The Brisbane Lions will be coming away from the 2022 National Draft with perhaps the most impressive prospect: father-son gun Will Ashcroft.
Ashcroft, the son of former Lion Marcus, is widely regarded as this year's best incoming player, along with the likes of George Wardlaw and Elijah Tsatas, among others.
Meanwhile, throughout the free agency and trade period, the Lions welcomed Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley and Hawthorn veteran utility Jack Gunston, while farewelling Daniel McStay to Collingwood and Tom Berry to the Gold Coast Suns.
So, with Brisbane's 2023 list close to finalised, we take a look at their options for this month's draft.
Draft Hand
Picks: 34, 35, 36, 38, 55, 73, and 91.
The majority of Brisbane's selections, currently totalling 2,247 draft points, will be used to compensate for a matched bid for Ashcroft, which requires 2,400 points, leaving the Lions with few opportunities to salvage talent on November 28-29.
Further, the Lions will have to consider their trade options if they're to also match a bid for father-son and Lions Academy prospect Jaspa Fletcher, who is also an eye-catching midfielder.
Obviously, with the trading of selections between clubs permitted up to and during this year's draft, the Lions still have plenty of time to orchestrate exchanges in order to retrieve the requisite amount of draft points to match bids for both Ashcroft and Fletcher.
List Needs
Taking into consideration the Dunkley acquisition, the likely midfielder haul coming on draft night, and the simple fact that the Lions are set at most positions on the field, Brisbane might look to the forward end of the ground for one of their later draft choices.
Following the departure of key position forward Daniel McStay to Collingwood during the free agency period, there is an argument to be made that the Lions' list committee should consider adding another key forward to their mix, despite having acquired Gunston.
The high-marking, long-kicking Joe Daniher currently represents Brisbane's main forward-50 target, with the rangy Eric Hipwood also presenting as a formidable leading target.
Brisbane could opt for a developmental-type key forward prospect in the later rounds of this month's draft to learn behind the Lions' current crop of dangerous forwards.
Ideal Prospects
Will Ashcroft:
Ashcroft, who will head to Woolloongabba following draft night after nominating to become a Brisbane player and committing to a two-year contract on top of his initial two-year rookie deal, enters this year's festivities as one of the most prolific and damaging midfielder prospects in the nation.
Ashcroft, the Sandringham Dragons' skipper this year, was a consistent accumulator for the NAB League outfit in 2022, averaging 34.5 disposals and 3.3 marks across 14 games, as well as flexing his leadership capabilities.
Among Ashcroft's 2022 highlights, the ball-winning beast took home the Larke Medal as best-and-fairest during the 2022 NAB AFL U18 National Championships, as well as his earth-shattering 51-disposal performance (featuring 27 contested possessions, 14 clearances, nine inside-50s, and seven score involvements) in a win against the Western Jets.
Jaspa Fletcher:
Fletcher, like Ashcroft, is a Lions father-son candidate despite his father, Adrian, also having played for Geelong, St Kilda, and Fremantle throughout his career.
A balanced and versatile midfielder who is also capable of kicking goals, Fletcher has played at various levels throughout the past couple of seasons, appearing in a number of National Championship games for the Allies as well as for Sherwood's seniors in the QAFL.
Playing for the Lions Academy, Fletcher averaged 18.7 disposals, 7 marks, and 3.3 tackles per contest across a three-game 2022 campaign that was cut short due to a foot stress fracture ailment.
Tom Scully:
West Adelaide prospect Tom Scully could ve a project player the Lions look toward at the back end of the draft.
The 203cm-tall forward is shot onto the draft scene in recent years after surpassing the two-metre barrier and showcasing his elite goalkicking acumen with the Bloods in the SANFL Under-18s competition, where he booted 50 goals for the year.
With the likes of Daniher, Hipwood and Gunston leading the tall-forward pack at Brisbane for the years to come, Scully can focus on his development at the lower level before being unleashed in the AFL.
With Brisbane's handful of picks set to significantly change come draft night thanks to matched father-son bids, the Lions could look to re-enter the draft to secure a talent like Scully.
