WHILE in some years the leading AFL Draft prospect is clear as day, much like in 2024 there is no real consensus regarding who the nation’s number one talent is for 2025. In the return of our Race to #1 series, we highlight at a half-dozen prospects who are in the frame for said honours.

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Next in this year’s series is South Australian clearance dynamo Dyson Sharp. The Central District midfielder has compiled a stacked junior resume, including the nation’s top honour at Under 16 level. Last year, he made the step up to senior football and is as mature a prospect there is in the top five.

>> Ones to watch: Top 25 AFL Draft prospects in 2025

BY THE NUMBERS:

2024 U18 National Championships (4 games)
17.8 disposals | 9.5 cont. possessions | 5.5 tackles | 6.5 clearances

2024 SANFL League (5 games)
16.4 disposals | 8.2 tackles | 4.0 clearances | 3.2 inside 50s

2024 SANFL Reserves (2 games)
19.5 disposals | 7.0 tackles | 3.0 clearances | 3.0 marks

2024 SANFL U18s (8 games)
27.1 disposals | 5.6 marks | 7.6 tackles | 6.5 clearances

ACCOLADES:

– 2025 AFL Academy member
– 2024 National Futures match
– 2024 South Australia U18 representative
– 2024 SANFL League debut
– 2023 Kevin Sheehan Medal
– 2023 Norm Grimm Medal
– 2023 U16 All-Australian
– 2023 SANFL U18 debut
– 2023 SANFL U16 Best & Fairest
– 2023 South Australia U16 captain
– 2022 U16 All-Australian
– 2022 SSA U15 All-Australian
– 2022 South Australia U15 captain

STRENGTHS

+ Clean hands
+ Competitiveness
+ Contested game
+ Toughness
+ Strength
+ Work rate

Sharp is the premier contested ball winner of this year’s draft crop, displaying exemplary two-way application at stoppages and prising possession more often than not. His hands are quick and clean, and he has the ability to bring the game forward by driving his legs or going long by foot.

Few juniors enter a contest with as much vigour as Sharp. He never flinches upon contact and wears it well, using his strong 188cm frame to power through opponents or mark overhead. As such, his ability to make good use of first possession and release teammates into space is very high level.

A true competitor, Sharp’s clearance numbers are usually surpassed by his tackle and one-percenter counts. He is often sighted hunting the opposition ball carrier and applying desperate defensive acts around the contest, even doing so in his stints of senior football late last year.

Sharp’s consistency of production is credit to such work rate, and he has proven capable of racking up huge numbers no matter the level of play. On top of his contested acumen, Sharp is a strong runner in attacking phases and good enough to hit the scoreboard semi-regularly.

QUESTION MARK(S)

While more readymade than all other pick one contenders, Sharp arguably does not possess the same amount of polish as a Zeke Uwland, versatility like Willem Duursma, or upside akin to the various top-end talls. The main question will be whether his current ability and weapons outmeasure the others’ potential and hurt factor.

Perhaps Sharp’s most pressing improvement area is his kicking. Being a contested ball winner, he is often forced to make decisions under pressure and can blaze away or prove a little untidy at times. Becoming a more damaging ball user will lend to greater versatility as an inside-leaning type. You cannot be one-dimensional.

Sharp is a beast with his defensive efforts at the contest, and while a hard runner, still has room to grow with his work in defensive transitions. Though, prospects are often taught to play to their strengths more so than focussing too heavily on their deficiencies. He is already an elite player with elite standards and few weaknesses.

THE EXPERTS SAY…

Quotes from South Australia Under 18 coach Tony Bamford via SANFL

“Dyson played all four AFL U18 National games last year as a bottom age player and performed well. He was also exposed to SANFL League footy late in season 2024 and performed very well. Dyson is a highly talented ball-winning midfielder with effective leadership skills, has strength in his core and torso and was in our top five in the 2km time trial.

“His application, intensity and energy in our program during preseason has been both impressive and infectious. Dyson has been working on complementing his ball-winning ability with a more balanced approach to defensive transition while also doing more aerial craft work. Dyson is also in the AFL National Football Academy and will be heading to Melbourne for two camps/trial games in April.”

OUR SCOUTS SAID…

“A clearly readymade prospect, Sharp’s strength on the inside and ability to dispose of it even with a couple of players hanging off him is what sets him apart from others. His contested work, clearance ability and ground coverage are all very good, while his handball release and strength overhead are additional elements that help him take control of a one-on-one. He did not pick up video game numbers as he has at times in the past, but was still rock solid throughout the match.” – Peter Williams, 2024 National Futures match

“Much like Sid Draper [in 2023], Sharp already has claims on being his state’s best player as a bottom-ager and was an integral part of the result. The big-bodied midfielder was imperious on the inside, never flinching on contact and utilising his frame to break open the clinches. He was particularly prominent during SA’s second half surge, proving the ideal teammate with his grunt work and willingness to get stuck in going both ways. A star in the making.” – Michael Alvaro, 2024 U18 National Championships

“Sharp is just about as accomplished and polished as a bottom-ager gets. The 2023 Under 16 state MVP hardly looked out of place as a big body in midfield before shifting behind the ball, where his intercept marking and efficient distribution came to the fore. Sharp’s strength and competitiveness were terrific around the contest, while his reading of the play and decision making proved the refined touch to compliment his hard edge.” – Michael Alvaro, 2024 SA U18 trials

“Sharp’s work ethic was consistent and rewarded, and his natural toughness around the ball was part of the Bulldog’s dominance in transition. His marking efforts were courageous and helped break the repetitive defensive 50 exits the Bulldogs were experiencing. At the end of the second quarter, Sharp had three holding-the-ball tackles in the space of five minutes, one of them winning him a shot on goal which went wide. Some of Sharp’s kicks lacked composure as the game wore on, but overall it was a dominant showing.” – Nathan Sepe, 2024 SANFL U18s

“SA’s Under 16 captain and the 2023 Kevin Sheehan Medal winner, Sharp naturally made the step up for his SANFL Under 18 debut on Sunday. The 2007-born talent hardly looked out of place in the midfield battle, holding his own with strong clearance play and ample defensive effort. Sharp is well developed already and has natural ball winning nous which should make him a dominant player at this level for the next two years.” – Michael Alvaro, 2023 SANFL U18s

The SA captain was superb at the coalface, with his mature body and penetrating kick helping him to be a dominant presence across the four quarters. Sharp lifted his individual output when the game was on the line in the final term, kicking a big goal on the run after several of his teammates had missed, and winning some important clearances and aerial contests. While he didn’t end up leading his team to the victory, Sharp couldn’t have done much more in what was an excellent leader’s display.” – Charlie McCormack, 2023 U16 National Championships

WHERE HE SITS

Some would consider Sharp to be the best player in this year’s crop, especially having been judged so back in his Under 16 season. His point of difference is his fierce contested work, which is just about unmatched throughout the crop, on top of senior experience in the nation’s leading state league.

Sharp’s current level makes him difficult to contain amongst his peers, so expect a typically industrious National Championships campaign. Though, the test will be how much he continues to develop as a top-ager and whether he can add more strings to his bow to rival the dynamism of other talents. As it stands, he’s comfortably among the top three to five.

Previous editions: Willem Duursma | Zeke Uwland
Up next: Louis Emmett