THE AFL Academy made its first outing for the year in one of two showcase games against VFL opposition, going down to Richmond by 13 points at RSEA Park on Sunday. After falling 31 points down at half time, the Under 18 crop rallied after the main break to finish with more scoring shots in the loss.

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Queenslanders thrived in the heat of a warm autumn day in Moorabbin, with Brisbane Lions Academy midfielder Daniel Annable named best afield amongst the national representatives. Local goalkicker Archie Ludowyke booted an equal game-high three majors to spearhead the effort up forward.

The Academy’s next game is scheduled for Sunday April 27 against Coburg at Whitten Oval in Footscray.

AFL ACADEMY 1.4 | 2.7 | 5.9 | 9.12 (66)
RICHMOND VFL 4.0 | 8.2 | 11.2 | 12.7 (79)

GOALS: A. Ludowyke 3, D. Annable 2, L. Hetherton, C. Duff-Tytler, L. Emmett, N. Chamberlain
RMC BEST: D. Patterson, D. Annable, O. Greeves, B. Addinsall, A. Ludowyke, J. Lindsay

Absent: Koby Evans, Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves, Zeke Uwland

#1 Thomas Burton | Small Defender
Western Jets/Vic Metro

Stats: 20 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles

Burton played his usual game as a mainstay in the Academy’s defence, providing plenty of energy and racking up possessions with relative ease. He looked to use his speed and drive the ball forward at every opportunity, though his disposal – particularly by foot – wavered throughout the day. The Western Jets prospect positioned well to receive on the overlap and wasn’t afraid to switch play, even in the wake of a few skill errors. He’s still building towards his best.

#2 Beau Addinsall | Midfielder/Forward
Suns Academy/Queensland

Stats: 28 disposals, 5 clearances, 5 inside 50s

Addinsall led all comers afield, just as he did in last year’s Futures match, through sheer work rate and smarts. He featured mostly as a midfielder rotating forward before finishing the game out on a wing, where his running capacity was just as useful. The Queenslander covered ground exceptionally well from end to end, driving forward and waxing with teammates as they ran in waves – his 12 handball receives and 18 uncontested possessions attest to that. Addinsall was a clever exponent of the one-two and proved he read the fall of the ball to win a team-high five clearances.

>> Preseason Q&A: Beau Addinsall (Suns Academy)

#3 Lachlan Carmichael | Defender
Swans Academy/NSW-ACT

Stats: 6 disposals, 1 tackle, 2 rebound 50s

Usually a prolific player off half-back, Carmichael had to settle for a more modest total in this game but showcased some of his defensive attributes. He produced a couple of handy plays in the third quarter, first closing in for a spoil before later laying a terrific tackle to help quell Richmond attacks. When he got his hands on the ball he was generally polished under pressure, showing glimpses of his class like when he shrugged an opponent and delivered a rebound 50 kick in term two.

#4 Willem Duursma | Defender
Gippsland Power/Vic Country

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 4 rebound 50s

With an embarrassment of riches in midfield, especially height-wise, Duursma leant on his versatility to revert back to a role in defence. On paper he was essentially the third tall down there but had limited aerial impact apart from a composed intercept on the goalline in term one. While using the ball efficiently, Duursma wasn’t as dynamic as usual and left one of his more impactful possessions for the final quarter – spinning out of trouble before hitting a sharp kick inboard.

>> Race to #1: Willem Duursma (Gippsland Power)

#6 Josh Lindsay | Defender
Geelong Falcons/Vic Country

Stats: 16 disposals, 6 marks, 2 rebound 50s

Lindsay picked up where he left off in his last Coates Talent League outing, operating with a kick-first mentality across the backline. Of his 16 disposals, 13 were delivered by foot and he had 12 uncontested possessions, allowing him to distribute the ball efficiently. He was clean as usual and looked largely unfazed in his work, though had a couple of rare errors under pressure and trailed a little defensively. That can be somewhat excused in a showcase game, especially as Lindsay is such a threat offensively. He seemed to maintain his level and style relatively well.

