AFL Draft prospect Lachy Carmichael knew he had more to give.
Noted for his work ethic and touted as a talent to watch since taking out the Sydney Academy's U16s MVP, Carmichael has always been viewed as reliable. However, he was somewhat overshadowed by fellow Swans Academy talent Max King and Noah Chamberlain entering 2025.
But he proved he had star factor at the National Championships, elevating his stock on the biggest stage and with the eyes of the talent pathway industry laser-focused.
“I went into ‘champs' feeling like you can be in the AFL Academy but you can be underappreciated (compared to) some of the other boys, whether that's from a media perspective or the boys themselves,” Carmichael told Craft of the Draft.
“I felt like I had more to give than what I did in those AFL Academy games, so I went into the ‘champs' wanting to show what I've got and that they might be thinking wrong.”
“Those AFL Academy games”, which Carmichael references, were by no means horrible – the gap between Carmichael's best and worst games is brilliantly narrow, which has ensured his output has remained consistent in 2025.
But in such an uber-talented lineup, the pair of games affirmed his capacity to play in the backline, a position he's occupied throughout his time for Sydney's Academy, and for the Allies as a bottom-ager.
Having, like most, grown up as a midfielder, Carmichael was desperate not to be pigeon-holed.
“I was questioned as just a one-trick pony coming into 'champs' being a halfback, so I think it was really important I got to go into the midfield and hit the scoreboard a bit to show I can play multiple positions,” Carmichael said.
“I wanted to have damage factor, so I took it on a bit more and showed I'm not the cheap disposal halfbacker.”
That midfield time in the second half of the National Championships came off the back of a reputation-enhancing second match, which justified his self-belief and altered the perception around his ceiling.
Captaining the Allies in its match on Marvel Stadium, Carmichael led his team to a last-gasp victory with a best afield performance that included 27 disposals, 431 metres gained and seven score involvements
“It helped that I was in the captaincy position that game. I didn't think about myself too much, more so what I could do for the team, and my individual performance came from that,” Carmichael said.
“It got me in positions to make the right plays and ensured I made the right decisions with the footy in hand and doing the simple stuff right.”
Now viewed as a potential first-rounder, Carmichael maintained that form for the rest of the carnival, taking out the Allies MVP as he proved an effective ball-carrier, poised distributor and daring decision-maker.
Tellingly, Carmichael's stellar form, alongside injuries to several Allies, unlocked midfield minutes in each of the last two games.
After making an impact when he rotated into the midfield against Vic Country, he started on the ball against Vic Metro and showcased those skills at the contest that have formed the backbone of his game before starting his talent pathway career.
Carmichael made his VFL debut last weekend for the Swans, combining 16 disposals with six tackles and showing great competitiveness to mirror the off-field work ethic that those around him laud.
Having represented New South Wales at underage basketball before choosing to pursue the footy pathway as a 16-year-old, Carmichael has long been exposed to high-performance environments.
“It's within me, I want to get the best out of myself and know I have more to give,” the Swans Academy prospect said.
“I'm big on putting my head on the pillow knowing I've given my all in all aspects of life, knowing I put in all I can gives me that (peace of) mind.
“I feel like I've still got more to give, but I can't be unhappy with the 'champs', particularly.
“I think I showed what I could do to a certain extent, but I still have more to give.”
A long-time member of the Sydney Swans Academy, Carmichael got the opportunity to train at the Swans in pre-season, leaning on Swans star Tom Papley, who has matched up on the competition's best small defenders.
“I've done a couple of sessions with Tom Papley, he's been really good,” Carmichael said.
“He's been in the game for a while now and taught me little intricacies about how to get better, and moreover, he knows what the good defenders do on him, so he taught me a bit about that as well.”
Asked what a one-on-one between himself and Papley would look like, his witty response reveals the cheeky character that has made him a popular member of the teams he's represented: “A lot of chat, not about skinfolds.”
