Standout performers profiled from all the premiership schoolboy footy sides
They’ve led their school teams to premierships in 2025 and their focus will turn now towards the AFL Draft. MITCH BOURKE provides the scouting notes on the flag-winning schoolboy stars.
They’ve led their school teams to premierships in 2025 and their focus will turn now towards their AFL draft hopes, be it this year or in years to come.
Players from the respective premiers of the Associated Public Schools, Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria, Associated Catholic Colleges, School Sport Victoria, Southern Independent Schools, Geelong Independent Schools Sports Association and Ballarat Associated Schools competitions were included.
See the full list below.
Luke Adam (St Ignatius College)
A reliable and competitive leader who thrives in contested situations and provides valuable leadership all over the ground. Has the tools to shut down dangerous opponents while also creating valuable opportunities at stoppages. Was a valued captain of his side.
James Allison (Parade College)
Allison is an explosive midfielder who has missed a number of matches through injury setbacks. He’s an impressive player who can break lines and is also tied to the Northern Knights.
Tairon Ah-Mu (Haileybury College)
The Vic Country talent shapes as a promising ruck prospect heading into the draft after a strong APS campaign with the premiers. Ah-Mu’s tapwork in the ruck was strong and he gave Haileybury’s midfield plenty of first use, but he was also impactful around the ground and could take crucial marks either side of the ball.
Lachlan Blackett (St Ignatius College)
Blackett has excellent one-on-one defensive skills and is rarely beaten in contested situations. He has a strong aerial presence and is capable of spoiling with authority and taking intercept marks. He also reads the play well and positions himself effectively to cut off forward leads. Is composed under pressure with clean ball use by foot and hand, along with a high work rate and strong tackling pressure.
Patrick Blake (Catherine McAuley College)
The midfielder enjoyed a particularly impressive Herald Sun Shield grand final where he had a significant influence on the match. He’s a consistent tackling machine who is strong in the contest and has been a regular for the Pioneers.
Riley Blaney-Murphy (St Ignatius College)
Blaney-Murphy applies defensive pressure all over the ground. He chases well and tackles hard to regain possession, has accurate foot skills and the X-factor for deliveries into his side’s forward line.
Ben Challis (Haileybury College)
Had a sensational season at fullback for Haileybury and often played a crucial role in shutting down the opposition’s best key forward.
George Dimer (Haileybury College)
Dimer rose to the occasion with Haileybury’s undefeated season on the line in the final round and played a superb game in the midfield. Haileybury coach Matthew Lloyd believes Dimer is the cleanest below his knees he’s seen since Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw at Haileybury, while he can also break lines and turn sharply to get himself out of traffic.
Cooper Driscoll (Ballarat Grammar)
Driscoll has been likened to James Sicily in the way he reads the play so well and patrols the backline as a mid-size defender. He seems to mark everything, and was touted as one of the best captains the school has had.
Cooper Duff-Tytler (Penleigh and Essendon Grammar)
Floating around the top five on most predicted draft boards, Duff-Tytler is one of the AGSV’s standout players this season. He’s a dominant ruckman who can act as an extra rover, his marking around the ground is exceptional and he’s potent forward.
Tom Faull (Ballarat Grammar)
The younger brother of Richmond draftee Jonty, Faull is a key defender with a high ceiling. The tall has great confidence in himself, often opting to mark the footy in threatening contested situations when most would opt to spoil. He can also handle big-bodied opponents well.
Finnbar Feehely (Padua College)
The midfielder has enjoyed a strong school season. He’s able to kick goals and also accumulates a high number of possessions each week, largely thanks to his great positional awareness.
Angus Ford (St Ignatius College)
Ford has a strong outside presence. Elite running capacity and is able to cover the ground and impact across four quarters. He has clean hands in congestion and reads stoppages really well. Is the vocal organiser of the team and sets high on-field standards.
Riley Galvin (Padua College)
Galvin mainly plays in the back half for Padua but can also rotate through the wing. He reads the game well and uses the footy well. Despite a tough outing in the Herald Sun Shield semi-final for his side, Galvin also slotted a pair of majors and was the only multiple goal-kicker for Padua.
Tyson Gresham (Parade College)
The younger brother of Essendon’s Jade Gresham, Tyson has been a fantastic contributor for Parade when available this season. The Northern Knight is really crafty around goal and is capable of hitting the scoreboard. The Vic Metro player is also quick, with his first strides particularly impressive and creating crucial bursts around the ball.
Solomon Harvey (St Ignatius College)
Harvey is an excellent decision-maker who thrives in contested situations. He has strong aerial presence down back and has much needed composure under pressure with clean ball use. He’s his side’s number one intercept player.
