OVERVIEW

Another year, another Brayshaw. The brother of Melbourne's Angus and 2016 overlooked draftee Hamish, Andrew has had a stellar year at all levels. The strong leader is very vocal through the midfield and at breaks and is a fine leader. Brayshaw has played mostly as an inside midfielder, but has shown he can link up with the outside runners through the midfield and use the ball effectively inside 50. Despite missing the early part of the National Under 18 Championships with a quad injury, he was able to push his case for selection for the final two Victorian games, averaging 21 disposals with a kicking efficiency of 100 per cent. Brayshaw ranked number one in assists in the 2017 TAC Cup and has shown his skills being able to impact the games through the midfield. He showed in 2016 as a bottom-ager that he had the capabilities as playing at either end of the ground, having 11 disposals and four tackles in their 2016 TAC Cup Grand Final win.

STRENGTHS

• Contested ball winning
• Impact in the midfield
• Kicking
• Endurance
• Leadership

Playing as an inside midfielder, Brayshaw had a contested possession rate of 46 per cent in his 10 TAC Cup games. The medium midfielders numbers suggest he has the ability to be used as either an inside midfielder or link up on the wing as an outside midfielder. While not built as big as other inside midfielders, he weaves through the pack and run all day.

Brayshaw averaged four inside 50s per game throughout the 2017 TAC Cup, using the ball effectively and efficiently inside 50. His impact on the game was important, where he was able to find leading targets up forward. Brayshaw’s kicking efficiency throughout the season was also impressive, in the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships he kicked at 100 per cent. His TAC Cup numbers of 68 per cent were still mighty impressive. He is able to be effective when going short, as well as finding a long target inside 50s – which is inside 50 numbers indicate he does on multiple occasions. Brayshaw impacts the play, averaging 6.6 tackles per game – showing he isn’t just a one-way footballer.

Brayshaw was an endurance king at the NAB AFL Draft Combine. He placed first in the Yo-Yo test, scoring 22.4 – while he placed in the top five with a time of 6 minutes 14 seconds in the 2km time trial. On game day, he never looks puffed – running out games right to the last minute. He works hard defensively and is able to transition to attack quickly when the ball is turned over into his teams possession.

Brayshaw’s leadership is on show throughout the games. Often as a spiritual leader of the teams he plays in, Brayshaw leads by example when he plays – but is willing to communicate with his teammates at all levels, talking around the stoppages and is willing to use his voice at quarter breaks. When Haileybury were being outclassed by Scotch College in the opening half of an APS school boy match, the injured Brayshaw brought his team together at half time on the wing – pleading with them to turn the match around and to work harder – a match Haileybury ending up running out as winners.

IMPROVEMENTS

• Scoreboard imapct

An area that Brayshaw could improve is hitting the scoreboard. Whilst he has some damaging numbers in the midfield and getting the ball inside 50, he only kicked eight goals in 10 TAC Cup games this season. If Brayshaw begins his career as a sixth forward, it would be important for him to hit the scoreboard and kick goals. Midfielders who hit the scoreboard themselves are damaging players and it is another skillset clubs will be looking to have in their midfield.

DRAFT PROJECTION: 5-10

SUMMARY

Andrew Brayshaw has had a great season which has propelled his name into top 10 calculations. The medium midfielder wins the contested ball and is willing to do the defensive work – tackling hard and winning the clearances in the midfield. Brayshaw has a damaging right foot kick that gets the ball inside 50s, hitting up teammates. Brayshaw is a superb leader and despite missing some football through injury this year – looks set for a bumper AFL career.