Coates League Top 50: Exclusive ranking points after round 5
Diehard Dogs fan Thomas Burton played his first senior game in a grand final, alongside Luke Dahlhaus and under Clay Smith. He’s now surging up draft boards. Check out every score from the Coates Talent League.
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A Western Bulldogs fan from the Western Jets is making his mark in the Coates Talent League as one of the leading rebounding defenders in this year’s draft class.
Thomas Burton finished as the top-ranked player on the ground in the Jets’ loss to the Northern Knights on Sunday, returning to the side after playing for the AFL Academy in recent weeks.
Burton gathered 34 disposals at 82 per cent efficiency across half-back, along with seven marks, seven rebound 50s and five tackles for a total of 183 ranking points.
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A Bulldogs fan, Burton grew up idolising Jason Johannisen and trained at Whitten Oval over pre-season as part of the AFL Academy program.
He made his senior debut for local club Point Cook as a 16-year-old in the 2023 Grand Final in the Western Region Football League, under coach Clay Smith.
Smith was a 2016 AFL premiership player for the Bulldogs, while his premiership teammate Luke Dahlhaus was also part of that losing Grand Final side.
“To have Clay put that faith in me was unreal,” Burton said earlier this year.
“And then to have Luke Dahlhaus out on the field directing me and guiding me was special.”
Burton finished his bottom-age season strongly with the Jets in 2024 and has continued his development this season.
He was particularly prominent in the back half for the AFL Academy side in its first match against Richmond’s VFL side in April, logging 20 disposals and three tackles.
“I think my speed combined with my decision-making is probably the biggest things that come to mind,” Burton said of his strengths.
“But also, if I can get my aerobic fitness to be an elite level, I think it will give me the opportunity to be one of the best players.”
Also returning to the Coates Talent League, AFL Academy captain Daniel Annable had a huge game for the Brisbane Lions Academy as his star continues to rise.
The classy onballer logged 33 disposals (12 contested), seven marks, eight clearances, seven inside-50s and kicked one goal in a win over the Tasmania Devils.
Another AFL Academy member — halfback Dylan Patterson — was impressive for the Gold Coast Suns Academy with 27 disposals, five marks and seven rebound 50s.
GWS Giants Academy ruckman Jim Houston was the top-ranked player in the competition across round 5, recording 24 disposals, 12 marks (10 intercept marks), 20 hit-outs (nine to advantage) and five clearances in a win over the Sandringham Dragons.
Originally published as Coates League Top 50: Exclusive ranking points after round 5
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