Gus Hay (Catherine McAuley College)
Hay has been really strong through the midfield. He’s an inspirational leader for his side and a key cog in the engine room.
Louis Hodder (Haileybury College)
The Bloods co-captain is a two-way player who brings pressure and is clean by both hand and foot. He oozes class with his run and carry too.
Lewis Houndsome (Parade College)
Still a bottom-age prospect, Houndsome will no doubt be a prospect to watch in his top-age year after a dominant school season. Houndsome has established himself as a big-game player after earning best afield honours in both the ACC grand final and the Herald Sun Shield decider. A towering presence, he uses his height well and is a strong mark of the footy who kicks plenty of goals. Can also rotate through the ruck with great effect, and similarly he was often dropped behind the ball late in games for Parade and performed well as an intercepting presence.
Jaidi Jackson-Leahy (Catherine McAuley College)
Jackson-Leahy is a classy player through the middle of the ground and has turned out for Vic Country and the Bendigo Pioneers. An imposing figure, he racks up the ball at school level, uses the ball well and can be crucial in driving it forward.
Charlie King (Catherine McAuley College)
King is instrumental through the midfield for Catherine McAuley and has delivered crucial best-on-ground performances. He did a terrific job setting up goals and kicking a few himself and is in some really good form.
Jack Lawrence (Haileybury College)
Lawrence possesses explosive power and is particularly impactful at stoppages and clearances. The co-captain’s ability to drive Haileybury inside 50 also helped set his side apart.
Tristan Leeds (Penleigh and Essendon Grammar)
A centre-half back who intercepts well and is key to PEGS’ offensive transition. Leeds spearheaded his school’s strong web of interceptors and stood up in the big matches.
Thomas Lincoln (Penleigh and Essendon Grammar)
The key forward was a proven goal-kicker at school level and enjoyed a particularly strong AGSV grand final performance where he presented well and kicked some key goals. The bottom-age prospect is the nephew of Dustin Fletcher and grandson of Ken.
Harry Michie (Padua College)
Michie is still a bottom-age who is developing into a strong inside midfielder. He’s a tireless player and hard-worker who wins plenty of the footy and reads what’s happening in front of him.
Keegan Mountford (Haileybury College)
The strong forward was a top goal-kicker for the premiers and enjoyed a fine patch of form in the middle of the year he kicked four goals three matches in a row. He’s a strong contested mark and also sealed the premiership with the final goal – a handy outside-of-the-boot effort – to put Haileybury beyond the reach of Melbourne Grammar in round 11.
Sebastian Murphy (Parade College)
Another talent from an AFL family, Sebastian Murphy is the younger brother of Adelaide’s Lachlan and is enjoying a strong 2025. He plays in the midfield or forward and can hit the scoreboard and is a driving force around the ball and particularly at stoppage. He’s also a creative player who uses it as well and has been damaging at Coates Talent League level this season.
Kai Parker (Parade College)
Parker has been a standout in Parade’s backline all season, and has performed well in big games. He can break lines with his strong kicking game and provides great rebound, yet is also damaging when he works up the ground as well.
Hamish Pearce (Penleigh and Essendon Grammar)
A strong clearance player who has smart ball-use and won’t cough the footy up when under the pump.
Will Pfitzner (Ballarat Grammar)
The bottom-age prospect has a huge tank and competes in the ruck all day. He enjoyed a strong school-level season and also plays senior footy for North Ballarat.
Wilbur Shea (Ballarat Grammar)
The top-age midfielder has a huge engine and his athletic ability is extraordinary. He’s a skilful on-baller who plays for the Rebels and can mark the ball overhead and is a complete package.
Oscar Stone (Ballarat Grammar)
The year 11 student is a midfielder and great leader with great skills. He’s a particularly strong in and under player.
Max Thompson (Catherine McAuley College)
Thompson is a small forward who possesses a really impressive ability to hit the scoreboard, and makes the most of every opportunity he’s presented with. Despite a quieter grand final for Catherine McAuley College he still kicked two goals. He’s got lots of senior footy experience and has already played under-18 Coates Talent League games despite still being in year 10. He was the Vic Country MVP at the under-16 national championships too.
Jackson Watkins (Penleigh and Essendon Grammar)
The bottom-age midfielder is enjoying a great season. He’s played a few games for Calder, is very dynamic and hard at the ball with great skills. He breaks away from tackles and congestion really well.
Noah Wisken (Padua College)
Wisken is a talented player who is skilful and reads the game well. He has found a home at half back for Padua but he can play a variety of positions. A smaller player, he’s a strong kick and can also make an impact in the forward half and is on the Stingrays list.
Originally published as Standout performers profiled from all the premiership schoolboy footy sides
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