SANDRINGHAM Dragons clinched their third consecutive Coates Talent League premiership in 2024. Ominous signs in the first block of the campaign were converted to a competition-high sixth flag as the side stormed home in a rampant postseason. We recap the Dragons’ fruitful year.

>> 2024 Coates Talent League: Stats | RMC Medal | Team of the Year

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS

H&A RECORD: 4th Overall | 2nd Metro | 10-5 | 123.92%
H&A STREAK: WWWW | LLL | WWWWW | L | W | L

WILDCARD: def. Western Jets 15.9 (99) to 3.5 (23)
QUARTER FINAL: def. Calder Cannons 17.14 (116) to 8.8 (56)
PRELIM FINAL: def. Dandenong Stingrays 14.10 (94) to 6.7 (43)
GRAND FINAL: def. GWV Rebels 16.7 (103) to 10.6 (66)

THE STORY:

Sandringham stormed out of the blocks with four wins to start the season, all at its home base of RSEA Park. A three-game losing skid was corrected with five-straight victories to navigate the school football and representative periods, before the squad once again jelled at the right time. Sandringham won its four postseason games by an average margin of 56 points to blow away the competition and defend its crown for a second time. At full strength, and even slightly below, the Dragons were untouchable.

THE HIGHLIGHT:

How does a third-straight flag sound? Things came together nicely at the end of Sandringham’s season, with its best form left for last. Rob Harding‘s side had breezed into the big dance on the back of convincing Wildcard and finals victories after the hiccup that was their Round 19 loss to Oakleigh. The Dragons opened the Grand Final with the first nine goals against Greater Western Victoria (GWV), and cruised to a 37-point win despite missing five national and state draft combine invitees on the day.

THE STAR:

A perennial winner and the only-ever Dragon to play in three premierships, Ashcroft capped off his junior career with 29 disposals and three goals in the Grand Final. He was made to deal with heavy opposition attention from the get-go but pushed through to average 30.8 disposals, 6.7 inside 50s, and more than a goal per his nine games. Now, the co-captain can look forward to the draft combine before joining brother Will as a Brisbane Lions father-son draftee – likely within the first five picks.

THE MAINSTAYS:

Look up mainstay in the dictionary and Luke Kennedy‘s name pops up. He was the only Dragon to play 18 games this season and featured on both sides of midfield, averaging 18.5 disposals with a high of 32. Ruck and co-captain Brodie Findlay was also ever-present, leading the side in Ashcroft’s absence.

The Dragons produced a high of nine National Draft Combine invitees this year, along with a further seven to the state event. Leading goalkickers Harry Armstrong and Bailey McKenzie will feature at the respective meets having both booted 27 majors and represented Vic Metro.

Defence wins premierships and Sandringham struck a nice balance down back. St Kilda Next Generation Academy pair Adrian Cole and Lennox Hofmann proved capable of locking down and running off as talls, while smalls Harrison Oliver and Mitchell Kirkwood-Scott were the chief distributors.

Through midfield, no player showcased as much class as Murphy Reid. Along with Ashcroft, he and Samuel Marshall racked up plenty of possessions. Tasmanian native Nathaniel Sulzberger added a point of difference with his power and strong frame, rotating on-ball from up forward.

The Dragons missed top prospects Luke Trainor and Taj Hotton in the decider, though both showed their quality in the early stages of the season. Midfielder-forwards Josh Dolan, Jhett Haeata, and Charlie Rozenes also missed out on the flag but would have been part of the starting side.

Among the less heralded names to have played a dozen games or more was over-age tall Lachlan Voss. Sturdy defender Owen Bater fulfilled important roles, while Samuel Linder was also unrelenting down back. Harding was high on the work of Zach Travers along the wing, too.

THE FUTURE:

The Dragons have identified a pair of likely future leaders in Xavier Bamert and Jack Dalton. Both played in Vic Metro’s title-winning Under 16 side last year, with Dalton being captain, and have taken up roles in Sandringham’s leadership group.

Bamert featured in defence as Sandringham rolled into the Grand Final, while Dalton established himself on the wing. Both are lauded for the running capacity. Sandringham’s only bottom-ager to earn a Vic Metro Under 18 berth this year was tall forward Archie Ludowyke, who played nine games for 13 goals.

Three players earned selection in Vic Metro’s Under 17 side, namely Kye Fincher, Sacha Levine, and ruck Miles Tyrer. The Dragons also gave opportunities to a pair of Under 16 prospects, with freakish forward Arki Butler snaring three goals in his one and only game, and Jack Surkitt keeping his spot for finals.

SEASON RECAPS:
Country Wildcards | Metro Wildcards
Country Finalists | Metro Finalists
Preliminary Finalists
Grand Finalist