Draft Intel: Rise of Sudanese talent noticed, Levi Ashcroft opts to head to Brisbane
The success of an increasing number of Sudanese players at AFL level is not being missed by recruiters in their search for more underage talent. Get all the latest draft whispers and intel.
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With the regular football season almost over, attention is beginning to turn towards November’s AFL Draft.
Here’s the latest draft news and views from around the country.
THE PROSPECTS WHO ARE FOOTY’S ‘PERFECT PROTOTYPE’
The success of an increasing number of Sudanese players at AFL level is not being missed by recruiters in their search for more underage talent.
Port Adelaide defender Aliir Aliir has been an established player at the level for some time, but the likes of Gold Coast’s Mac Andrew, Hawthorn’s Changkuoth Jiath, Greater Western Sydney’s Leek Aleer and Western Bulldogs’ Buku Khamis are continuing to emerge as next-generation stars.
The AFL held two invite-only draft combines across Melbourne in June and July, which tested more than 60 male and female players of Sudanese heritage.
The combines came after Tew Jitah (Collingwood) and Luamon Lual (Essendon) were both selected within the top-40 picks in last year’s national draft.
“The Sudanese are almost the perfect prototype for where the game’s at,” one club recruiter said.
“But you’ve still got to be able to play the game.”
The recruiter said that greater funding of pathway programs from the AFL would be key to seeing more Sudanese players drafted to the AFL ranks in the years to come.
“All the roads lead back to funding,” he said.
Khamis was a Category B rookie signing for the Bulldogs in 2018 and spent time as a forward before locking down a spot in the backline this season.
“When I first started playing footy we had Majak Daw, who was pretty much the first one. Then Aliir came through,” Khamis said of his Sudanese football heroes.
“It was so good to look up to them to inspire us, but now I feel like I’m doing that with the likes of CJ (Changkuoth Jiath) and Mac Andrew. I feel like I’m playing my part in inspiring and trying to motivate others.
“If we can get more (Sudanese players in the AFL) every year, I think it will be really good in helping us be role models for our community.”
MORAES BRINGS THE MAGIC
Victorian midfielder-forward Christian Moraes could push back up club draft boards with a big finish to the season after a producing his best performance of the year last weekend.
Playing for the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League, Moraes racked up 27 disposals, six marks, five clearances, 12 score involvements and kicked five goals in a win over the Western Jets last Sunday.
It was one of the competition’s best games by any player this year, with Champion Data having Moraes finish on 197 ranking points.
“Christian really worked hard and managed to get his hands on it and was able to go forward and kick some goals – and kick some of those goals as a midfielder,” Eastern Ranges talent manager Danny Ryan said.
“We were probably just a little bit thinner down forward, so it was an opportunity to play him forward and rest him down there. But he didn’t get much of a rest, did he? He was still finding the footy and kicking goals.
“We hope that he can continue that form for the rest of the season.”
An explosive run-and-gun player, Moraes looms as a potential top-20 pick in November’s national draft.
Top-five draft prospect Josh Smillie was kept quieter for the Ranges last weekend, spending time forward and recording just 10 disposals after battling an illness during the week.
SHANAHAN’S STOCKS ON THE RISE
The stocks of Bendigo Pioneers swingman Jobe Shanahan are on the rise after he stole the show in an exciting VFL debut for Essendon last weekend.
The Bombers’ forward line for their match against the Northern Bullants featured AFL-listed key forward Peter Wright, but Shanahan finished as the leading goalkicker on the ground with four majors in a 44-point win.
Three of Shanahan’s goals came from long-range, including a kick on the run from 55m which bounced in the goalsquare and through the big sticks.
Along with the goals, he recorded nine disposals, four marks (one contested) and three tackles.
Hailing from Moama just over the New South Wales border, Shanahan was named at centre-half forward in the All-Australian team following a strong under-18 national championships campaign for the Allies.
He has kicked 17 goals across nine games for Pioneers in the Coates Talent League this season, while also spending time in defence in recent weeks.
Elsewhere in the VFL, Gold Coast Suns Academy member Leo Lombard produced another strong game last weekend with 22 disposals, four clearances and three goals in a win over Coburg.
In the WAFL seniors, Peel Thunder midfielder and first-round draft prospect Bo Allan recorded a season-high 20 disposals, while West Coast NGA prospect Malakai Champion kicked two goals from 10 disposals for Subiaco.
BRIGHTON GRAMMAR TAKES APS TITLE
A Brighton Grammar side boasting two potential top-five draft picks completed an undefeated season to secure the Associated Public Schools (APS) football premiership in Victoria last weekend.
Brighton scored a 49-point win over Geelong Grammar to finish top of the table with a 10-0 record this season.
Haileybury College — which won the 2023 premiership — finished second after suffering a one-point loss to Brighton Grammar two weeks earlier.
Brighton Grammar’s side featured Brisbane Lions father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft and highly-rated intercept defender Luke Trainor.
St Kilda Next Generation Academy defender Lennox Hoffman was also part of the title-winning side.
HAWTHORN-LINKED BEAST IS ALMOST BACK
The midfielder who has become known as ‘The Beast from the East’ is closing in on a surprise return to the field.
