GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 26: Will Ashcroft of Vic Metro celebrates a goal during the U17 Championships match between Vic Country and Vic Metro at GMHBA Stadium on June 26, 2021 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos)
Brisbane will get their first look at highly-touted draft prospect and potential father-son selection Will Ashcroft this week, with the teenager set to line up for the Lions' reserves in the VFL.
Ashcroft, the son of three-time premiership Lion, Marcus, has already staked his claim as an early first-round consideration for this year's National Draft, having dazzled for the Sandringham Dragons and Vic Metro across the past 12 months.
The 17-year-old has amassed a strong run of form to start the 2022 NAB League season, amassing three consecutive performances of 34 touches or more in recent weeks.
With the Dragons not playing again until their Round 7 fixture against the Eastern Ranges on May 22, Ashcroft is now set to pull on the maroon, blue and gold for Brisbane reserves.
As revealed by AFL.com.au's Cal Twomey, the offspring of the club's 318-game champion will train with the Lions' AFL squad in the coming days before featuring under senior coach Mitch Hahn in the VFL as the Lions travel to the SCG on Sunday.
Ashcroft took part in pre-season training under the eye of Chris Fagan earlier this year, with the Lions hopeful the Brighton Grammar graduate will opt to be taken as a father-son pick at year's end.
Life in Melbourne could be a lure for Ashcroft to consider otherwise, with the promising ball-winner recently expressing his content for the footy-centric city since moving south from Queensland four years ago.
“I love it in Melbourne. I think I’m a Melburnian now – I’ve been here for long enough,” Ashcroft told News Corp last month.
“I’m at uni here, my whole family’s here and I’m playing footy here so at the moment I’m just trying to take it day by day, to be honest.
“I think it (the father-son decision) is in the back of my mind at the moment.
“It’s not at the forefront. I’m just trying to improve my game and looking forward to the year ahead.
“But I think when the time comes it will be weighed up pretty heavily.
“It’s a pretty big decision for myself and my family. So it’s definitely there but it’s nowhere near time to think about that.”
Details for the 2022 National Draft are yet to be disclosed by the AFL, with Ashcroft and fellow AFL hopefuls out to impress across state and national competitions in the months to come.