“I like that people want to watch me”: The Rugby League convert emerging as a top AFL Draft prospect

Gold Coast Academy player Dylan Patterson's arrival as an AFL Draft prospect provides the perfect rebuttal to naysayers of the current Northern Academies system.

Patterson, who presents as a potential top 10 player in this year's crop, was initially part of Brisbane's Academy before moving to the Suns aged 13 due to his family relocating.

The Suns get priority access to match bids for their talent at a discounted price, given the club has scouted and developed the players within their club for several years, a sentiment that has drawn the ire of opponents, due to the stream of talent continually pouring through the Academy.

The work put into him ensured Patterson was nourished at a talent pathway level from a young age, helping keep him in the sport, and away from the lure of rugby league when making a decision between the two last year.

“We start our program from a young age and make it community-focused in the early years," fourth-year Suns Academy coach Jarrod Cotton told Zero Hanger's Craft of the Draft. 

“Hopefully (by) having more kids that get drafted, more players are incentivised to play footy in Queensland and get drafted.

“It gives them hope and belief there is a system and pathway here for them.”

A talented fullback at club and school level, Patterson received contract offers from four separate NRL-aligned clubs at the age of 15.

The setup of rugby league's talent pathway allows clubs to list players from 15 years old, despite almost never being allowed to play at the top-flight until after their 18^th birthday.

Effectively, it means players choosing between rugby league and Aussie Rules receive payment and contract security at a younger age in league, highlighting the significance of nurturing the best Aussie Rules talent in a stable environment from an early age.

Northern clubs' carrot of selecting the cream of their Academy crop for a discounted price incentivises them to invest resources into junior footy, which has led to three consecutive years of record growth in AFL in Queensland.

“I had two avenues, so if I wanted to go and play rugby league, it was definitely an option and AFL was an option,” Patterson said.

“Having both pathways was great, but you always come back to what you love, what your family love and what you grow up with.

“I realise it might be the right decision, and I haven't regretted it since.

“I love rugby league and a lot of my close mates are playing it but footy's a bit more entertaining for me.”

That Patterson considers Aussie Rules a sport he's ‘grown up with' is a significant insight into the growth of football in the state.

And Patterson is more than just a poster boy in one of the game's most debated political boxing matches.

His box-office aura and edgy skillset would make him an ideal pin-up boy for the Suns' next generation.

The dash and dare is conducive with the future of the game and can be packaged into captivating highlight reels for an age which increasingly consumes footy via social media reels.

“I like that people want to watch me”: Patterson the entertainer

Zeke Uwland's long-established stardom, Kalani White's surname, and Beau Addinsall's continual stats sheet stuffing has somehow, somewhat overshadowed Patterson's exploits for an extended period.

But if entering 2025, his reputation belied his talent, the two are now well and truly married up, not least because recruiters and spectators alike leave Patterson's games with a new highlight – or several – replaying in their minds.

“When you've got a bit of talent, you enjoy being able to show it,” Patterson said.

“I like that people want to watch me and I really thrive off pressure and crowds and team environments, and I like being good at something.”

A pre-season with Gold Coast's AFL squad set up Patterson for his season so far, which those in his circle knew he was capable of.

Playing off half-back in the AFL Academy series, Patterson got 16 disposals in both games, with his wow factor in game one off the charts as he broke lines, crashed packs and manufactured moments most wouldn't even dream of, let alone dare execute, in a game of such magnitude.

Patterson's Gold Coast Academy series maintained the high level: his aggression would make even his rugby league mates take notice, the clean skills and athleticism would take the eye of recruiters and his running bounces would have popular Instagram creator Cench Footy drooling.

The standout AFL and Gold Coast Academy series followed a fine U17s trial for Queensland last year which laid the platform for an equally clinical performance in the Futures game on the day of last year's AFL Grand Final.

“I really focused on not doing too much (in the Futures game),” Patterson said.

“I like a lot of contact in defence so I wanted to make that a real base of my performance on that day.

“A lot of boys wanted to show offence, but everyone knows you can play offence and offence comes off the back of defence, so if you're getting to the right spots defensively then it will end up in your hands anyway.”

That aggressiveness has been a feature of his footy in 2025 playing off half-back, which has also allowed him to fly for marks – a concealed strength when he plays in the middle.

There's some rugby league fullback traits which infiltrate the way he approaches the position too.

“I like looking at the game front on so I can see all the players which is why I think I'm handy off half-back,” Patterson said.

“Being able to use my speed to get outside as well and then catch the ball and then also kick is handy to go into a sport you haven't played much of and be able to strive very quickly so I think that part of my game translates.”

While Patterson oozes talent and athleticism, the eye-opener of spending time immersed in an AFL pre-season was the behind-the-scenes work, which Patterson has now lifted.

Few have ever questioned that he has the talent to reach the top level, but he has become a better holistic high-performance athlete.

Skipper Touk Miller was the player Patterson noted across the six weeks, having trained mostly with the midfielders.

“I was matched up on Touk Miller at times, so I was chucked in the deep end and told to stick with him, and it makes you realise how hard he works and how many extras he actually does,” the teenager said.

“I think it's just to give us an insight into what happens at AFL system so we can see how much hard work goes into it - it's not just like getting paid to kick a footy.

“When you watch the players who get good stats every single games, you think they must just be freak athletes but you don't realise how much they're doing to get to that stage and in the gym,” Patterson noted.

“No one works harder than Touk Miller, he's always in there first getting everything done and he's always doing extras and making sure everyone around him is accountable.

“You feel honoured to be in his presence.

“It's people like that who you want at your club and it made us all strive to be better.

“My work rate increased heaps and now it's coming out in U18s footy.”

His Suns Academy coach highlighted the way Patterson's league background has shone through.

“The way he can move and go sideways really quickly is really impressive,” Cotton said.

“It helps that he's fast but his ability to see something and dodge it really quickly is instinctive, and his tackle pressure from a frontal or chase-down point-of-view is really strong.

“I played him mainly through the midfield last year to teach him about contest and the last three to four weeks, I put him to half-back to teach him about defending to build that element into his game.

“He can be hard to stop, and his kicking is next level and he can break lines.

“He's a really exciting player and has lots to learn still, but if we can build defence into his game then he'll be a dangerous player.”