STRENGTHS:

+ Speed
+ Contested work
+ Power
+ Dual-sided
+ Kicking technique
+ Strength
+ Upside

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Decision making
- Composure
- Four-quarter consistency

A powerful athlete, Thatcher's ability to find the ball and retain possession is build off the back of a hunger to win it, and the strength-speed combination to break away and keep it moving downfield. The Eastern Ranges talent showed plenty of that throughout 2025 in that high half-forward role. She is a terrific link-up player who bursts into space to mark then turn and kick inside 50 to leading targets.

She might have only kicked the few goals as predominantly a forward, but Thatcher's best work was not done close to the big sticks, but more so outside 50. She was not necessarily a massive production player, but she did bob up here and there which no doubt made recruiters take note, because she has some of those traits that tick boxes.

Looking at her athletic profile, Thatcher has explosive speed which she can build up quickly, arch the back and look to breakaway from would-be tacklers. That can be a double-edge sword at times as she could tend to blaze away and put unneeded pressure on herself when she could have had greater composure, but when she did get free, it looked very good.

A natural contested player, Thatcher has that see-ball, get-ball attitude, with some great defensive attributes as well. She is generally clean by hand and her kicking technique is terrific when having any sort of time to dispose of the ball. Importantly, Thatcher has grown up using both sides of her body, so her left is not a deficiency compared to many other players.

Once she has the ball, her kicking itself is reliable, but the improvement area - which she has identified as well - is not blazing away and just rushing the kick or putting the ball to an outnumber against her side. She knows where the most dangerous spots to kick going forward are, but at times she would look on that 45 or go deep to a hotspot, but the opposition defence was set up, or read the play and intercepted.

Thatcher is at her best work when she is on the move, can lower the eyes and pick out a loose player inside 50. She can be ultra-damaging and clearly based on what she has shown from limited exposure at the sub-elite junior level, has the ability to build on her performance and take her game further.

While the forward-midfielder does not quite have the runs on the board as others, her season - particularly later in the year once she had adapted - really stood out amongst those beyond Victorian representation. If a club can build on her foundational traits, Thatcher can play a role at the elite level.