Vic Metro and Sandringham Dragons coach Rob Harding has huge raps on father-son draft prospect Levi Ashcroft.
Ashcroft, the brother of Brisbane’s Will, shone in both the Coates Talent League and the under-18 National Championships in 2023 as a bottom-age player.
Amazingly, Levi is just 16 years old and claimed Sandringham’s best and fairest in their premiership-winning campaign and there’s a chance he could even be a hotter draft prospect than his brother who went at pick No. 2 in the 2022 Draft.
After coaching the midfielder at both representative levels in 2023, Harding says the most impressive thing about Ashcroft is his understanding of the game and footy IQ at such a young age.
“He's a really exciting talent, Levi,” Harding said on SEN Sportsday.
“I was fortunate enough to coach him at both Vic Metro and Dragons level this year.
“He won our best and fairest as a bottom-ager in a premiership team, which is an amazing effort.
“He's quite a rounded individual already. He plays golf off four or five, which anyone who plays golf knows that it’ll test your resilience at the best of times.
“But he understands footy really well. He's got a high footy IQ.”
As well as his technical abilities, Harding says Ashcroft is becoming an astute trash talker on the field.
Lucky for the teenager, he can both talk the talk and walk the walk.
“He doesn't mind a bit of trash talk out there, I think,” Harding said.
“I grew up following basketball in the ‘90’s and Gary Payton from Seattle was the big trash talker, and he might have a little bit of that about him as well.
“He can talk the talk, but he can walk the walk as well.
“I think what the Brisbane Lions are going to get in a couple of years is a really strong midfielder who can push forward and hit the scoreboard really well.
“I've been super impressed by his composure in big games, whether it was with Vic Metro or Dragons this year.”
Ashcroft even shone in the 2023 AFL Futures game on Grand Final day, amassing 26 disposals to go with five inside 50s and a goal.