Lachy Dovaston Draft Profile

Eastern RangesSmall Forward

#8

Lachy Dovaston

height: 178cm

weight:

D.O.B: 29-05-2007

Leagues: AFL U18 Championships, Coates Talent League Boys

Snapshot
Analysis
Summary

SNAPSHOT: “A dangerous small forward who plays with swagger and speed, capable of impacting the scoreboard and applying heavy pressure.” – James Bell

Coming into his draft year, Lachy Dovaston had already established himself as one to watch. He was exceptional for Vic Metro at the Under 16 National Championships in 2023, and was named on the interchange of the All-Australian team. After surprisingly being left out of the National Academy for 2025, the talented small forward clearly had a point to prove and ended up producing a year full of highlights.

Dovaston was named in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year after his consistent season for the Eastern Ranges. He averaged 16 disposals and kicked 38 goals across his 16 games, building upon his solid bottom-age campaign in 2024. His 24 disposals and two goals in the Grand Final was crucial as his side ran out 15-point winners against three-time reigning champion, Sandringham.

For Vic Metro, he was similarly damaging, averaging more than two goals a match and 13 disposals across the four games. His standout performance came in the seven-goal victory over the Allies, where he drilled four majors and had 18 disposals. He was subsequently included in the National Championships All-Australian side for 2025.

Dovaston also featured at VFL level for the Box Hill Hawks where his tenacity translated successfully. He finished the Round 20 clash against eventual premier, Footscray, with 18 disposals and 1.3, showcasing his ability to impact at the next level. Late in the year, he proved his athletic potential, testing impressively at the National Draft Combine to register the event’s fourth-best ever agility test time of 7.794 seconds.

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STRENGTHS:

+ Agility
+ Consistency
+ Defensive pressure
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Speed
+ Work rate

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Goalkicking accuracy
- Size

Despite what his goalkicking record would suggest, Dovaston is not just a stay-at-home small forward. The speedy small goes out of his way to impact contests, provide overlap run, and regularly serves as a release option up around the ground. He can dart away from traffic and drill low-trajectory passes to leading teammates, making him a threat across half-forward.

Dovaston’s willingness to impact outside of the forward 50 arc is a feature of his game that aided him when he stepped up to the VFL. When forward 50 entries were coming infrequently, Dovaston was able to create turnovers and help in transitioning the ball from end to end. That kind of work rate will hold him in good stead as a multi-dimensional prospect who can hurt the opposition in different ways.

Dovaston added another string to his bow this year, further developing his midfield craft and proving a stoppage threat around the ground. He still has a relatively light frame and stands at 178cm, which could limit his potential to play on the ball at the senior level, although his agility and tenacity make him hard to get a hold of when in possession. He has the evasiveness of classic small forwards.

But what he lacks in mass, he makes up for in sheer doggedness. Dovaston largely makes up for his diminutiveness through an unrelenting willingness to impose himself on games. He has a never-say-die attitude and a solid endurance base that means he is dangerous to the final bell, as evidenced by his match-winning final-minute goal against the Young Guns for Vic Metro.

Despite presenting as a viable option on the ball, there will be some expectation that he spends most of his time forward where his scoreboard impact is undeniable. In the 2025 season of the Coates Talent League, Dovaston was the second most prolific goal scorer for the year - an impressive feat for a small forward. It could have been an even more spectacular haul; Dovaston has some work to do on his finishing in front of goal, but more importantly, he finds a way to rack up scores.

DRAFT RANGE: 12-20

SUMMARY:

Dovaston has ended the year as the premier small forward in 2025’s draft crop and is very likely to feature on the first night of the intake. He possesses attributes that should directly translate to the AFL, and has proven capable of impacting games in a variety of ways. With the value of a hard-working and influential small forward like himself at a premium, he has the potential to go to just about any club in the mid-stages of what is set to be a long first round.

AFL U18 Championships

Season	Team	K	HB	D	M	CP	UP	T	HO	CLR	I50	R50	GL	GM	K	H	D	M	HO	T	G	DC
2025	Vic Metro	31	20	51	8	20	31	14	0	4	8	0	9	4	7.8	5.0	12.8	2.0	0.0	3.5	2.3	60
Total	-	31	20	51	8	20	31	14	0	4	8	0	9	4	7.8	5.0	12.8	2.0	0.0	3.5	2.3	60

Coates Talent League Boys

Season	Team	K	HB	D	M	CP	UP	T	CLR	I50	R50	GL	GM	K	H	D	M	T	G	DC
2024	Eastern Ranges	157	83	240	28	0	0	49	0	24	31	9	15	10.5	5.5	16.0	1.9	3.3	0.6	57
2025	Eastern Ranges	170	87	257	37	110	143	80	23	38	6	38	16	10.6	5.4	16.1	2.3	5.0	2.4	73
Total	-	327	170	497	65	110	143	129	23	62	37	47	31	10.5	5.5	16.0	2.1	4.2	1.5	130