STRENGTHS:

+ Follow-up work
+ Mobility
+ Reach
+ Ruck craft
+ Overhead marking

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Composure
- Endurance

The archetypal modern ruckman, Mitch Edwards' quality around the ground as well as his work in the ruck battle has seen him stamp himself as one of the premier rucks in this year’s draft crop. As comfortable at centre bounces as he is at at stoppages, Edwards possesses a great leap and knows how to use his body to work his way in front of opposition rucks.

Precise with his tap-work, he is capable of pinpointing hits to the run of his midfielders and consistently taps to his teammates' advantage. When the ball hits the deck, the big man really gets to work, showcasing clean hands below his knees many midfielders would be envious of. His contested game on the deck is a real feature, managing 22 contested possessions across his 10 quarters of footy in the National Championships.

Edwards' aerial dominance is not just confined to his work in the ruck. His overhead marking both as an intercepting spare in defence and a contested mark at either end of the ground adds plenty of value to his game. A highlight of this craft came when his Sandgropers took on South Australia at Optus Stadium this year, coming in from the side to leap above the pack, take a mark with clean hands and go back to convert for a goal from 40m out. Accuracy in front of goal has been a remarkable strong suit for the big-man, kicking with 80 per cent shot accuracy across the WAFL Colts & Reserves competitions.

There is still room for improvement in certain aspects of his game. Though he is a valued partner to his midfielders, his endurance can let him down at times. This is sometimes apparent when he is made to back up for four quarters in the ruck, or made to cover the ground up and back.

Composure under pressure is another area for Edwards to work on. When bereft of handballing options in open play, he often looks uncomfortable and rushed with his kicking, a far cry from what he’s capable of with his disposal by foot. Once he fills out and builds strength, his poise in tight spots should also improve.