STRENGTHS:

+ Kicking
+ Class
+ Goal sense
+ Evasion
+ Footy IQ
+ Upside

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Consistency
- Endurance

PROFILE:

On upside, Ash Patton has plenty of traits that will get AFLW clubs excited. Her use by foot in particular stands out on the field, with each touch often coming with a touch of class. She has predominantly played as a forward, and that high half-forward role is calling the Canberra local given her strengths and how she can impact games.

With ball in hand, Patton can be incredibly damaging, especially with any time and space. She scans the field and is a slippery customer when it comes to winning the ball and evading the opposition. She possesses some nice footy IQ - considering she has tried most spots in the past - and is able to either hit targets or put the ball into advantageous positions for her teammates.

When inside 50, Patton has the goal sense to make the most of her chances, and though through the AFLW Under 18 Championships those chances were limited due to the Allies struggling, she has shown over the course of the past 18 months that she knows where the goals are. Patton averaged a goal a game for the Giants across her three games last year and this year at Coates Talent League level.

While she has had some stints in the middle over the journey, she is definitely more of a locked in forward. For the Allies against Queensland, Patton found herself in defence and instead provided some run and carry out of defence with her footskills coming in handy for her side in the upset win. Undoubtedly wherever she plays, she will impact when she wins it.

The most pressing area of improvement is just that, winning it more often and building that consistency. In game one for the AFLW Academy against the Under 23 All-Stars, Patton looked right up to the challenge and among the best running around, and showed in patches throughout the course of the year that her best is first round potential.

However that consistency both within games and week to week is still a work in progress. It is not like her profile has any massive glaring weakness, but rather just building on her consistency, which will also come with a higher aerobic capacity. She tested okay in the 2km time trial at the State Draft Combine, but as she noted preseason, will need to improve to run with the best players at AFLW level.

Patton has only had a year to focus fully on her football despite playing it for over a decade. What she has to offer are a variety of weapons, particularly when in attacking transition. She can score herself or set others up, and that high half-forward role is really in vogue at the top level for the AFL Women's.