OAKLEIGH Chargers produced the second and third picks of last year’s AFL Draft, but come into 2025 boasting a good deal of depth and club-tied prospects across each age group. We preview their upcoming Coates Talent League campaign with outgoing talent operations lead, Alex Davey.

PRESEASON

“I think for us preseason is one of the most challenging periods given that we do it across four or five different venues and spend a bit of the time in runners, which is tough. I think we started with 96 over preseason, but it was a really talented squad this year which was great. The boys have put in a lot of work and Ash [Close] and the coaches have done a fantastic job so I think they’re really well set up for the season.”

TOP-AGE VIC METRO HUB MEMBERS

Sam Allen
Midfielder | 183cm | 13/01/2007

“Sam has had a really good preseason for us. He’s been doing a fair bit of athletic stuff with Scotch and the a APS over the pre-Christmas side of the program and is now obviously all in on his footy stuff. He won our 2km time trail running at 5:47, which was really good… he’ll be an inside and outside mid for us.”

Louis Emmett
Ruck/Key Forward | 199cm | 23/03/2007

“Louis has had a fair few commitments over the summer so far with the AFL Academy [camps] and the Vic Metro hubs, and then obviously with Oakleigh as well. He had a little bit of an interrupted preseason before Christmas, but then post-Christmas he’s done a week with the Richmond Tigers through the AFL Academy and has been training fully since.”

Sam Grlj
Defender/Midfielder | 182cm | 26/07/2007

“Sam has had a great pre-season. He’s completed the whole preseason in its entirety, which has been great. He’s been one of the standout performers all preseason with his speed and his power off half-back and through the middle too.”

Jack Ison
Midfielder/Forward | 190cm | 26/03/2007

“Jack’s another one who’s done a little bit of preseason with us, but has then been external too. He’s done a bit with Carlton through the NGA program where he is been able to do some sessions with the AFL group, which I know he’s loved. He’s been back with us the last few weeks and traveling really well.”

ONES TO WATCH

“It’s obviously a really talented group in terms of depth, but I guess to name a couple… Zac McCarthy, who’s part of Collingwood’s NGA. He’s another that’s had the opportunity to do some sessions with Collingwood. He played in their VFL intraclub a few weeks ago, which was really good. Aaron Sharkie, he’s another one who’s had a really good preseason. Ran a 6:06 2km [time trial], which I think was coming second for us. He’s done a power of work and is going really well. They’re certainly two that have stood out a fair bit over the preseason so far.”

BOTTOM-AGERS

“Another group that’s certainly got a really good depth of talent and a fair few players that I could mention. Flynn Woolhouse is one that’s had a great preseason. He played in the Metro 16s last year and has done a power of work over this preseason in particular, working on his speed and his power. As a key forward this year he’d be one that I’d expect to go well early. Another one is Boyden George, who’s boarding at Caulfield Grammar. He’s had a great preseason playing as an inside mid. Super powerful, really tough contested player, but also uses it really well. He’s had a great preseason.”

OVER-AGERS

“We’ve got a fair few over-agers this year. Lucas Tovey, a key defender who was involved in the Vic Metro programs last year, he’s back. We’ve got Jez Rigoni, a player who’s just relocated from Murray’s region into Melbourne, to come down and he’s doing a hybrid model between us and the Sandy Zebras. He’s one that stood out a fair bit. Then we’ve got Doug Kerr coming back from an ACL. He’s doing mainly Collingwood at the moment, but then he’ll come back into our program when he returns to play.”

CLUB TIES

“We’ve got a fair few this year. There are the NGA boys that I mentioned with Jack Ison and Zac McCarthy. We’ve got Mingara Clark through the Carlton NGA program as well. In terms of father-sons, we’ve got Alijah Davey, who’s Alwyn’s youngest coming through. We’ve got Jack Graham who’s Ben Graham‘s son, and then a couple of others as well. So a fair few coming through this year.”

GOALS

“I think for us it’s just to continue on making sure that we can provide as many opportunities as we can. We’re really blessed through our program that because of the APS we’re able to play upwards of around 70 players. So just seeing what we can do in terms of providing as many opportunities and setting up those top end guys to reach the highest level of footy they can play, whether that’s AFL or VFL.”

ROUND 1

“The preseason’s pretty long and there’s a lot of hot nights out there over summer, so I’m sure we’re just excited to get into it all. I know the boys are sort of chomping at the bit for it all, so really excited and I think we’ll have a really strong year.”