Image Credit: Mark Brake/AFL Photos

POSITION: Key Forward

SNAPSHOT: "A mobile forward who thrives aerially with his reach and overhead marking, while also finding the goals consistently."  

Lukas Cooke is a mobile tall forward who really set the SANFL Under 18s competition alight for Woodville-West Torrens in 2021. Showcasing his smarts inside 50, ability to create separation on the lead, clean hands overhead and ability to pull down contested marks, he provides plenty of scoring opportunities. Cooke is a player who could be looked at given his size and while he still has areas to work on such as his defensive pressure and composure, he could represent value later in the draft.

STRENGTHS:

+ Mobility
+ Leading patterns
+ Clean hands
+ Contested marking
+ Goalkicking

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Defensive pressure
- Composure
- Versatility

Cooke is a tall who went on a goal-scoring purple patch mid-season for the Eagles' Under 18s, slotting 14 goals in three weeks, including a haul of seven majors from 19 touches against South Adelaide. He was able to pull down five contested marks from seven grabs in that match, and took a contested mark in each of his eight Under 18s games, including multiple contested marks in six of them. His marking, leading and ability to hit the scoreboard make him an ideal forward, and he is a point of difference for a player that can do all that, with good mobility for his size.

His clean hands in the air or at ground level make him a danger, and enable him to create scoring opportunities be it close to goal or as a high half-forward. He did spend more time roaming up the ground for South Australia, and did not look out of place at the level, albeit still working out his four-quarter consistency. This, along with his defensive pressure and composure with ball-in-hand loom as his key improvements going forward. Generally he can be quite damaging forward of centre, but he has his moments where he rushes and can throw the ball on the boot under pressure or his kick is smothered.

If clubs are looking to draft Cooke, they will be doing so as a forward. He has been suited to that role and has not had as much exposure to the other end of the ground as many other tall prospects. He is not incapable of playing there, but his ability to consistently hit the scoreboard makes him a no brainer for a tall forward. With his point-of-difference mobility and consistency at kicking goals, Cooke is a nice project player that a club could work on to improve his overall game and develop him into something special.

DRAFT PROJECTION: Late/Rookie

SUMMARY:

It would not be a shock to see Cooke last until the Rookie Draft depending on where teams rate him, and their needs for a tall. Though given the lack of 195cm-plus talents, Cooke could well be snatched up earlier within the national intake, but it will be a case of whether or not a club rates him as that tall over a hybrid forward, or a more versatile player.