the Dragons’ vice-captain this season. Part of the Vic Metro summer hub, a hard running wingman, midfielder, high half forward and a fantastic leader.
3 Max Matthews
Is an emerging leader in the Dragons’ program as a bottom-ager. He was captain of the Vic Metro U16s last year. Has missed a bit of time with a back injury this pre-season but will play during the season as a tall, high half back.
4 Julian Galbally
A 202cm 19yo. An exciting prospect — an athletic, running ruckman who’s played a lot of basketball as well but has focused on footy in the past 12 months and improved rapidly.
5 Ricky Theodoropoulos
A small forward who played as a bottom-ager last year. Is clean at ground level, tackles well and hits the scoreboard. An exciting prospect.
6 Arki Butler
A bottom-ager, he played a game with the Dragons last year as a 16yo. He’s part of the Vic Metro summer hub as a bottom-ager, which is a great effort. He was Vic Metro MVP last year in the U16s. Highly talented half forward who could potentially play midfield long term.
7 James Georgiou
Midfielder, wingman who played a couple of games last year around his school commitments at Mentone Grammar and impressed with his attack on the ball.
8 Sam Buck
A 19yo returning. He played in the grand final as a key forward and second ruck. He had shoulder injuries last year. Has done a bit of training with Sandy Zebras in the VFL as well.
9 Rory Wright
A very talented sportsman, in cricket and football. Aggressive, contest player and a beautiful left foot kick. Has trained as a midfielder through pre-season.
10 Gus Teixeira
A bottom-age midfielder who pushes forward hard out of the contest and has good skills.
11 Archie Ludowyke
A member of the AFL academy and Vic Metro. Played a number of games last year as a bottom-ager, but missed the grand final due to injury. A really exciting key forward prospect. Takes high marks and is a nice kick for goal.
12 Keanu Nadji
A member of St Kilda’s NGA. He has made the Dragons’ list as a top-ager third tall defender. A good intercept mark and a really good ball user.
13 Alfie Lambert
A midfielder and half forward who played a couple of games last year as a bottom-ager. A very clean contest player.
14 Hudson Wright
A bottom-age, strong midfielder from Parkdale, really clean around the contest and transitions well across the ground.
15 Oliver Griffin
From St Bede’s College, comes in as a top-ager. Impresses with his marking ability in the forward line as a third tall forward. Has really good nous around goals.
16 Tyson Bradley
A key defender from Brighton Grammer. A bottom-ager, he played a lot as a key forward previously but the Dragons have trained him as a key defender and he’s really impressed in that role through pre-season.
17 Lochie Burrows
A bottom-ager from Wesley, with a shock of blond hair, so he stands out as a half forward, really smart around goals. Has had a really strong pre-season.
18 Tom Washington
Is a hit-up tall third forward. Comes from a strong basketball background but has committed more to footy in the past 12 months.
19 Harry Shepherdson
Harry and his twin brother Angus have made the Dragons list. A quality intercepting rebounding third tall defender.
20 Henry (Hank) Thomas
Big, key defender. A bottom-ager who has impressed with his contest and aerial work through pre season.
21 Archer Grant
Son of Norm Smith Medal winner Shannon Grant, Archer was on the Dragons list last year as a bottom-ager and returns this year as a top-ager. Has trained through the midfield but likely to play a lot of high half forward and through the wing. Has similar smarts and craft around goals to his dad.
22 Quentin Hofmann
Is the brother of Lenny Hofmann who was drafted by Geelong last year. A member of St Kilda’s Next Generation Academy. Quentin is a bottom-age, rebounding running defender who’s strong in the air.
23 Angus Shepherdson
The twin of Harry, and plays similarly. It’s hard to work out who’s who at times. An intercepting rebound defender.
24 Alex Dreaver
A bottom-age ruckman from St Kevin’s. Had a collarbone injury through the pre season but is an exciting prospect as a ruckman for next year’s draft.
25 Rio Barry
An indigenous small forward from Scotch College. A member of St Kilda’s Next Generation Academy. Has explosive speed and classy ball use as a high half forward.
26 Judd Lemon
A powerful inside midfielder with good skills. Has made the Dragons list as a bottom-ager and has impressed with his contest work at training.
27 Xavier Bamert
Captain of the Dragons in 2025. A member of the Vic Metro summer hub squad. A powerful inside midfielder who runs a 5:50 2km which is elite for his size. A strong contest player.
28 Adam Eales
A developing key defender in his first season in the Dragons program. Has great closing speed and reach as a tall defender.
29 Phoenix Janover
A high half forward who is deputy vice-captain. A very clean and composed high half forward.
30 Darby Heelis
A top-ager who has impressed on a wing with his hard running and combativeness around the contest. He’s at St Bede’s so he will play a bit of school footy as well.
31 Ben Challis
A key forward or a third tall forward. Impressed through the Dragons U16s and during this pre-season as a bottom-ager with his ability to compete in the air and then follow up at ground level.
32 Miles Tyrer
A ruckman who is a member if the Vic Metro summer hub squad. Strongly built with nice skills for a big man.
33 George Dimer
A small forward, midfielder bottom-ager. Impressed in the Dragons U16s last year, very clean, hard to tackle and uses the ball very well.
34 Kye Fincher
A member of St Kilda’s Next Generation Academy and also in the Vic Metro summer hub, Fincher is the Dragons deputy vice-captain. Plays a mix of midfield and half back. A nice ball user by foot.
35 Albert Macgowan
The son of South Australian football legend Rick Macgowan is a really composed inside midfielder who has shown good skills and composure around the contest over pre-season.