Eastern Ranges onballer Cody Anderson has made good progress in his recovery from a Syndesmosis injury and is eyeing a final-round return against the Northern Knights on August 24.
A member of Hawthorn’s Next Generation Academy, Anderson has been sidelined with the injury since briefly featuring in Vic Metro’s third match of the under-18 national championships against South Australia on June 30.
He has been working with both the Hawks and the Ranges through the rehabilitation process.
A contested-ball and clearance king, Anderson logged 16 disposals (nine contested possessions), four clearances and two goals in his VFL debut for the Box Hill Hawks in early June.
He is one of 65 players who have been invited to October’s national draft combine.
McGUANE AMONG TOP PROSPECTS ON TRIAL
Many of 2025’s top AFL Draft prospects will be on show at Werribee on Saturday as part of two trial matches for next month’s Under-17 Futures game.
Vic Country will take on a combined NSW/ACT team at Avalon Airport Oval from 10.45am on Saturday, with a clash between Vic Metro and Queensland to follow at 1.15pm.
The two trial matches will help determine the players selected for the Under-17 Futures game, which will again be played as a curtain-raiser to the AFL Grand Final at the MCG on September 28.
Gold Coast Suns Academy member Zeke Uwland – who recruiters view as the leading prospect in 2025 – will feature for Queensland alongside Melbourne father-son prospect Kalani White and highly-rated Brisbane Lions Academy member Daniel Annable.
The Vic Metro side includes Collingwood father-son prospect Thomas McGuane, along with Tyson Gresham who is the younger brother of Essendon’s Jade and is part of Carlton’s Next Generation Academy.
Sydney Swans Academy member Lachlan Carmichael has been named in the NSW/ACT side, along with Noah Chamberlain who also featured as a bottom-age player at the under-18 national championships this year.
HYNES PRAISED AS SAINTS FATHER-SON EXCITES
Dandenong Stingrays coach Nick Cox has heaped praise on potential first-round draft pick Cooper Hynes as he continues to light up the Coates Talent League.
A midfielder-forward whose father John played four games for Carlton in the late 1990s, the Stingrays captain wins the footy inside and outside of the contest and is clever around goals.
Hynes logged 28 disposals, six marks, six clearances and kicked three goals in Dandenong’s win over the Murray Bushrangers last weekend.
He has averaged 146 ranking points from 11 talent league games this season, while also catching the eye across four matches for Vic Country at the under-18 national championships.
“I’ll tell you something. He’s putting together one of the great seasons in this competition,” Cox told Code Sports this week.
“There have been matches where he’s had 25 to 30 possessions and kicked four or five goals. In my time, I can’t remember a player dominating games of footy at our level like he has.”
Stingrays teammate Elwood Peckett also impressed last weekend, logging 25 disposals, nine marks and five goals against the Bushrangers.
Peckett is a father-son prospect for St Kilda, with his father Justin having played 252 games for the club between 1992 and 2006.
MORE STATE DRAFT COMBINE INVITES GO OUT
A raft of father-son prospects have been included as part of an extended list of players invited to attend state-based draft combines in October.
The AFL last week released a list of 65 players who had been invited to the national draft combine, along with an initial 25 state draft combine invitees.
A further 37 players have since been added to the state draft combine list, making for 62 players in total.
Among the new additions are Port Adelaide father-son prospects Rome Burgoyne (son of Peter) and Louie Montgomery (son of Brett), North Melbourne father-son prospect River Stevens (son of Anthony) and St Kilda father-son prospect Elwood Peckett (son of Justin).
Riak Andrew — the younger brother of Gold Coast rising star Mac — has also been invited to the testing.
POTENTIAL NO. 1 PICK NOMINATES AS LIONS FATHER-SON
– Callum Dick
Mooted No. 1 draft pick Levi Ashcroft will be a Brisbane Lion after the father-son prospect formally agreed to join the club at this year’s national draft.
The 17 year old, whose father Marcus played 318 games for the Brisbane Bears and Lions, will lace up for the Lions’ VFL side against GWS at Brighton Homes Arena on Sunday.
Brisbane will have priority access to Ashcroft in November’s national draft through the father-son rule, which the Lions used to select his brother Will with the No. 2 pick in 2022.
“It is an honour and a privilege to be able to say I am joining this great club,” Ashcroft said on Thursday.
“Our family has a great connection to the club, with dad’s legacy, but also over the past couple of seasons as Will has started his career here as well.
“To be joining him and potentially playing for this club together would be a dream come true for us.
“I feel so privileged to join a group like this. I just can’t wait to get to work and earn the respect and trust of my new teammates and coaches.”
Earlier this year Ashcroft was named to his second U18 All-Australian team after starring for Vic Metro at the national championships.
The 179cm midfielder is considered by many to be the best talent in this year’s draft pool and the prospective No. 1 pick later this year.
“To have a young player like Levi coming to us with as much talent and potential is beyond exciting for our club, our members and fans,” Brisbane football boss Danny Daly said.
“Levi has performed strongly at various levels this season and we look forward to helping him develop into an AFL player within our program.
“Not only is Levi a quality player, he is also a quality person and someone that will help enhance the culture at the Brisbane Lions.”
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