Matt Whitlock Draft Profile

Murray BushrangersKey Defender, Key Forward

#24

Matt Whitlock

height: 198cm

weight:

D.O.B: 16-05-2006

Leagues: AFL U18 Championships, Coates Talent League Boys

Snapshot
Analysis
Summary

SNAPSHOT: “A versatile key position prospect with enormous upside, able to showcase his athleticism and raw talent at either end of the ground.” – Michael Alvaro

Murray Bushrangers tall Matt Whitlock has long been touted as a highly developable and richly talented prospect. He progressed through the footballing pathway alongside twin brother Jack, often playing at the opposite end of the ground to each other in the same representative sides. Fittingly, they were even named at full back and full forward respectively in the 2024 Coates Talent League Team of the Year.

Matt, most often utilised down back, was selected in Vic Country’s Under 16, 17, and 18 squads over the last three years. 2023 marked the season of his Murray Bushrangers debut, playing 10 games and continuing to establish himself as an emerging force. He converted that to 14 appearances as a top-ager, booting 27 goals having thrived both in attack and defence. He also ran out a full National Championships campaign.

Whitlock was selected as an injury replacement to represent the National Academy in its second showcase match, against Footscray VFL, after his sibling did so in game one. Both brothers attended the National Draft Combine, with Matt achieving top 10 results in both the standing and running vertical jumps. Jack matched the feat and the talented twins – both Hawthorn supporters – are on track to make the bigtime out of Shepparton.

PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS:

STRENGTHS:

+ Agility
+ Intercept marking
+ Mobility
+ Upside
+ Versatility
+ Vertical leap

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Rawness
- Strength

Whitlock's ceiling is arguably as high as any key position prospect in the draft pool, though he starts from a lower floor than some others in first round contention. His versatility is a major strength having performed to high standards at both ends of the ground. He is arguably most at home in defence, but kicked 27 goals for Murray this season, including eight games with multiple majors and a high of five - twice.

Whitlock was never kept goalless when playing forward. He even bagged a pair of goals in the one game he spent there during the National Championships, against the Allies. In the front half, he utilises his athletic traits to lead opponents to the ball and recover spills from aerial contests better than any other tall, which feeds many shots on goal in live play. He does that more than any conventional mark-and-goal key forward would.

Down back, Whitlock projects as a capable interceptor who can play loose or peel off and impact the contest. He is not a one-on-one defender, faring best when not engaging physically, but rather coming in over the top or cutting off opposition kicks by reading them best. On the turnover, his agility shines with weaving rebound runs and transitional passages which see him chain possessions like a smaller player would.

While his upside is observed through a combination of versatility, athleticism, and high production, there remains a sense of rawness to Whitlock's game. He has plenty of strength to add to his frame and lacks physicality, while also being prone to errors given the pressure he invites with ball in hand - sometimes running himself into trouble. Still, having the ability to take the game on as he does at 198cm is wonderfully unique.

Further improvement will come once Whitlock fills out with a full preseason or two. He'll beat very many talls for athleticism across the board, but less so one-on-one, while enhancing his contested marking will make him better at both ends of the ground. He already has the range and smarts to impact aerially. Goalkicking accuracy is another area for growth, particularly from set shots, having managed 27.20 in Bushies colours this season.

DRAFT RANGE: 15-30

SUMMARY:

Recruiters hold many of Whitlock’s best traits in high regard, with his athletic profile and versatility lending to high upside in a key position prospect. There is really no limit to what he could be at the top level, looking most at home down back but proving he is just as promising as a forward. He does things less conventionally than other talls would – even his twin brother – thriving more in his work across the ground rather than as an imposing aerial threat. Still, he has already shown a nice rate of development and has plenty more growth left, so expect him to feature in the back-end of the first round or early in the second. Plenty of other key position players are fighting for spots around that mark, too.

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
2024	Vic Country	32	24	56	19	18	37	5	0	2	4	6	2	4	8.0	6.0	14.0	4.8	0.0	1.3	0.5	58
Total	-	32	24	56	19	18	37	5	0	2	4	6	2	4	8.0	6.0	14.0	4.8	0.0	1.3	0.5	58

Coates Talent League Boys

Season	Team	K	HB	D	M	T	HO	I50	R50	GL	GM	K	H	D	M	HO	T	G	DC
2023	Murray Bushrangers	53	44	97	24	13	3	4	16	0	10	5.3	4.4	9.7	2.4	0.3	1.3	0.0	35
2024	Murray Bushrangers	132	67	199	70	17	2	18	15	27	14	9.4	4.8	14.2	5.0	0.1	1.2	1.9	68
Total	-	185	111	296	94	30	5	22	31	27	24	7.7	4.6	12.3	3.9	0.2	1.3	1.1	103