37 Charlie Rozenes
Returns as a 19yo after hamstring injuries last year. He kicked five goals in a Vic Metro trial game last year and was unlucky to miss the squad. Very quick, high half forward…the prototype modern high half forward at AFL level.
38 Jhett Haeata
Returns as a 19yo. Was leading the Dragons’ best and fairest when he broke his arm late in the season last year and ended up finishing third in that award. He’s done most of the pre season at Richmond VFL.
39 Sam Bailey
A third tall forward or defender who’s played a bit at both ends through the pre season. Reads the play really well in the air and is a nice ball user by foot. More likely to play forward.
41 Bennett Martin
One of the Dragons’ great success stories. Made the squad last year as a bottom-ager, played a few games at half back. Worked hard on his game and continued to develop. He is vice-captain in 2025. Has trained as a midfielder and is a hard worker across the ground and really combative in the contest.
42 Ollie Panozzo
A high half forward with great composure and ball use who unfortunately suffered a knee injury late in pre-season but has made the squad and will look to get an opportunity during the season.
43 Micah Murphy
A lightning quick half forward or mid, or half back. Very versatile. He has speed to burn (clocking well below three seconds over the 20m). One of the Dragons’ fastest players.
45 Charlie Brookes
A small defender, high half back with great speed and ability to break the lines and carry the ball by hand.
46 Archer Duke
A hard running wingman or half back. Suffered an ankle injury during pre season but impressed up until that point.
47 William Finch
A third tall forward who is really crafty around goals. Kicked a few goals in a Dragons intraclub game last pre-season and just missed out on the squad but returned this year and has continued to add to his game.
48 Archie Edwards
The brother of Charlie Edwards who was drafted by the Adelaide Crows two years ago. A third tall forward or defender, Archie is very good in the air and a great intercept mark. Will play behind the ball to start off. Good ball user as well.
49 Jack Hayter
Spent time in South Australia and played for Norwood’s U16s. It’s his second year with the Dragons as a strong inside midfielder who is a good ball winner who can spend time at half forward as well.
50 James Arnold
A very fast high half back, a good defender who communicates really well with his teammates on the field.
52 Arki Daniel-Reid
Arki is the son of Zoe Daniel, the politician. He’s a hard-running wingman who has impressed through pre-season before suffering an injury but will play games this season as a wingman.
53 James Cutler
A really hard running wingman. He did a pre-season with the Dragons last year but missed out on making the list. Has improved his contest work and runs hard from end to end across the ground.
55 James Mikhael
A member of St Kilda’s NGA. A powerfully built midfielder with great burst out of the contest.
56 Jasper Noorbergen
A third tall and developing key defender. A bottom-ager who has impressed with his ability to compete in the air and has great reach to defend against players taller than him.
57 Luke McGinness
Played a game for the Dragons last year as a key forward and has continued to develop through this pre-season in that role. Has the versatility to play as a second ruck or behind the ball. Has aerial presence forward of the ball.
58 Rowan Mackenzie
The younger brother of Hawthorn’s Cameron Mackenzie. A member of St Kilda’s Next Generation Academy. A high half back, very clean and skilful as a bottom-ager.
59 Oliver Mangoni
A high half back, really good skills, reads the play well and picks good times to come off his man and intercept.
60 Sacha Levine
Played a few games for the Dragons last year in a variety of roles between wing and half back. Has trained as an inside midfielder, is tall and has developed his speed coming out of a contest. An exciting prospect.
62 Samuel Haywood
A developing key defender who played a couple of games with the Dragons last year. Competes really well against bigger opponents and uses his body well in aerial contest.
63 Frederick Brayshaw
Son of James Brayshaw and a cousin of Hamish, Andrew and Angus. A high level cricketer and footballer, Frederick played a couple of games for the Dragons as a bottom-ager last year. Has continued to develop. Trained as a midfielder and will spend time on the wing and through half forward as well. A good ball user.
64 Sam Secull
A strongly built midfielder who can play forward of the ball. Kicked a match-winning goal for Melbourne Grammar against Scotch last year off a fantastic mark. Has had a strong pre-season up until a minor injury late. Strong ball winner who can play forward.
66 Eiden Pitt
A developing key defender who can play tall or small and reads the play very well.
67 Sunny King
A developing key forward as a bottom-ager, still very lean but competes well in the air and is a nice ball user for his height.
68 Fletch Johnston
The brother of Harvey Johnston who was drafted to the West Coast Eagles two years ago. Fletch played a lot of basketball but has come back to footy in the past 12 months and has a similar step out of contests to his brother but will play more as a half back for the Dragons in ‘25.
70 Kayne Watt
A new player in the Dragons program as a top-ager. A 199cm key forward with strong hands. Has really impressed during the pre-season. Kicked five goals in an intraclub game.
71 Jack Meredith
A high half forward with really neat skills, a good connecting player from half forward to inside 50.
72 Jody Cripps
The son of former St Kilda player and Port Adelaide list manager Jason Cripps. A high half forward who gets up the ground and gets back inside fifty and is really dangerous around goals.
74 Jack Davies
Moved over from South Australia at the start of 2025. He was a member of Sturt’s undefeated U16 side last year, finishing second in the best and fairest. He is a tall midfielder, half back who has beautiful skills on both sides of his body. A really good prospect for next year’s draft.
75 Willis Reidy
A lightning quick high half back. Has played through the midfield and forward but has been training at the Dragons as a half back, using his speed to take the game on.
76 Luke Mahimarajan
A member of St Kilda’s next Generation Academy as a bottom-ager, plays high half forward and gets to the right spot more often than not. Reads the play exceptionally well and continues to develop his contest work.
77 Jake Mehl
A hard running wingman who has done a pre-season with the Dragons previously and has come back, worked hard at his game and gets an opportunity this year.
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