STRENGTHS:

+ Competitiveness
+ Explosiveness
+ Physicality
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Versatility
+ Work rate

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Composure
- End product

Much of Gross' best work over the course of his junior career has been done through midfield, though he has the traits and scope to thrive in a variety of roles. His best attributes are not dissimilar to that of GWS captain Toby Greene, offering physicality and power to make an impact on-ball while also generating opportunities forward of centre.

Gross' explosive streak is a weapon at stoppages, particularly the centre bounces. He has the breakaway speed to drive his legs out the front of the contest and burst into dangerous launch zones, where he often thumps the ball long inside 50. That ability to take metres and run-and-carry means he is frequently in position to hurt the opposition.

His physical attributes are also felt defensively. Gross is a real competitor and lays hard tackles when beaten to the ball, while also busting out of them and refusing to be tied down himself. As much was evident during the first AFL Academy match, where he lifted his side's intensity around the ball and helped match it against VFL opposition in Coburg.

Gross is consistently prepared to put his body on the line for the team, also proving quite gutsy with his aerial efforts. Such application can be observed in his gut running, too. Perhaps the best example of his endeavour came in a 27-disposal and nine-mark performance for Vic Metro, where he spent large portions on the wing and out-worked his opponents.

Such a performance lends well to Gross' versatility; being able to play inside, outside, or up forward. His scoreboard impact is usually quite profound in each role, too. Gross played a key hand in Oakleigh's quarter final win over Northern, booting 2.3 from 21 touches and having his best moments inside 50 as prime moves Jagga Smith and Finn O'Sullivan operated on-ball.

Over the course of eight Coates Talent League outings this season, Gross was kept goalless just twice and had 20 or more disposals on five occasions, with the three outliers all being 19-disposal games. Such consistent production in both departments makes him exactly the kind of high-impact midfielder-forward clubs have been desperate for at the top level.

The one glaring area for improvement with Gross is his end product. He tends to have the blinkers on when in range of goal, often blazing away and finishing poorly. With more composure and less rushing on his kicks, perhaps even benefiting from lowering his eyes more often, Gross could become an more prolific scoring avenue.

He is capable of measured short passes and is quite efficient both in slow play and by hand, but certainly can be more refined within the 70m radius of goal. It's nothing he can't really iron out at the next level with more work on his touch and in a strong team environment.