#11
Archie Ludowyke
height: 197cm
weight:
D.O.B: 19-11-2007
Leagues: AFL U18 Championships, Coates Talent League Boys
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Snapshot
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Analysis
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Summary
SNAPSHOT: “An athletic, high-marking tall forward capable of soaring for speccies and kicking big bags of goals.” – Michael Alvaro
Archie Ludowyke is the type of player who produces moments which stick in the minds of onlookers. His memorable moment came during the Under 16 National Championships, where he soared for a massive speccy during the carnival he earned All-Australian honours for. He was the full forward of a Vic Metro side which won the Pool A title undefeated, skippered by Sandringham teammate Jack Dalton.
The platform was set for Ludowyke to build off, and he had a promising bottom-age campaign despite his own assessment. The 197cm goalkicker broke through to make his Vic Metro Under 18 debut in 2024 and booted 13 goals in nine Coates Talent League appearances with Sandringham. Ludowyke also helped Brighton Grammar take out the APS title, kicking 22 goals during the school football season.
Though, he missed out on the Dragons’ premiership glory having battled with his form and an untimely coccyx injury. The late-season portion of last year was somewhat of a rollercoaster for Ludowyke, who just a week later took the field on AFL Grand Final day for the National Under 17 Futures game. He kicked the match-winning goal for his side to finish his year on a high, despite the challenges faced.
Ludowyke then entered his top-age year as one of the draft’s most exciting key forwards. He was inducted into the National Academy and kicked three goals in their game against Richmond VFL, standing out among a relatively tall forward crop. That performance came shortly after a five-goal effort against eventual Coates Talent League premier Eastern, with Ludowyke growing in confidence along the way.
He was looking forward to showing his wares once again on the representative stage and managed two full games for Vic Metro. Unfortunately his carnival and year were cut short in game three against the Allies, where Ludowyke endured a couple of heavy knocks and ended up sustaining a PCL injury. He was invited to the National Draft Combine but remained sidelined, although would have been a lively participant.
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STRENGTHS:
+ Aerial ability
+ Leading patterns
+ Mobility
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Upside
+ Vertical leap
IMPROVEMENTS:
- Consistency
- Strength
Ludowyke boasts some eye-catching athletic traits and they go hand-in-hand with his forward craft. He's quite lean and agile at 197cm, exhibiting terrific speed off the mark to facilitate his leading ability. Further to that, he has some serious spring which lends to strong aerial ability and a penchant for taking screamers. Akin to Aaron Cadman, who he bases his game on, Ludowyke is a run and jump kind of forward who marks the ball at high points.
With such mobility and dexterity, Ludowyke has potential to expand his output by working up the ground. He has no trouble gaining separation on the lead and attacks the ball with vigour, showing glimpses of aggression and owning front position in one-on-one duels. Adding some strength and size will help Ludowyke to clunk even more marks in those situations, on top of how prolifically he does so closer to goal to access scoring opportunities.
Speaking of scoring, Ludowyke is capable of becoming a match-winner when his tail is up. He proved as much early in the year in a confidence-boosting performance against eventual Coates Talent League premier, Eastern. Coming off a steady first-up showing, Ludowyke booted a handful of majors with his fifth being the decisive score. He pulled off a similar feat in last year's Futures game, popping up late to slot the game-winning goal.
There is no doubting Ludowyke's upside and he has the potential to become a force inside 50. Doing so more consistently will be the next step. That not only means impacting games more regularly with marks and goals, but also lifting his output outside of that realm. Ludowyke has also been working on his set shot goalkicking and ground balls, while his coaches believe he has the potential to swing to defence if necessary.
DRAFT RANGE: 15-25
SUMMARY:
Recruiters would have loved to seen a greater sample size from Ludowyke, whose upside put him firmly in top 15 contention earlier this year. The National Championships are always a key litmus test and that’s where Ludowyke’s year ended, leaving a few questions yet to be answered. Still, he competed well against senior opposition for the AFL Academy and has an athletic profile which suits modern day key forward archetypes. He is athletic, hits up at the ball nicely, and can produce highlight reel moments. There aren’t many genuine key position players knocking about the first round range, so that may boost Ludowyke’s value and he should be able to hit the ground running post-injury.
AFL U18 Championships
| Season | Team | K | HB | D | M | CP | UP | T | HO | CLR | I50 | R50 | GL | GM | K | H | D | M | HO | T | G | DC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Vic Metro | 5 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 45 |
| Total | - | 5 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 45 |
Coates Talent League Boys
| Season | Team | K | HB | D | M | CP | UP | T | HO | CLR | I50 | R50 | GL | GM | K | H | D | M | HO | T | G | DC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sandringham Dragons | 45 | 23 | 68 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 9 | 5.0 | 2.6 | 7.6 | 3.7 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 42 |
| 2025 | Sandringham Dragons | 20 | 8 | 28 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 6.7 | 2.7 | 9.3 | 5.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 3.3 | 65 |
| Total | - | 65 | 31 | 96 | 49 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 23 | 12 | 5.4 | 2.6 | 8.0 | 4.1 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 107 |
