James Barrat: Arguably the best contested mark in the Victorian crop, Barrat has shot up draft boards early in 2024. Made a statement in 2022, kicking seven goals in an under-16s game for Bendigo and has shown that sort of form this season, averaging six shots on goal per game. Aggression underpins his game, with his pack-crashing, strength and hard tackling all features.

Jasper Alger: Has quietly played some stellar footy at APS level, averaging four goals per game for Caulfield Grammar so far in 2024. The small forward also dazzled with his craft, cleanliness and marking in the Vic Country trial game. Alger, a Gippsland native, is representing Oakleigh this year after being part of the Power program last season.

Oliver Warburton: A ball magnet with clean hands and strong stoppage craft, Warburton wins the hardball and releases teammates with ease. Also an important piece for Caulfield Grammar, the boarder trained with Sandringham and is strongly built. Also looks to show his versatility off halfback.

River Stevens: The North Melbourne father-son prospect has grown as the season has progressed, with the nimble forward bringing speed and energy forward of centre.

Ollie Hannaford: A consistent halfback whose power, x-factor and tackling pressure have underscored his excellent start to 2024, His defensive application and flair makes him a sound halfback and he’s also at home in the midfield. 

Joe Berry: One of the biggest risers so far of the 2024 draft class, Berry is a small forward with speed, agility, goal nous and deceptively strong overhead ability. His skillset gives him so many avenues to goal and he generally converts.

Rhys Unwin: Plays with x-factor but injury has kept him out of the early part of 2024. A dynamic and creative small forward who finds space inside 50 and the big sticks regularly.

Connor Evans: Played his breakout game for Bendigo at the perfect game, taking seven marks in an intercepting masterclass against Gippsland in round 11 on the eve of national championships. Has finally had a clean run at it in 2024 after a spate of injuries, with his aerial work and composure his strengths.

Mitch Lloyd: Developing by the week, Lloyd has several scalps this year, his first in the backline. His strength and body positioning make him tough to outmark, and he’s also shown a boldness with his attacking thrusts.

Cohen Paul: At 193cm, he has a prototype midfielder’s build with his overhead ability also making him a sound option inside 50 or on the wing. Has power and strength, which he showed in a strong vein of form prior to the national championships.

Xavier Ivisic: Speedy, silky and hard to tackle, Ivisic boosted his draft stocks with a strong performance to open the national championships. It was his productivity in the midfield that caught the eye that day, but he can also played as a small forward, with his scoreboard impact and ball-winning other attributes.

Lachie Jaques: A rebounder willing to put his head over it or take an intercept mark, Jaques plays with dash and excitement, setting the game up for his team off halfback.Has been effective with the footy so far in 2024.

Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves: A highly-regarded bottom-ager, Hibbins-Hargreaves is brave overhead and has made a habit of converting clutch set shots for Dandenong. Has dash and is dangerous inside 50.

Willem Duursma: A high-level basketballer, Duursma is the fourth Duursma to come through the pipeline, with siblings Xavier, Yasmin and Zane all AFL/W listed. An early contender for the 2024 number one pick, Duursma has the prototypical skills of a basketballer, with his silkiness and spatial awareness. Reads the game excellently, is competitive overhead and brings dash. Will feature on plenty of highlight reels.

Riley Onley: A big-bodied midfielder, the esteem he’s held in was shown not only by his inclusion in the Vic Country squad, but in the fact that the bottom-aged prospect was given midfield minutes. Combines his size and cleanliness well to win clearances.

Jack Ough: An under-16s Vic Country representative, Ough had an injury-interrupted bottom-aged campaign but has shown some upside this season. Has the build to play inside but has played his best footy on the wing, using his aerobic capacity to impact offensively and defensively, with his clean disposal in transition a feature.

Cooper Hynes: Has strung together a block of excellent form in the lead up to the national championships, with his strength and power damaging for Dandenong. The Stingrays co-captain can use his size to explode through traffic and is a tough matchup in the forward line with his marking and one-on-one ability.

Riak Andrew: A Melbourne Next Generation Academy prospect, Andrew is the sole 19-year-old in the Vic Country squad. The raw intercepting defender is the brother of Gold Coast’s Mac and showed his intercepting in Dandenong’s last game of last season, showing similar upside at times in 2024.

Flynn Penry: Injured through the early part of 2024, Penry has the ability to take contested marks and plays with a likeable calmness with ball in hand. Will look to impose himself on some contests in the second half of the season.

Floyd Burmeister: At 198cm, his size and athleticism have made him a player to watch since he pieced together a noteworthy preseason. Works hard and takes marks leading up, while also spending minutes as a relieving ruck.