>> Star Turn: Josh Lindsay (National Futures)

#7 Dylan Patterson | Defender
Suns Academy/Queensland

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 tackles, 3 rebound 50s

Patterson dazzled the crowd with his dancing feet, constantly taking the game on through sharp side-steps and bursts of speed. He plied his trade in defence for the most part, but earned a fourth quarter move into the centre bounces having been so impactful. His power was eye-catching going both ways, as he was one of the few juniors out there who seemed to genuinely thrive off the physicality and applied himself defensively. While Patterson’s disposal can be hit-or-miss at times, his aggressive play was quite well measured and a few errors were made up for by opening up the game offensively. One to watch as a genuine top 10 talent.

>> Star Turn: Dylan Patterson (Queensland Futures)

#8 Ben Rongdit | Defender
Geelong Falcons/Vic Country (Geelong NGA)

Stats: 6 disposals, 2 marks, 1 tackle

Rongdit is often lauded for his defensive acts and while the stats show he only laid one tackle, he chased hard with great closing speed and made his presence felt to crash several contests. Arguably the most impressive part of Rongdit’s game was his aerial influence, including a strong pack mark in the final quarter. He showcased a terrific vertical leap when attacking he ball and certainly plays taller than his 183cm standing would suggest.

#10 Wesley Walley | Forward/Wing
Subiaco/Western Australia (West Coast NGA)

Stats: 9 disposals, 2 marks, 2 behinds

Walley had some promising moments as his time further afield continued with the Academy – rotating onto a wing from up forward. His smooth movement and aerial ability were somewhat nullified by the bigger bodies in opposition, but that didn’t stop Walley from attempting to side-step and compete in marking contests. He rode the bumps well and very nearly hit the scoreboard in term four, but had to settle for two behinds having gotten into dangerous spots.

>> Preseason Q&A: Wesley Walley (Subiaco)

#20 Daniel Annable | Midfielder/Forward
Lions Academy/Queensland

Stats: 22 disposals, 4 clearances, 2 goals

Annable was named best afield for the Academy after a well-rounded performance. Another Queenslander to thrive in the heat, he was just about flawless by hand and proved one-touch throughout the day – even when taking gutsy marks overhead. On top of his strong midfield craft, Annable also ran good patterns as a forward to continue getting his hands on the ball and aid the Academy’s attacking play. He nabbed two goals; the first a long-range checkside under physical pressure, and the second well measured finish on the run. He may not have the athletic flair of others but works incredibly hard and has the smarts to find the ball anywhere – consistently.

>> Preseason Q&A: Daniel Annable (Lions Academy)

#21 Harley Barker | Wing/Forward
Sturt/South Australia

Stats: 14 disposals, 7 marks, 4 inside 50s

Barker is a natural on the wing and was one of the many players to rotate there on Sunday. His 11 uncontested possessions and seven marks suggest he was able to find space as an outlet in transition, using his size to take the ball overhead and delivering it with penetrative foot skills. He worked back into defensive 50 off the wing, but also spent time up forward where he hit up Oliver Greeves with a nice inboard pass and later intercepted a long Richmond kick-in.

>> Preseason Q&A: Harley Barker (Sturt)

#22 Noah Chamberlain | Tall Forward
Swans Academy/NSW-ACT

Stats: 5 disposals, 2 marks, 1 goal

They say too many cooks spoil the broth and that was perhaps what Chamberlain felt at times amongst an array of tall marking targets in the Academy’s forwardline. While he struggled to impact aerially, the Swans Academy star looked to apply pressure at ground level and attack the ball with vigour. His judgement of the length of the field made presenting at kickers difficult, though he ended the game on a positive note – controlling a wobbled pass inside 50 and slotting his 45m set shot in the final quarter. It was good to see Chamberlain back out there again after a nasty head knock late in Sydney’s second Summer Series clash.

>> Race to #1: Noah Chamberlain (Swans Academy)

#23 Sam Cumming | Midfielder/Forward
North Adelaide/South Australia

Stats: 13 disposals, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50

Cumming was among the many Academy midfielders who spent a good amount of time on-ball while also rotating forward. He used his power and quick feet to hunt the ball in and under, attacking the contest hard and looking to come out the other side with possession. Some of his disposal was a little rushed as a result, running at 31 per cent disposal efficiency. He was more effective by hand than foot in that regard and has plenty more to give with his strong work ethic.

