Discussion 2025: Cash Cows
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Gold Coast’s top draft pick Leo Lombard firms for Opening Round debut after impressive pre-season
Gold Coast’s first pick in last year’s draft is closing in on an early-season debut after impressing in his first pre-season under Damien Hardwick’s watch.
Callum ****
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2 min read
February 19, 2025 - 10:52AM
Gold Coast Suns small forward Leo Lombard is in the box seat to make an Opening Round AFL debut after a superb start to life as an AFL player that has left teammates and coaches singing his praises.
Lombard, 18, is one of the most ready-made players of last year’s draft class combining speed, power and skill in a physically mature body that belies his young age.
“He’s a bit like a Tassie devil, just trying to get in there amongst it,” teammate Jed Walter said of the 2024 No. 9 draft pick.
“He’s been unbelievable. The way he tackles is quite scary sometimes.
“He’s fit into the team seamlessly and I’m really excited to see what he does this year.”
Last October, Lombard showed a glimpse of his incredible athleticism when he produced the sixth-best agility test result in the history of the AFL draft combine.
The Suns Academy product has two years of VFL experience under his belt entering the club’s AFL system and has taken to the pre-season like a duck to water, staking a claim to immediately start the season in the forward line.
“He’s 100 per cent in the frame,” Suns forwards coach Brad Miller declared.
“He’s got one of those bodies – he’s not a lightly-framed 18-year-old small forward. He’s thickly built, he’s hard at the footy, he tackles and pressures.
“We’ll see how he goes over the next couple of weeks, but he’s put his hand up with his form particularly post-Christmas.”
Gold Coast will get a first proper look at Lombard in the cut and thrust of AFL football when the Suns host Brisbane and Collingwood in a three-way practice match at People First Stadium on Thursday.
Since returning from the Christmas break Lombard has cemented himself in the Suns’ presumptive starting side across multiple match simulations, combining his trademark manic forward-half pressure and a touch of class with ball in-hand.
If he can replicate that against the Lions and Magpies on Thursday, he will almost certainly cement his place in Damien Hardwick’s best 23 for the March 8 season opener against Essendon
Gold Coast’s first pick in last year’s draft is closing in on an early-season debut after impressing in his first pre-season under Damien Hardwick’s watch.
Callum ****
Follow
2 min read
February 19, 2025 - 10:52AM
Gold Coast Suns small forward Leo Lombard is in the box seat to make an Opening Round AFL debut after a superb start to life as an AFL player that has left teammates and coaches singing his praises.
Lombard, 18, is one of the most ready-made players of last year’s draft class combining speed, power and skill in a physically mature body that belies his young age.
“He’s a bit like a Tassie devil, just trying to get in there amongst it,” teammate Jed Walter said of the 2024 No. 9 draft pick.
“He’s been unbelievable. The way he tackles is quite scary sometimes.
“He’s fit into the team seamlessly and I’m really excited to see what he does this year.”
Last October, Lombard showed a glimpse of his incredible athleticism when he produced the sixth-best agility test result in the history of the AFL draft combine.
The Suns Academy product has two years of VFL experience under his belt entering the club’s AFL system and has taken to the pre-season like a duck to water, staking a claim to immediately start the season in the forward line.
“He’s 100 per cent in the frame,” Suns forwards coach Brad Miller declared.
“He’s got one of those bodies – he’s not a lightly-framed 18-year-old small forward. He’s thickly built, he’s hard at the footy, he tackles and pressures.
“We’ll see how he goes over the next couple of weeks, but he’s put his hand up with his form particularly post-Christmas.”
Gold Coast will get a first proper look at Lombard in the cut and thrust of AFL football when the Suns host Brisbane and Collingwood in a three-way practice match at People First Stadium on Thursday.
Since returning from the Christmas break Lombard has cemented himself in the Suns’ presumptive starting side across multiple match simulations, combining his trademark manic forward-half pressure and a touch of class with ball in-hand.
If he can replicate that against the Lions and Magpies on Thursday, he will almost certainly cement his place in Damien Hardwick’s best 23 for the March 8 season opener against Essendon
https://www.afldraftpros.com.au/fantasy-blog/preseason-player-interview-series-toby-greene
This part caught my eye :-
That sounds very promising, maybe able to field him pending his form in the preseason games.
This part caught my eye :-
That sounds very promising, maybe able to field him pending his form in the preseason games.
If he wins the spot he'll be a very easy choice. He had good wraps about his move to defense last year, and had decent run, carry, and kicking out of the backline. He's got the inside running having had about half a season in the reserves practicing in the spot, but I don't think he's a lock quite yet.
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Kind of hoping he has a very meh preseason and r0. Rate him very highly and think he will score very well in the role over the season. Definitely a few more options on their list though so going to need to play well. Fonti out a couple is a big risk that we have no answer on.
Defense is going to be his big question.
Defense is going to be his big question.
He started there, got his opportunities on the wing these last few seasons, but you're right - Kingsley mentioned Wehr moving back this preseason. I'm not sure if he'll stick because we're also short on wing depth (Cumming gone, Ward on his last year).
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Angove, Gothard and Leake in the frame to debut opening round.
View: https://twitter.com/GWSGIANTS/status/1892363633516302759
View: https://twitter.com/GWSGIANTS/status/1892363633516302759
- Joined
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- Messages
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- 84,239
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
- Joined
- 6 Jan 2013
- Messages
- 19,720
- Likes
- 84,239
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
- Joined
- 6 Jan 2013
- Messages
- 19,720
- Likes
- 84,239
- AFL Club
- Melbourne