Amid the pre-season slog, there is plenty of excitement around the young stars hoping to take the next step in 2023. We take a look at who your club needs to have an impact come the season proper.
Adelaide
Izak Rankine will be in the spotlight after inking a lucrative deal to leave the Gold Coast Suns. Rankine has made his name as a small forward, but track watchers note he has spent considerable time on the ball through the pre-season. Former No.11 draft pick Luke Pedlar is set to build on his five games of last year, while father-son draftee Max Michalanney has shown strong signs in defence.
Izak Rankine returns to Adelaide amid huge expectations.Credit:Getty Images
Brisbane Lions
Will Ashcroft was ready for senior football last year, and a formal pre-season under his belt has the No.2 draft pick an early stand-out for the Rising Star award. He has been at ease in match simulation, finding the ball easily. Ashcroft is strong and clever, and has the skills the modern player needs. And don’t forget his 16-year-old brother Levi is also on the radar, having trained with the Lions in January. Draftee Jaspa Fletcher has been eased in after a back issue, but has shown signs of his promise. And expect Darcy Wilmot to take another step, having debuted in the finals last year.
Carlton
For those sitting in the Legends Stand at Ikon Park recently, the sight of a beefed up Jesse Motlop had tongues wagging. The small forward made a name for himself as a pressure forward last year, booting 12 goals in 12 games, including two against the Magpies in the heartbreak of round 23, and his development has continued through the summer slog. Tom De Koning had a career-best 2022 and is keen to make a point in a contract year, while we watch with interest ruckman Alex Mirkov, contracted until the end of 2024, who is one of only six Blues yet to debut.
Crafty forward Jesse Motlop has added muscle over summer, with the Blues hoping he can have a major impact this year.Credit:Getty Images
Collingwood
It’s hard to go past Nick Daicos here who, after a spectacular debut season where he averaged almost 26 touches per game, has added muscle. He was in excellent touch during match practice on Monday, and will be central to the Pies’ plans through half-back and increasingly in the midfield. Jack Ginnivan, having rid himself of his blond locks, was a walking headline, sometimes unfairly, last season, but there’s no doubt he knows where the big sticks are. Rivals will have a greater understanding of his running patterns this season, as they will with Daicos, but Ginnivan has worked diligently through the pre-season on building the physical resilience required.
Nick Daicos has had an impressive pre-season, and is on the fast track to superstardom.Credit:AFL Photos
Essendon
Young mid-season draftee Massimo D’Ambrosio has impressed in defence and is keen to secure a permanent role, while Archie Perkins has been working on his endurance in a bid to spend more time in the midfield. Young pressure forward Jye Menzie, having had two senior games last year, has impressed during intra-club matches, using his speed to create havoc. “I feel like I could bring a lot to the team in the small forward aspect. It’s something Brad loves, that chase, so if I can do that then I’ll be putting myself in a good stead,” Menzie said.
Fremantle
Forward Michael Frederick, 22, has enjoyed spending time on the wing through the pre-season, and is keen to be a more rounded contributor, despite playing 22 matches last year. The Dockers are looking to Luke Jackson, 21, to become a more consistent threat, now the premiership Demon has returned home. The ruckman-forward – he spent the majority of a practice match last weekend up forward – has the ability to be one of the best players of the next decade. And keep an eye on emerging young forward Jye Amiss.
Geelong
The Cats delivered their breakthrough flag with an elite list of 30-somethings, but the young talent is there. Max Holmes was the heartbreak story of grand-final week, but he has trained strongly and has an important role to play this season. Then there are 20-year-old recruits Tanner Bruhn and Ollie Henry, who are keen to make an imprint at their new clubs. Draftee Jhye Clark, who has been mentored by Joel Selwood and has been tipped to be the next Selwood, hopes to debut. Throw in defensive standout Sam De Koning, and generation-next is well underway at GMHBA Stadium.
Max Holmes had a gut-wrenching end to 2022 but is a key piece of the Cats’ future.Credit:Getty Images
Gold Coast
All eyes will be on Ben King and his return from a ruptured cruciate ligament, with the Suns indicating he is in line to play in round one. King booted 47 goals in 2021. Midfield stars Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell, complete with their contract extensions, are central to Stuart Dew’s plans. Rising star Elijah Hollands, having debuted late in the 2022 campaign, has impressed track watchers with his commitment.
Greater Western Sydney
The Giants traded up to get their man with the No.1 pick, and they couldn’t be happier with key forward Aaron Cadman, whose professionalism had been on show. “He certainly hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. He’s only a slight build, incredibly athletic, he gets across the ground really well, so I don’t see why not,” Giants assistant coach Brett Montgomery said of Cadman’s round-one bid. Former Demon Toby Bedford, tired of being an emergency substitute, won the 2 km time trial in January, and hopes to slip into an attacking 50 where vacancies exist. Wingman Finn Callaghan, having had foot surgery in September, is ready to make a splash.
