STRENGTHS:

+ Dual-sided + Work rate + Defensive pressure + Explosive speed + Composure

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Production - Endurance

Toby McMullin is a neat player who ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to overall profile. Having performed across multiple teams and leagues and played a mixture of forward and midfield, the Dragons utility prides himself on both his skills and explosive speed. Though he does not always show that explosive speed in-game consistently, McMullin has the potential to do a lot of damage at the stoppages, clocking up a blistering 2.88-second 20m sprint at the recent National Draft Combine.

McMullin admits he still has to work on his endurance, having played "catch-up" with his Dragons teammates over the Summer and the course of the 2022 NAB League season. Along with his endurance, McMullin's production could certainly improve, with his stats across both the NAB League and AFL Under 18 Championships hardly setting the world on fire. For the Dragons, McMullin averaged 11.1 disposals, 2.4 marks, 1.6 tackles and booted three goals across his seven games, while for Vic Country, the forward picked up 8.0 disposals, 2.0 marks, 2.0 tackles and 3.0 inside 50s, while booting the two goals in his three outings.

Though not always rewarded for his tackling, McMullin is a player lauded for his defensive pressure and intent, so even if a physical tackle does not stick, his quick bursts put pressure on opponents to turn the ball over. Outside of his three-goal haul for Vic Country in the trial match against Vic Metro, McMullin has not been able to do a lot of damage on the scoreboard, but has still been able to hold his spot for the Dragons, and provide a critical defensive presence both inside 50, on a wing, or when rotating through the stoppages alongside some highly touted names.

Those areas of improvement go hand-in-hand, and McMullin's value to a team far outweighs his visible statistics. The Dragons and Country forward-midfielder is clean by hand or foot on both sides of his body, and it makes him more difficult to predict. He has composure with ball-in-hand and a high work rate, which allows him to make use of those traits. Though his endurance needs to improve to have a consistent impact on games, which McMullin conceded were "difficult" at times, he has the athletic capacity to be a longer-term prospect for a club willing to take him on. His neat skills on both sides of his body are reliable and with his dedicated attitude, is exactly what clubs look for in a balanced forward-midfielder.