#24 Louis Emmett | Ruck/Key Forward
Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro

Stats: 5 disposals, 4 marks, 1 goal

Emmett was well and truly up against it given Richmond’s mammoth AFL-listed rucks, but still showed signs of his athleticism when shifting forward. He managed to get onto the end of four marks, including one where he took off through the corridor and hit a kick inside 50. Emmett also snuck out the back in the final quarter and played on into an open goal, finishing the job despite almost being run down. He covers the ground well for a player his size but could compete harder.

>> Race to #1: Louis Emmett (Oakleigh Chargers)

#26 Oliver Greeves | Midfielder/Utility
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro

Stats: 26 disposals, 5 marks, 4 behinds

It was satisfying to see clones Greeves and Josh Smillie line up against each other at the opening centre bounce, with the Eastern Ranges products possessing a range of similar traits. Greeves was one of the few Academy players who stood up to the physical tests of senior opposition, holding his own with a game-high 16 contested possessions. He only won three clearances but burrowed in and used his size to fend off opponents, while also looking smooth on the outside. After playing as a midfielder-forward, he spent the final term in defence where he racked up easy possessions and continued to be aggressive in attacking phases. His ball use was hit and miss though, running at under 50 per cent kicking efficiency and booting four behinds – falling astray when looking to punt the ball as hard as possible. He has the ability to be more measured by foot, but still expansive.

#27 Taj Murray | Key Forward/Ruck
North Adelaide/Northern Territory

Stats: 3 disposals, 4 hitouts, 1 clearance

Murray’s output on the stats sheet was relatively low but he produced a few nice efforts throughout the day. Rotating into the ruck from up forward, arguably his best moment was a brave effort backing into a forward 50 pack to split it open in term three. He also provided a solid contest in the first quarter by coming from way back to bring the ball to ground in an aerial duel at half-forward. He managed four hitouts and a centre clearance while rucking against mature opposition.

>> Player Focus: Taj Murray (North Adelaide)

#28 Riley Onley | Midfielder/Forward
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country

Stats: 15 disposals, 3 marks, 4 inside 50s

The third quarter was Onley’s best, taking advantage of a move into the centre bounces to rack up eight of his 15 disposals. While his size would suggest a more profound impact on the inside, he found greater ease in dropping back to support transitional play and chaining up possessions on the outside. The 194cm prospect started out with a great steal and kick inside 50 to find Archie Ludowyke, operating off a wing with stints up forward. Otherwise, he left a little to be desired defensively and could have imposed himself more in a physical sense.

#29 Fred Rodriguez | Midfielder/Forward
South Fremantle/Western Australia

Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 3 inside 50s

The dual-footed West Australian wonder had moments of class throughout the day, bursting forward and showcasing some of his skilful kicking on both sides. He has a happy knack for breaking tackles, refusing to be tied down and proving fierce with ball in hand. Rodriguez looked most dangerous when he built up a head of steal and possessed the ball forward of centre, though couldn’t quite hit the target with a left-foot shot on the run. He played on both sides of midfield and up forward, often having to use inside traits to get to the outside and set up play.

>> Preseason Q&A: Fred Rodriguez (South Fremantle)

#30 Dyson Sharp | Midfielder/Forward
Central District/South Australia

Stats: 11 disposals, 4 marks, 3 clearances

One of the few Academy players with prolonged senior exposed coming into this clash, big things were expected of Sharp. He showed a decent balance in his ball winning to win a few clearances with clean hands in the clinches, while also working hard to earn easy uncontested ball on the spread. His ball use by foot lacked a touch of polish, though he showed good stoppage craft in the second quarter to win a high free kick before finding Archie Ludowyke inside 50. After starting in midfield, he was utilised up forward to start the second half and also got exposure out on the wing.

