STRENGTHS:

+ Athleticism
+ Competitiveness
+ Contested marking
+ Leading patterns
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Set shot goalkicking

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Endurance
- Four-quarter consistency

Armstrong's goalkicking exploits over the last couple of seasons have been absurd. He has a happy knack for impacting the scoreboard each week, often kicking goals in bunches. The clinical left-footer hit double-figures at APS level this year and posted four majors in half of his 10 Coates Talent League appearances. What's more, he did it on the representative stage with an equal-high nine goals in three National Championships games.

Many of Armstrong's scores come from his sound set shot goalkicking. His conversion rate of 27.10 for Sandringham Dragons this season was exceptional, and his 9.3 at the National Championships was aided by five-straight goals in the decider against Vic Country. Such efficiency is largely down to his routine when kicking over the mark, featuring a distinct grip and purposeful approach.

Armstrong often earns those opportunities with his aerial ability. Boasting good speed off the mark, he is usually clear of opponents when leading inside 50 but also leaps strongly at the ball and is capable of plucking it at the top of his reach. Even when a mark is unlikely, Armstrong can be seen crashing packs to bring the ball to ground and get the smalls working at his feet. If not, he follows up with great dexterity and has improved his second efforts.

With a strong set of hands, Armstrong is difficult to beat in full flight. His pace also sees him get to passes which look like falling short, often diving across the turf to reel them in. It's another tick for his competitive nature, on top of that ability to split aerial contests. Those attributes combined make him an incredibly difficult matchup for any defender - whether athletic, strong or both.

Improvement will come from Armstrong once he enhances his running game. He arguably gets up the ground less than other key forwards, being so dangerous close to goal, and is sometimes a patchy four-quarter performer. He is the type of runner who fares better in the yo-yo test than a 2km time trial, so can certainly move and run out games, but still has room for growth in that department.

There were several times this season where Armstrong was kept relatively quiet by a robust direct opponent for large chunks of the contest, but eventually found a way to impact. He is difficult to contain and while his overall production could be better, there is no denying his ability to consistently fulfil his role as the spearhead forward. If given an inch, he'll take a mile.