Hawthorn
Jai Newcombe is approaching A-grade status, and could very well reach the elite level within the opening months of the season. Coach Sam Mitchell has earmarked the former mid-season draftee as the frontline face of the Hawks’ rebuilding midfield, and the runner-up in last year’s Peter Crimmins medal has impressed over summer. The hard-running Josh Ward has quickly become a fan favourite through his penetrating left-foot kicks, and will build on a debut season featuring 14 senior games.
Jai Newcombe.Credit:AFL Photos / Getty Images
Melbourne
As reported by The Age this week, the future of dynamic small forward Kysaiah Pickett, off contract this season, will be one of the intriguing storylines. Picket has worked hard over summer, and a third straight season of 40 or more goals beckons. And keep an eye out for young tall Jacob van Rooyen, whom the Demons hope can replace Luke Jackson up forward. Contracted until the end of 2025, van Rooyen will debut at the senior level, as early as round one.
North Melbourne
There are high hopes midfielder Will Phillips, 20, can inject pace and creativity through the midfield. Phillips was destined for big things last season before he was struck down by glandular fever, and did not play a senior game. North insiders could not be more pleased with his summer. No.3 draft pick Harry Sheezel has impressed in a deep-forward role in match practice, and is pressing for a round-one debut.
Will Phillips had an illness-ravaged 2022 but has impressed North officials through the off-season.Credit:Getty Images
Port Adelaide
Jason Horne-Francis was given his wish to return home, and now has no excuses but to showcase why he was the No.1 pick in the 2021 national draft. Horne-Francis, 19, struggled to deal with the professionalism required in his debut season, but has continued to build at Alberton. Zak Butters finished seventh in the John Cahill medal last year won by Connor Rozee, but insiders say Butters is ready to take his game to a new level. And assistant coach Josh Carr has raved about the hard running Xavier Duursma, who wants to make a splash on the wing. “I think he just rounds out the midfield, especially on the outside, I see him playing on a wing and at times contributing inside. But the majority of the time he’s owning that wing and giving the team that run up and down the ground that at his best we know he can do,” Carr said.
Richmond
Tall defender Josh Gibcus has had hamstring surgery and will miss the opening rounds of the season, but the Tigers hope he can still have a major impact when he returns. Maurice Rioli Jr has impressed in intra-club matches, buzzing around at the feet of marking talls, and only needs a few touches to give opponents nightmares. And keep an eye on young midfielder Tyler Sonsie, who debuted in round 18 and held his spot for the final seven games.
St Kilda
Just what style of football Ross Lyon unveils will be fascinating, but he has said the Saints have a batch of strong runners. Included in that group was Marcus Windhager, who has made a name for himself as a tagger, but is backed to win more ball himself. He won the Saints’ best emerging player award last season. Max King is sidelined for a significant stretch after shoulder surgery, but tall midfielder Mitch Owens has been working on his forward craft and could replace King. “I’ve definitely done a lot more training up forward and got more time and experience there, but I’m still doing stuff with the mids as well,” Owens said.
Sydney
In what was a lamentable and certainly forgettable grand final for the Swans, Chad Warner stood strong, reinforcing why he is one of the league’s premier midfielders. He finished runner-up in the best and fairest, and appears set to press for Brownlow Medal contention. And keep an eye on Braeden Campbell, who completed a personal best in the 2 km time trial. Campbell managed 17 games last season, but was the injury substitute for all three finals. He has trained with the mentality of a man desperate to break into the starting 22.
Braeden CampbellCredit:Getty Images
West Coast Eagles
It shapes as a year of struggle for the rebuilding Eagles, but we liked what we saw of Brady Hough last season. The Perth boy debuted in round one, beginning the season at half-back before spending time through the midfield. He finished with 15 games. And track watchers say last year’s mid-season draftee Jai Culley has been a stand-out through the summer in a bid to secure a midfield berth. Fellow young mid Campbell Chesser is progressing well, having seriously hurt his right foot in February last year, coming in a year when skipper Luke Shuey may be shifted to half-back.
Western Bulldogs
The Bulldogs boast young, blue-chip talent the envy of most opponents. Consider this: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan had a break-out 2022, with 17 matches and 18 goals, including five goals against Melbourne. He has worked hard, knowing former Docker Rory Lobb has, well, lobbed into town, joining fellow talls Aaron Naughton, Josh Bruce (who now wants to play in defence) and even Tim English when resting up forward. Bailey Smith, 22, has yet to enter his prime, and we know what he is capable of. Smith had a difficult 2022, having been suspended for two games for illicit drug use through the 2021 summer, but has rejoined the main training group this week, having had lower leg soreness. And 2021 father-son pick Sam Darcy has all the talent in the world, giving fans a taste of this in the final four games last year. The Bulldogs have a lot to look forward to.
