AFL Draft 2024: All the scouting notes, news and SuperCoach scores from Coates Talent League grand final
Father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft wasn’t the only draft hope to shine in the Coates Talent League grand final. See every player’s SuperCoach score here.
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A pair of Brisbane Lions-linked draft prospects led a star-studded Sandringham Dragons side to a third-straight premiership in the Coates Talent League on Saturday.
The Dragons proved too powerful for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels as they pulled off a 37-point triumph at Ikon Park.
The win was set up early, with Sandringham racing to a 50-0 lead early in the second quarter before the Rebels finally got on the scoreboard.
Brisbane Lions academy member Sam Marshall and father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft were standout performers.
Marshall – who shapes as a likely top-25 pick in November’s national draft – collected the best-on-ground medal after a classy performance through the midfield, in which he gathered 28 disposals and kicked two goals.
Ashcroft – who can expect a top-three bid from a rival club – also recorded 28 disposals, along with three goals rotating between the midfield and forward line. He recorded a mammoth 183 SuperCoach points, while Marshall scored 175 to highlight his enormous potential.
An AFL Academy member, Marshall earned All-Australian honours after impressing for the Allies during the under-18 national championships earlier this year.
The 18-year-old said while it had been a big season, it was nice to cap it with a premiership.
“It’s been a bit of a challenging year with the amount of teams I’ve played for,” Marshall said.
“But I’ve really enjoyed it at the Dragons at the back end of the year. It’s good to get a bit of team success at the end.
“It’s been a while since I’ve won a grand final.”
Marshall missed the Dragons’ 2023 premiership, but Ashcroft didn’t.
Scroll down to see every grand final player’s SuperCoach score
The younger brother of current Brisbane Lions young gun Will, Ashcroft became the first player in the competition’s history to win three under-18 premierships after also featuring in the Dragons’ 2022 and 2023 victories.
A pair of St Kilda Next Generation Academy members also caught the eye for the Dragons, with Lennox Hofmann and Adrian Cole both rock-solid in defence.
At the other end, Dragons key forward Harry Armstrong made the most of his opportunities to finish with four goals.
Draft bolter Ollie Hannaford was the Rebels’ best player in defeat, with the small forward spending significant time through the midfield and recording 24 disposals, nine tackles and a goal.
Fellow Rebels draft prospects Jack Ough (21 disposals) and Jonty Faull (10 disposals) also worked hard for their side throughout the day.
In the earlier Coates Talent League Girls grand final, the Oakleigh Chargers became the first team in the competition’s history to win back-to-back premierships as they took down the Eastern Ranges by 18 points.
Sienna Tallariti was awarded the best on ground medal for the Chargers, while Zoe Curry and Chloe Thorn also impressed.
SCOUTING NOTES
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS
Levi Ashcroft
28 disposals, 8 marks, 7 inside-50s, 3 goals
The Brisbane Lions father-son prospect would be the No.1 pick if he were in an open draft. Ashcroft was simply sublime, capping a standout finals campaign with the Dragons. He started onball, before spending some time rotating forward. Some of his clearance work was brilliant, he used the footy well and he was kicking goals from everywhere. He snapped a great goal from tight on the boundary during the second quarter and kicked a beautiful drop punt from 40m out on the boundary line during the third term.
Sam Marshall
28 disposals, 5 marks, 6 inside-50s, 2 goals
A Brisbane Lions Academy member, Marshall only enhanced his standing in this year’s draft pool with a best-on-ground performance. He spent most of the day in the midfield and got involved multiple times in some possession chains, helped by running power, strong agility and clean hands. His groundball work also caught the eye, as did a one-handed loose ball gather in the second quarter which resulted in a snap goal from the pocket. Along with two goals himself, Marshall set up teammates for multiple score assists. He shapes as another beauty for Brisbane.
Lennox Hofmann
13 disposals, 5 marks, 4 rebound-50s
A St Kilda Next Generation Academy member, Hofmann has been a big improver this year and was one of the Dragons’ best in the Grand Final. A 190cm key defender, he was rock-solid down back spending time on dangerous Rebels key forwards Jonty Faull and Floyd Burmeister. He read the play well and recorded four intercept marks. There should have been a fifth, which was dropped in the third quarter, but Hofmann calmly mopped up. He also got some important spoils in at times. A player with plenty of promise.
Adrian Cole
5 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles
Similar to Hofmann, Cole is a rapidly-improving 195cm key defender who is also linked to St Kilda’s Next Generation Academy. With Dragons interceptor Luke Trainor missing the Grand Final through concussion, Cole and Hofmann had to step up – and they did. Cole is very much a lock-down defender and performed that role well against Rebels key forwards Jonty Faull and Floyd Burmeister to also finish among Sandringham’s best players in the win.
Harry Armstrong
8 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 4 goals
A strong-marking 195cm key forward who has attracted increasing interest from clubs since the under-18 national championships, Armstrong was the leading goalkicker on the ground in the Grand Final with four majors. He competed well and crashed packs – which is exactly what you want from a key forward. He’s also a beautiful set-shot goal. Three of Armstrong’s four goals game from set shots, while his one behind hit the post. There’s plenty of excitement about a player who is now expected to be a top-10 selection in November.