>> Race to #1: Dyson Sharp (Central District)

#33 Cody Curtin | Key Defender/Forward
Claremont/Western Australia

Stats: 5 disposals, 3 marks, 1 rebound 50

Having booted five goals his opening WAFL Colts appearance this season, Curtin started this game in defence before switching to attack in the second half. He didn’t find too much of the ball but looked comfortable when possessing and distributing it with short kicks in the back half. The brother of Adelaide’s Dan juggled an intercept mark in the opening quarter and was brave backing into a pack later on, willingly going when called upon in aerial contests.

>> Preseason Q&A: Cody Curtin (Claremont)

#34 Cooper Duff-Tytler | Ruck/Key Forward
Calder Cannons/Vic Metro

Stats: 10 disposals, 8 hitouts, 1 goal

Facing a pair of AFL-listed behemoths as the Academy’s primary ruck, Duff-Tytler was beaten at the source but thrived coming away from the contest. He started brightly, applying good pressure in a one-on-two situation and going on to kick a sensational running goal out of the centre break in term one. He looked comfortable with ball in hand and got involved in running passages like a midfielder would, covering ground beautifully for a player his size. Duff-Tytler’s output waned as the game wore on, having four, three, two, and one disposals per each quarter.

>> Race to #1: Cooper Duff-Tytler (Calder Cannons)

#35 Jasper Hay | Key Defender
Tasmania Devils/Tasmania

Stats: 10 disposals, 5 marks, 2 rebound 50s

Hay put in a positive shift down back for the Academy, leaning on his versatility as a tall. He held up well aerially, displaying good attack on the ball to fist it away or take strong marks – like his clean intercepts in terms two and three. His kicking has been an area of improvement over the preseason and while it looked a little awkward at times, generally came off quite well. Hay’s composure and reliability made him one of his side’s better players on the day, and somewhat of a surprise packet.

>> Preseason Q&A: Jasper Hay (Tasmania Devils)

#36 Liam Hetherton | Key Forward
Murray Bushrangers/NSW-ACT

Stats: 9 disposals, 3 marks, 1 goal

Having kicked eight goals in two CTL games to date, Hetherton came into this clash with a head of steam. He only managed one major this time out, converting from close range in the final quarter, but looked dangerous throughout. Hetherton worked well up the ground and his marks closer to goal showed good aerial range, even if he didn’t clunk them. An area for improvement is his kicking, especially when in scoring positions as he could have had two or three majors in this game.

>> Star Turn: Liam Hetherton (NSW-ACT Futures)

#37 Matthew LeRay | Wing
Central District/South Australia

Stats: 16 disposals, 2 clearances, 3 inside 50s

LeRay showed some really positive signs as a mainstay out on the wing, earning a run on-ball in the final quarter. His improved running ability was evident as he tracked back into defence and held his width to provide support on the outside. He moved quite well for a tall player, including with a sharp pick-up and burst forward in the third quarter. When playing for Central District, LeRay can often be seen launching long kicks into attack, but did most of his work by hand with 12 handballs.

>> Preseason Q&A: Matthew LeRay (Central District)

#38 Archie Ludowyke | Key Forward
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro

Stats: 12 disposals, 4 marks, 3 goals

Fresh off his five-goal heroics at the same venue, Ludowyke played with confidence and was the standout forward 50 target among an array of talls. He hit up twice on the lead from early stoppage exits and had two set shots before sinking his first goal in the third quarter. He would go on to add two more majors, including one from a sensational pack mark in the second half. Ludowyke still has some size to put on but his aerial range and mobility are terrific for a 197cm player.

>> Preseason Q&A: Archie Ludowyke (Sandringham Dragons)

#39 Kalani White | Key Forward/Defender
Suns Academy/Queensland (Melbourne F/S)

Stats: 8 disposals, 1 mark, 1 inside 50

White essentially played the inverse game to Curtin, starting forward before swinging to defence in the second half. He was the deepest marking target early on, looking to jump at the ball with his powerful leap and eventually pressing up further afield. His ability to impact contests with early jumps from the back looked threatening in attack, but he was far more assured down back where he got his hands on the ball and dished it out cleanly by hand. He could perhaps have been a little tighter defensively, though, sometimes giving Richmond’s forwards too much leeway.

>> Preseason Q&A: Kalani White (Suns Academy)