STRENGTHS:

+ Aerial ability
+ Intercept marking
+ Kick penetration
+ Strength

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Ground balls
- Speed

Despite missing out on Vic Metro selection this year, Cooper Trembath stamped himself as one of the Coates Talent League's premier tall defenders and earned a state combine invite to demonstrate some semblance of draft interest. He was a relative mainstay for Eastern across 13 games en route to the Grand Final, while also breaking through for a VFL debut with Frankston.

Trembath sits just below key position height but is aerially dominant and does his best work on the intercept. While other tall defenders fit the lean and athletic prototype, Trembath is a strongly built marker who times his moves well and has buckets for hands. Nearly half of his average 14.3 touches came from marks this season (6.8), including a 17-disposal, 14-grab effort against the Lions Academy in Round 7.

Given his in-between size, but aerial strengths and one-on-one craft, the 18-year-old has drawn comparisons to GWS backman Connor Idun. Should he enhance his ground level game, athletic profile, and ability to penetrate with ball in hand, Trembath looms as a value pick in the way of defensive depth late in the draft or as a rookie.

DRAFT RANGE: Late/Rookie