STRENGTHS:

+ Clean hands
+ Dual-footed
+ Leadership
+ Upside
+ Versatility
+ Work rate

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Decision making
- Endurance

LeRay offers upside in spades, thanks largely to his versatility. He has played in all four roles - defence, midfield, wing, and forward - and could genuinely be moulded into anything. He made his name this year as an All-Australian wingman, but harboured hopes of becoming a genuine big-bodied midfielder coming into the year, and thrived with a late-season move to defence. He has a spread of traits adaptable to each third of the ground.

The 188cm utility has done a power of work on his running ability, and while he returned a modest 2km time trial at the draft combine, exhibited strong work rate throughout the season. Particularly on the outside, he tracks the play well up and back - supporting the defence in facilitating transitional play, and driving the ball into dangerous zones to launch inside forward 50. His repeat efforts and pressure acts also highlight that high work rate.

Another aspect of LeRay's adaptability is his handling. He has the size and frame to be a threat overhead, but is just as clean below his knees. In both phases of play, LeRay is gutsy and willing to put his body on the line, meaning he can reliably win his own ball around the ground. It makes him a handy option when rotating forward, while potentially lending to an intercepting role down back. He can just about do it all.

Further to LeRay's strong fundamentals, he's a skilful dual-footed kicker. While inconsistent with his execution at times, he can deliver neatly on either side and does so best in space. Part of his improvement, though, will come with his decision making. LeRay can tend to blaze away in tight spots or take too much time in picking out an option, so accelerating his option assessment will help him to transfer less pressure to teammates.

An intangible trait which also boosts LeRay's profile is his leadership. He has been captain in several elite programs, skippering club football at Central District and on the school scene with Prince Alfred College. That also extends to his cricketing career having led South Australia at last year's Under 19 championships. He prides himself on that aspect and is a vocal type who enjoys leading by example.

LeRay's upside is observed not only in what he does well, but also in what he could do better. As mentioned, he has sought to work on his endurance and conditioning, which has come along well in an on-field sense. The conditioning aspect could also see him develop as a dominant inside midfielder with his big frame and work rate. Having made so much progress in just one football-devoted year, imagine what he could do with many more.