Lions AcademyLions AcademyMidfielder

#5

Sophie Peters

height: 163cm

weight:

D.O.B: 12-03-2005

Leagues: Coates Talent League Girls, AFLW U18 Championships

  • Snapshot
  • Analysis
  • Summary

SNAPSHOT:

AFLW Academy member Sophie Peters has long been touted as Brisbane Lions Academy’s top prospect, joined in the elite group by forward Rania Crozier. Peters is a readymade midfielder who, while she does not win as much of the ball as she would like, has outstanding athletic traits and a mix of offensive and defensive weapons.

STRENGTHS:

+ Hurt factor
+ Speed
+ Evasion
+ Skill
+ Defensive pressure
+ Decision making
+ Endurance

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Ground balls
- Contested work
- Production

PROFILE:

Peters is such a naturally talented footballer that even when identifying her areas of improvement, it is hard to ignore the array of skills and tricks she has at her disposal. The Maroochydore prospect represented the AFLW Academy at Marvel Stadium - playing one of her best games there - and as has also run out in all three games for the Lions Academy in the Talent League, and Queensland at the AFLW Under 18 Championships.

For the AFLW Academy, Peters only had the 13 disposals, but took five marks and had a couple of inside 50s and went at 77 per cent disposal efficiency. That is Peters in a nutshell, with her combination of skill, speed and evasion all eye-catching. The way Peters plays is perhaps a prototype for the future of AFL Women's, and though she is not the full package just yet, she is a long way to being a damaging talent.

At Under 18s level, Peters looks a class above with ball-in-hand, as she mixes her skill with speed and evasion. One such example was when lining up for goal from 45m out against the Allies at Heritage Bank Stadium, she knew she had to gain 10m to guarantee the distance, so she sidestepped the player on the mark as she lined up, then steadied to nail the goal on the run.

That speed, evasion, decision making and finishing is the crux of her game. She is not a noted goalkicker by any means, but she found a way to hit the scoreboard with two goals from three games in each of the Talent League and national carnival stints. Even if she is not kicking them, she is setting others up with her play along the wing and impact on the scoreboard that way.

Her hurt factor by hand or foot is really high, and though she admits when at speed she could tidy up her kicking to be a little more pinpoint, she is still among the best going around. The main area that she needs to improve is in her groundballs. It is perhaps the only element stopping her being among the top 10 prospects in this year's draft.

She is clearly a first round talent, but that slight fumble or inability to take it cleanly one-take each time at ground level is the next step in her development. As a lighter bodied player, Peters is also not a contested ball-winner, but to borrow an automobile analogy, you do not take your Rolls Royce bushbashing.

The Queensland winger is a handball receive and then explode away type who will do all her best work running from the contest. Peters has a high endurance base, which mixed with her speed and evasion makes her a consistent threat to the opposition. It is also why her lower production rate is not a concern, as she maximises each touch and has the running capacity to find more of it in the future.

Along with what she can do offensively, Peters is also a strong defensive player, averaging 5.7 tackles at Talent League level, and 3.0 tackles for Queensland. Though outside runners are not always the most reliable defensively accountable players, Peters certainly is. It is yet another string to her bow and further elevates her overall profile.

SUMMARY:

Sophie Peters has the potential to be among the best in the draft, and though those who might look at stats do not see her numbers jumping off the page, her hurt factor and array of weapons makes her a damaging player. She is a clear first round talent on ability, and if a club was to bid inside the top 10, it would not be a huge shock because of the potential she has to grow even further.

Strengths
Decision making
Defensive pressure
Endurance
Evasion
Hurt factor
Skills
Speed
Improvements
Contested work
Ground balls
Production

Coates Talent League Girls

SeasonTeamKHBDMCPUPTHOCLRI50R50GLGMKHDMHOTGDC
2022Lions Academy911010060032019.01.010.01.00.06.00.040
2023Lions Academy288365001700102239.32.712.01.70.05.70.750
Total-379466002300134249.32.311.51.50.05.80.590

AFLW U18 Championships

SeasonTeamKHBDMCPUPTHOCLRI50R50GLGMKHDMHOTGDC
2022Queensland Girls1292120040242126.04.510.51.00.02.00.541
2023Queensland Girls1815333181490354236.05.011.01.00.03.00.743
Total-30245451814130596356.04.810.81.00.02.60.684
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