Oakleigh midfielder Sam Grlj has emerged as a top 10 prospect early in the Coates Talent League season.
The smooth-mover has taken his opportunity in the engine room this season after biding his time off half-back last year given the strength of Oakleigh's midfield.
A high-impact player, he has averaged 21 disposals and four tackles across the first three rounds.
“He's always had elite habits so he doesn't have to invent anything new,” Chargers coach Ash Close told Craft of the Draft.
“We challenged him on his ball use, especially at speed – we know that will be important to the way he plays.
“He probably won't be a high possession player but high impact, and there's been growth in his contested groundballs as well."
Another early standout has been half-back Aaron Sharkie, who has been among the most consistent Chargers early doors, and like Grlj, will miss the middle portion of the season due to AGSV football commitments.
“His off-season set him up,” Close revealed.
“He put on size, ran a low six-minute [two-kilometre time trial] and did everything right in the off-season, so I think you're seeing that consistency in behaviour translate into football performance.
“He sees the game really well in front of him and can break lines and turn you around the other way with his running power.”
Close also offered an insight into AFL Academy tall Louis Emmett's season.
Coming off a glittering bottom-aged campaign and having impressed by running a blistering 6:06 two-kilometre time trial in pre-season, his volume has been lower in 2025, but he's still shown the attributes that have him in first-round contention.
Emmett's 15-disposal, five-clearance AFL Academy game gave the industry a stern reminder of his talent.
“We focused (in pre-season) on what is important to his role, which is his aerial,” Close said.
“His kicking has grown – if he is going to get around the ground and outnumber, he needs to use it well and he has been.”
Also in Oakleigh's squad is Tom Phillips, boarding at Oakleigh but originally from East Fremantle and part of the Western Australia U18s squad, and also a member of Fremantle's Next Generation Academy.
“He's flown under the radar," Close said.
“He's got a really nice step on him, he's quite evasive and is a tall midfielder/halfback and he's quite composed with ball in hand.
“He's one of those players where the game slows down around him which is rare to find."
Several others have put their names in draft contention for the Chargers, including hard-worker Sam Allen and clean midfielder Hunter Holmes – the brother of Geelong star Max.
Allen has graduated from the wing to midfield in 2025.
“He's setting records with the GPS every week,” Close said of Allen.
“He's the best athlete I've ever seen in terms of football.
“He's outstanding with his work rate and leadership.
“We've been getting him up around the ball a bit more – he has no problems finding it and Coates League games are probably too short for him because if there was another quarter, he'd run people into the ground.
“It's exciting to think what he could do next year when he's playing 20 minutes and time on because he's a terrific athlete.
“He's got nice aerial as well so he's doing really well.”
Holmes has bolted into draft contention this season as a highly skilled, hard-running midfielder
“His attitude to want to get better and step up to challenges has been really impressive,” Close said.
“I love his clean hands, he's quite crafty around stoppages and he's got natural burst so he can be a metres-gained player as well."
Close also praised Carlton Next Generation Academy prospect Jack Ison, who is yet to figure this year due to injury, and will now focus on school footy commitments for Scotch College, but he had a pre-season that should get Blues' fans excited.
“He's probably one who will turn heads when you get a look at him,” Close said.
“He's a different beast this year after spending time with Carlton in pre-season – I'm really excited for when he gets back, he'll play a mix of mid-forward for us.”
Defenders Max Kondogiannis and Ben Fergusson have also impressed, with Close noting a strong pre-season precipitated Kondogiannis' form spike as a strong interceptor, while praising Fergusson's kicking.
Alongside that pair, strong aerialist Ned La Motte and the speedy Archer Ryan also got Vic Metro trials.
Close also spoke to Craft of the Draft about Collingwood NGA pair Zac McCarthy and Jai Saxena.
From a Mid-Season Draft perspective, the Chargers had Jez Rigoni, also listed at the Sandringham Zebras, and Noah Yze, who got early exposure for Casey Demons and represented the Young Guns.
The Chargers are next in action against Gold Coast Academy at People First Stadium on Sunday, May 11.
