Brisbane Lions midfielder Will Ashcroft is the AFL Rising Star nominee for Round 2 for his performance against Melbourne on Friday night.  

Ashcroft, who was taken at pick two in the 2022 NAB AFL Draft, produced a strong performance in the Lions win which saw him rack up 31 disposals including nine clearances and a goal. 

Friday’s win was just the second game of the 18-year-old’s AFL career, after making his debut against Port Adelaide last week. 

Lions senior coach Chris Fagan said he was impressed with not only the way Ashcroft played on Friday night but also the way he responded after his team’s disappointing loss the week before. 

“They all had a quiet game against Port last week so it was always going to be interesting to see how Will would bounce back, as he is only a young player in his second game,” he said. 

“He was just like Lachie Neale and Josh Dunkley and those guys, he bounced back hard. 

“To play as well as he did against the Melbourne midfield was pretty encouraging, and knowing Will he will definitely keep trying to play at that level or even better.” 

Ashcroft, the son of Brisbane Lions Club legend and triple premiership player Marcus Ashcroft, had received high praise from his coach well before his Rising Star nominee. 

According to Fagan the talented young midfielder displays traits of seasoned veterans. 

“What is more impressive about Will is his professionalism for someone so young, usually that is something you have to teach players when they come into the AFL system,” he said. 

“They are normally a little way along the pathway but as far as Will is, he lives an elite lifestyle, he trains with great purpose and his game understanding is at a high level for his age. 

“And that’s all because he has been working on his game for a long, long time. It has nothing to do with anything we have done since he arrived, it is all him as a person. 

“He is always striving to be the best version of himself and that is an exciting attribute for a young bloke to have.” 

Coming through the junior ranks, Ashcroft played with Southport and Broadbeach in Queensland before moving to Melbourne where he played for Old Brighton Grammarians. 

He then went on to captain the Sandringham Dragons to premiership in the Coates Talent League as well as featuring in several VFL matches for the Brisbane Lions. 

Ashcroft is the latest Brisbane Lions player to be nominated for the Rising Star since fellow teammate Deven Robertson in 2021.