Levi Ashcroft coming home strong in race with Dan Curtin and Murphy Reid for Rising Star

7NEWS

4 days ago

Levi Ashcroft is 'all over' his competitors in the race for the AFL's Rising Star award this year.
That's according to The Agenda Setters ' Caroline Wilson, who says the Brisbane youngster should be the clear favourite with two weeks left in the season.
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In one of the most tightly contested Rising Star fields in years, Ashcroft sits third favourite with the bookmakers behind Adelaide utility Dan Curtin and Fremantle forward Murphy Reid.
He had been the outright favourite for most of the year until a recent burst of form from Curtin and later Reid.
Essendon rebounder Archie Roberts, Melbourne midfield bull Harvey Langford and Geelong defender Connor O'Sullivan are the other contenders for the gong.
Ashcroft has slipped seamlessly into the 23 of the reigning premiers and has not missed a game since debuting in Opening Round, but has been made to play out of his natural position.
The 18-year-old was arguably the best inside midfielder in the draft last year, but has had to learn his craft as a winger for the Lions, with the likes of Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley, Hugh McCluggage and his brother Will Ashcroft all ahead of him in the midfield queue.
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With Neale out last Saturday against Sydney, Ashcroft — albeit still mostly playing on the wing — was able to step up and shine with 27 disposals and a goal.
'He got a go against Sydney on the weekend — I thought he was fabulous,' Wilson said of Ashcroft on Tuesday night.
'I think his evenness as a first-year player — it's better than Curtin, it's better than Reid.
'And remember, his brother was pretty hardly done-by (with injury) two years ago, not winning it.
'I think Levi is the standout.
'Curtin and Reid have probably had better, more spectacular games. But in terms of consistency, Levi's all over them.
'I think he's hurt by the fact his name's Ashcroft.'
Until Round 14, Curtin was averaging just 10.9 disposals and 0.3 goals per game. Since then, he's averaged 18.7 touches and 0.7 goals.
It's an undeniable spike in form from the 197cm second-year player — but Ashcroft has averaged 20.0 touches for the entire year, kicked one more goal than Curtin, and has had 12 games of 20 disposals or more. Curtin has had five.
Curtin has had fewer than 10 touches in a game seven times. Ashcroft hasn't gone under 11 once.
'We were hardly talking about Curtin at Round 10; we've been talking about Levi the whole time,' Luke Hodge said.
As a small forward, Reid is a different prospect for the award, and should be compared differently.
He's only had one game of 20 disposals or more, but has kicked 22 goals and had 19 direct assists, including two games with four-goal hauls.