Southport small forward Campbell Lake has courted interest from at least two clubs ahead of the Mid-Season Rookie Draft.
St Kilda and Carlton are understood to have expressed interest in the 175cm 21-year-old.
Overlooked in the 2022 AFL National Draft before returning the following year to line up for Gold Coast's Academy as a 19-year-old alongside Jed Walter, Ethan Read, Jake Rogers and Will Graham, the knock on him at the time was his field kicking, but he has always played with a strong blend of talent and hunger.
“He was the first magnet I would chuck up on the whiteboard each week,” Gold Coast Academy coach Jarrod Cotton recalled of Lake.
“His speed, intent and tackle pressure as a small forward, his pressure in particular, was elite. I'm glad he's gone on to Southport and played strong footy.
“He's a local footy who has worked his bum off. He was one of my favourite players when he was here.
“You always know you'll get effort and intent with ‘Lakey' and his decision-making has really improved.”
Sharks coach Matthew Primus said he's been a pillar of consistency across the past month amid the side's up-and-down form and has plenty of traits transferrable onto an AFL list.
The Mid-Season Rookie Draft will be held on Tuesday 26 May.
“He has a great appetite for the contest and working hard in defence and offence and has a great appetite for improving his game,” Primus told Zero Hanger.
“His speed and endurance, willingness to tackle hard and put his head in the hole is really impressive.
“He's worked really hard on his kicking. He's had a big pre-season of working on it. It's about him taking the pressure off himself but when he's in an AFL environment, I'm confident about what the improvement could be.”
