STRENGTHS:

+ Endurance
+ Energy
+ Short kicking
+ Speed
+ Vision
+ Work rate

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Defensive acts
- Size

As all smalls should, Dolan plays with plenty of vigour and brings life to every passage he is involved in. He seems to be in constant motion, particularly as a high forward, as he charges up and down the ground to help connect attacking transitions into attacking 50. Blending a strong endurance base with good speed, Dolan works opponents over and is not only a role player who can feed teammates, but also one who can work into positions to score.

Dolan's creative flair presents itself when operating in the front half of the ground. The evasive talent is capable of turning on a dime, quickly identifying a leading target inside 50, and hitting them lace-out with a short kick. That kind of ruthless decision making and execution makes opposition defenders sweat, and rewards his teammates for good craft. There are few better link players as far as smalls go, than Dolan.

Perhaps the most promising aspect of Dolan's game is that he is quite a handy goalkicker himself. He hit the scoreboard in all five of his Coates Talent League appearances this year, and booted two majors against Western Australia and Vic Country in the Under 18 National Championships. With quality players around him, his hard and smart running usually bears fruitful results.

Dolan is a capable midfielder at junior level but size is perhaps what would hold him back from translating that to the big leagues. He has a red-hot crack nonetheless, and boasts the motor to last on-ball. Given he is likely to make it as a forward, boosting his pressure acts - especially tackling - will be a handy next step. He averaged under two tackles per game in the CTL and National Championships.