Will Ashcroft
| Will Ashcroft | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Will Ashcroft | ||
| Date of birth | 6 May 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Gold Coast, Queensland | ||
| Original team(s) | Sandringham Dragons(NAB League)/Brighton Grammar (APS) / Southport (QAFL) / Broadbeach (QAFL) | ||
| Height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Sandringham Dragons | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Will Ashcroft (born 6 May 2004) is an Australian footballer who plays for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was taken as pick number 2, under the father–son rule.
Early life
Ashcroft was born and raised on the Gold Coast[1] where he attended All Saints Anglican School for most of his youth.[2] His father Marcus Ashcroft, is a three-time AFL premiership player who competed in 318 games for the Brisbane Bears/Lions over the course of his 15-year career.[3] Ashcroft played a variety of sports while growing up on the Gold Coast and was selected to represent Queensland in swimming as well as athletics before focusing on Australian rules football.[4] He began playing junior football for Broadbeach in the local Gold Coast Junior AFL competition and was identified as a standout by the Gold Coast Suns in 2014 at 10 years of age when he accepted an offer to take part in their development academy program as an under-age invitee.[4]
Ashcroft's personal training standards are inspired by Gary Ablett Jr. and Touk Miller, with whom he spent time while training at the Gold Coast Suns.[5] At 13 years of age, he switched clubs and began playing for Southport in the under-16s Gold Coast AFL competition as well as representing Queensland at 2018 U15 AFL National Championships where his performances earned him All-Australian honours as a bottom ager.[6] He was also awarded the Gold Coast Suns U14s Academy Player of the Year award at the conclusion of the 2018 season.[7] Ashcroft relocated to Melbourne in 2019 where he began attending Brighton Grammar and once again competed inthe U15 AFL National Championships, although this time he would captain Victoria to an undefeated gold medal performance.[8]
After a COVID-19 interrupted 2020 season, Ashcroft was announced as a top draft prospect in 2021 after performing well for Victoria Metro in the U17 National Championships.[9] Despite spending most of his childhood on the Gold Coast and five years in the Suns academy, the AFL ruled in April 2021 that Ashcroft was ineligible to be drafted by the Gold Coast Suns.[10]
Ashcroft captained the Sandringham Dragons to a NAB League premiership and Victoria Metro to an U18 National Championship He was later appointed captain of the U18 All-Australian team and awarded the Larke Medal.[11]
After finishing his Victorian Certificate of Education at Brighton Grammar, he began studying commerce and sports management at Deakin University.[12] In August 2022, Ashcroft decided to return to his home state of Queensland and nominated for the 2022 AFL draft as a father-son selection for the Brisbane Lions.[13]
AFL career
After officially nominating as a father-son selection for the Brisbane Lions, Ashcroft is expected to be bid on with the first selection in the 2022 AFL draft.[14]
Personal life
Ashcroft has said that playing for the same club as his father was a reason behind his decision to sign with the Brisbane Lions, and that he hopes his brother Levi Ashcroft, who also plays for Sandringham, will join him at the Lions in the future.[15] Levi Ashcroft is expected to be drafted to the major league in 2024.[16]
References
- ^ "Brisbane Lions father-son prospect Will Ashcroft makes early claim to be AFL's No.1 draft pick". Fox Sports. 2 May 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ "Saints Alive: Middle/Senior Sport Updates". All Saints Anglican School. 20 April 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ "Queensland Football Hall of Fame: Marcus Ashcroft (Legend)". AFL Queensland. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ a b Hamilton, Andrew (29 November 2014). "Will Ashcroft, son of Marcus, could be centre of tug of war between Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
- ^ Waterworth, Ben (20 October 2022). "How ready-made pro with dream footy childhood became AFL's top prospect: Full Q&A". Fox Sports Australia. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ Cheadle, Josh (31 July 2018). "Four Academy members earn All-Australian honours". Gold Coast Suns. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ "2018 SUNS Academy Awards". Gold Coast Suns. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ "Ashcroft appointed Captain". Brighton Grammar School. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ Sheehan, Kevin (27 June 2021). "U17 CHAMPS: Son of three-peat Lion stars as Metro roars past Country". Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ "Lions win crosstown battle for access to son of triple premiership star". AFL.com.au. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
- ^ Mottram, Seb (18 September 2022). "Hype surrounding Lions father-son booms after huge Grand Final outing". www.sen.com.au. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ Cavanagh, Chris (12 March 2022). "AFL draft news: Potential No.1 pick Will Ashcroft yet to decide on Brisbane father-son nomination". The Herald Sun. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ Twomey, Callum (4 August 2022). "Lions' HUGE draft boost: No.1 contender opts into father-son rule". The Herald Sun. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ Twomey, Callum (4 August 2022). "Lions' HUGE draft boost: No.1 contender opts into father-son rule". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- ^ Smith, Martin (27 August 2022). "Family ties: Brotherly love behind Ashcroft's move north". afl.com.au. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ Monteverde, Marco (12 August 2022). "Will Ashcroft would be proud to call his brother Levi a Brisbane Lions teammate". News.com.au. Retrieved 11 October 2022.