STRENGTHS:

+ Accumulation
+ Clean hands
+ Endurance
+ Run-and-carry
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Versatility

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Defensive running
- Kicking technique
- Strength

Some of the top draft prospects, particularly this year, can hang their hat on hardly playing a bad game. That's something that Moraes did in the back-end of last season and looked like maintaining early in 2024. His numbers are consistently strong at Coates Talent League level, accumulating 25 or more disposals in seven of his 12 games this year, and hitting the scoreboard in eight of them with four hauls of multiple goals.

The trait which allows Moraes to find so much of the ball is his running capacity. Fresh off a 6:25 result in the National Draft Combine's 2km time trial, Moraes has shown he can carve up the opposition with chains of possession and gut running on the attack. His ability to combine with teammates by hand and carry the ball forward is a real asset, and one which often results in score involvements. He's a line-breaker.

Another way Moraes racks up possessions is through his clean hands. He can still add strength to his frame and may not be a full-time inside midfielder at the top level, but holds his own at the contest with slick extraction work. The same attribute is evident around the ground, where Moraes works into space and takes several marks. His ability overhead is quite strong, credit largely to his bravery and basketball background.

While Moraes is well versed in utilising his endurance base in attacking phases, he can certainly work on doing so defensively. Particularly because his frame is suited to the outside more so than an inside role, being able to run hard both ways will be integral. That's not to say his pressure acts are not up to the mark, as he has averaged 3.8 tackles over the last two seasons with a high of eight in 2024.

The other main area for improvement with Moraes is his kicking on the run. He has a relatively even kick-to-handball ratio but tends to favour going by hand at times where he could get a kick away, and can tweak his technique slightly. With so many of his possessions coming in the final third, being as effective a ball user as possible will only make him all the more damaging as the scorer and assister.

A final and important tick for Moraes is his versatility. Given the raft of high-level midfielders available to Vic Metro, he was squeezed out to half-back in game one and was often used either on a wing or at half-forward, with much less time on-ball than usual. He adapted quite well to each role and with such running ability, proved his traits can be adapted to suit what the team requires.