FOR ALL the early talk about Northern Academy prospects dominating this year’s draft, perhaps one going under the radar is Tyan Prindable. The Brisbane-tied midfielder made his VFL debut with the Lions on Saturday, impressing with 20 disposals and six clearances in a typically reliable performance.

The 18-year-old played 20 senior QFA games with Coorparoo last year and made a splash upon his side’s promotion to the QAFL, amassing 39 disposals and nine clearances on debut. That performance came after four impressive Coates Talent League outings with the Lions Academy, averaging 21 touches.

Prindable’s early-season form saw him break into the Allies squad, playing three games at the Under 18 National Championships. He was one of the side’s most consistent figures, operating through midfield with stints up forward. We put Prindable’s latest outing under the Player Focus microscope.

Lions AcademyMidfielder-Forward

Tyan Prindable

Height: 181cm

Weight: -

DOB: 25-01-2007

SEASON AVERAGES:

2025 Coates Talent League (4 games)
20.5 disposals, 4.5 marks, 8.0 tackles, 1.0 goals

2025 AFL U18 National Championships (3 games)
19.0 disposals, 5.7 tackles, 7.0 score involvements, 1.3 goals

STRENGTHS:
+ Clean hands
+ Consistency
+ Efficiency
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Tackling

PLAYER FOCUS

2025 VFL Round 17
Brisbane Lions 12.16 (88) def. by Footscray 17.12 (114)

#63 Tyan Prindable (Brisbane Lions)
Stats: 20 disposals, 4 marks, 5 tackles, 6 clearances, 3 inside 50s
11 contested possessions | 90% disposal efficiency | 4 score involvements

Centre bounce attendances:
Q1: 5/11 | Q2:9/10 | Q3: 1/4 | Q4: 4/7 | Total: 19/32

FIRST QUARTER:

It was a steady start to proceedings for Prindable as he faced the Bulldogs’ baptism of fire, with the Lions conceding seven of the first eight goals in term one. The 18-year-old earned his chance at the centre bounces after around 10 minutes and mixed it with a bunch of AFL-listed players.

Prindable got his hands on the ball twice at the restarts, positioning nicely underneath the rucks to rove their taps and quickly dispose of the pill. While he was a little hasty in flicking the ball out, he handled it cleanly and had one passage where he accelerated forward from the middle untouched.

SECOND QUARTER:

The second quarter was where Prindable’s full-time midfield role was most evident, attending nine out of 10 centre bounces. He proved his ability to read the ball of hands and make useful runs peeling forward, although wasn’t always rewarded for such clever movement.

While not an overly aggressive first possession winner, Prindable exhibited better intensity around the contests to stay engaged, also applying useful pressure on opposition midfielders. He played the basics with ball in hand, dishing off to runners with minimal fuss.

THIRD QUARTER:

It was a relatively quiet third quarter from Prindable, who spent some more time forward. He tended to empty out the forward 50, sighted taking an intercept mark all the way up at half-back before finding a short kick. Prindable’s precise passing also set up Will McLachlan on the lead, and he continued to calmly fire handballs out the back for teammates to set up the game.

FOURTH QUARTER:

As has been a theme with many recent Northern Academy debutants in the VFL, Prindable ran out the game strongly to hit peak productivity. Whether mopping up in defensive 50, sharking the taps with one grab, or spotting up leaders heading inside 50, he ran at a high efficiency.

Prindable’s clean distribution and sharp kicking helped him get involved in more scoring chains after half time, compounding his impact on the match. His only real blunder was a checkside attempt on goal which ended up landing in the opposite pocket. He was otherwise hard to fault.

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

Prindable is a reliable prospect who seems cut out for senior footy. While not observed in this game, his ability to roll forward and hit the scoreboard is a handy trait, especially given just how deep Brisbane’s top level midfield is. At his best, the young gun is a clean ball winner who goes when his number is called, able to win clearance or wrap up opponents when beaten to the ball. He’s the type who has a high floor, but can also hurt the opposition on the way forward to compliment his consistent contest work. The draft pool is relatively shallow this year, so perhaps he gets a chance on the back of his reliability.