Murphy Reid
8 disposals, 1 goal
If you only saw the stats sheet, you would be puzzled as to why Reid was so quiet. The 180cm midfielder has been a consistent performer at all levels this season and regularly racks up plenty of ball with his clean hands and neat kicking going forward, which is why he is considered a top-10 draft prospect. Reid started the Grand Final well, with seven disposals and a goal in the opening quarter. However, he was hampered by a minor ankle issue and then suffered a knock to the knee early in the third quarter which ended his day early.
Harrison Oliver
17 disposals, 5 marks, 3 inside-50s
A small rebounding defender with a piercing left-foot kick, Oliver provided some good run and bounce off half-back. He came from the field early in the second quarter after being crunched in a marking contest, but later returned and had a reasonable afternoon.
Mitch Kirkwood-Scott
21 disposals, 10 marks, 8 rebound-50s
A 178cm rebounding defender, Kirkwood-Scott caught the eye with his running and bouncing off half-back. He broke the lines, read the play well, used the ball beautifully and showed a penetrating kick at times. It capped a strong season for Kirkwood-Scott, who was a gun junior cricketer before turning his attention to football.
GREATER WESTERN VICTORIA REBELS
Ollie Hannaford
24 disposals, 2 marks, 9 tackles, 7 inside-50s
Earlier this year, recruiters thought they might be able to secure Hannaford with a very late draft pick. That is no longer the case. Hannaford started the year well at half-back but was even better after switching forward in the second half of the season. In the Grand Final he spent most his time in the midfield against the likes of Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall and held his own. Hannaford has good burst speed, can break the lines with his run and bounce, wins his own footy and applies plenty of tackling pressure when the footy is not in his possession. He kicked the Rebels’ first goal of the game midway through the second quarter – a set shot on a tight angle from outside 50m.
Jonty Faull
10 disposals, 5 marks, 6 inside-50s
A 195cm key forward, Faull was sidelined until June finished the year well. Recruiters still wonder if his back injury is hampering him a little, but Faull was a workhorse throughout the Grand Final. He presented well pushing higher up the ground as a link-up player and took some nice marks in the air. He only had one shot on goal in the fourth-quarter, though, missing a set shot.
Jack Ough
21 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles
A big bodied 194cm midfield who can also push forward, Ough is hard-at-it and a great size. He was tough in the contest and worked hard to find the footy throughout the day. He copped a heavy knock in the third quarter which felled him, but Ough picked himself up and played on.
Floyd Burmeister
10 disposals, 3 marks, 6 hitouts, 2 goals
The mobile 198cm forward who has been making the Rebels go ‘Wow’ in recent weeks had some more big moments. He plucked a one-handed mark in the last quarter and went back to slot a nice set shot goal. When he was rotating in the ruck, Burmeister put his huge leap on display for all to see. He’s also tough and competitive around the contest and wasn’t afraid to throw his weight around and make his presence felt on the field.
Rhys Unwin
19 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 6 inside-50s
Another strong performer for the Rebels, the 178cm small forward impressed again through the midfield in the absence of the injured Sam Lalor. Unwin is clever in traffic and uses the ball well on his preferred left-foot, with his midfield stint late in the year showing the versatility that he offers.
Harry Charleson
12 disposals, 3 marks, 3 rebound-50s
The younger brother of Port Adelaide’s Lachlan Charleson, the 182cm rebounding defender had a big first half of the year but a quieter finish. He had only three disposals in the first half, but lifted his output after the main break.
FULL SUPERCOACH POINTS
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS
183 – Levi Ashcroft
175 – Sam Marshall
118 – Lennox Hofmann
111 – Harry Armstrong
108 – Luke Kennedy
105 – Mitch Kirkwood-Scott
101 – Bailey McKenzie
101 – Harrison Oliver
92 – Brodie Findlay
88 – Jack Surkitt
87 – Sam Buck
85 – Sam Linder
79 – Nathan Sulzberger
70 – Jack Dalton
69 – Lachlan Voss
69 – Murphy Reid
68 – Zach Travers
52 – Oliver Green
52 – Adrian Cole
46 – Owen Bater
37 – Ben Seers
34 – Aaron Taylor
8 – Xavier Bamert
GWV REBELS
176 – Ollie Hannaford
107 – Rhys Unwin
86 – Talor Byrne
81 – Jack Ough
81 – Floyd Burmeister
81 – Archie Caldow
76 – Aaron Taylor
75 – Flynn Penry
58 – Reggie Mast
52 – Harry Charleson
50 – Mitch Lloyd
50 – Fraser Molan
49 – Samuel McDonald
49 – Nedd Bennett
47 – Harry Lawson
36 – Jonty Faull
35 – Dean Harten
33 – Wil Rantall
33 – Jett Grayland
30 – Hugh Toner
28 – Harley Hicks
27 – Ben McGlade
22 – Samuel Janetzki
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