Will Ashcroft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Will Ashcroft |
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Ashcroft in April 2025
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| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | 6 May 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Gold Coast, Queensland | ||
| Original team | Brisbane Lions(VFL)/Sandringham Dragons (NAB League) / Brighton Grammar (APS) / Southport (QAFL) / Broadbeach (QAFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 2 (F/S), 2022 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 2023, Brisbane Lions v. Port Adelaide, at Adelaide Oval |
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| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Brisbane Lions | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Will Ashcroft (born 6 May 2004) is a talented Australian rules footballer. He plays for the Brisbane Lions Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Will was chosen as pick number 2 in the 2022 draft. This happened under the special father–son rule. Ashcroft is a two-time premiership player. He also won the Norm Smith Medal twice. These big wins came in Brisbane's 2024 and 2025 Grand Final victories.
Will started playing football when he was six years old. His dad, Marcus Ashcroft, was also a famous AFL player. Marcus won three premierships. Will's football skills were noticed early. The Gold Coast Suns Football Club saw his talent when he was just ten. He played for many teams in Queensland as a child. In 2019, at age 15, he moved to Melbourne. There, he joined the Sandringham Dragons. Will became captain of the Sandringham Dragons. He also won the Larke Medal for being the best player at the national championships.
At the 2022 AFL Draft, the Brisbane Lions picked Will. Many AFL club recruiters thought he was the best player in his draft class.
Contents
Will Ashcroft's Early Life and Football Journey
Growing Up on the Gold Coast
Will Ashcroft was born on 6 May 2004. His parents, Rebekah and Marcus Ashcroft, lived on the Gold Coast. He has two siblings. One of them, Levi Ashcroft, is also a professional footballer.
Will went to All Saints Anglican School for most of his childhood. His father, Marcus Ashcroft, was a very successful AFL player. Marcus played 318 games for the Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions. He won three AFL premierships during his 15-year career.
Discovering Australian Rules Football
Will played many sports as a child. He even represented Queensland in swimming and athletics. But he soon decided to focus on Australian rules football. He started playing junior football at a young age. When he was 10, the Gold Coast Suns invited him to their academy program.
Will has said that he looked up to players like Gary Ablett Jr. and Touk Miller. Their dedication inspired his own training. At 11, he joined the Southport under-14s team. He played in the Gold Coast AFL competition. In 2018, he represented Queensland at the U15 AFL National Championships. His great play earned him "All-Australian" honors. He also won the Gold Coast Suns under-14s Academy Player of the Year award. He played alongside future AFL stars like Jed Walter and Ethan Read.
Moving to Melbourne and National Success
In 2019, Will moved to Melbourne. He started attending Brighton Grammar School. He played in the U15 AFL National Championships again. This time, he captained Victoria to an undefeated gold medal win.
In 2020, Will briefly returned to Queensland. He played for Morningside in the QAFL junior league. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many junior football games in Victoria were cancelled that year. In 2021, he moved back to Victoria. Will became a top draft prospect. He played very well for Victoria Metro in the U17 National Championships. Even though he spent years in the Suns academy, the AFL decided he could not be drafted by them.
In 2022, Will captained the Sandringham Dragons to a NAB League premiership. He also led Victoria Metro to an U18 National Championship. He was named captain of the U18 All-Australian team. He also won the Larke Medal. After finishing school, he began studying commerce and sport management at Deakin University.
Will Ashcroft's AFL Career Highlights
Joining the Brisbane Lions
Will Ashcroft was chosen by the Brisbane Lions in the 2022 AFL draft. This was a special "father-son selection." The Lions picked him as Pick 2. They matched a bid from the North Melbourne. Will agreed to stay with the Lions until at least the end of the 2026 season.
He played his first AFL game in Round 1 against Port Adelaide. He had 13 disposals and scored a goal. In his second game, he collected 31 disposals against Melbourne. This amazing performance earned him an AFL Rising Star nomination. The AFL media and community praised him widely.
Overcoming Injury and Grand Final Glory
In Round 19 of his first season, Will unfortunately ruptured his ACL. This injury ended his debut season early. He missed the 2023 finals series. The AFL community showed great support for Will. He was a favorite for the Rising Star award. He had been an outstanding player for Brisbane. He shared his recovery journey on his website.
Will won the Goal of the Year award in 2023. This was announced at the 2023 Brownlow Medal ceremony. He also earned 10 Brownlow votes that year. He was selected for the 2023 22under22 team.
He returned from his ACL injury in the middle of the 2024 season. He played against Melbourne in Round 16. Will played a key role in the Lions' comeback. They went from a slow start to finish fifth and make the finals. Will was crucial in the Lions' finals run. He was part of the Brisbane Lions' 2024 premiership-winning team. He also won the Norm Smith Medal for being the best player in the Grand Final. He had 30 disposals and scored a goal. At 20 years old, Will became the youngest Norm Smith Medal winner since 1979.
Continued Success in 2025
On 4 May 2025, Brisbane beat the Gold Coast Suns in QClash 28. Will had 34 disposals and 9 clearances. He was awarded the Marcus Ashcroft Medal as the best player on the ground. This medal is named after his father. On August 19, Will was selected for his second 22under22 team.
For the second year in a row, Will was vital to the Lions' finals success. He won a second premiership in a row in the 2025 Grand Final. This time, he celebrated with his brother, Levi. Will won the Norm Smith Medal for the second year running. He is one of only five players to win it multiple times. He is also one of only three players to win it two years in a row. Will is the youngest player to win two Norm Smith Medals in VFL/AFL history. He also won the 2025 Gary Ayres Award. This award goes to the best player across the finals series.
Player Statistics
Updated to the end of the 2025 season
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 2023 | Brisbane Lions | 8 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 200 | 198 | 398 | 61 | 63 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 11.1 | 11.0 | 22.1 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 10 |
| 2024# | Brisbane Lions | 8 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 166 | 131 | 297 | 67 | 33 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 12.8 | 10.1 | 22.9 | 5.2 | 2.5 | 0 |
| 2025# | Brisbane Lions | 8 | 27 | 15 | 13 | 369 | 364 | 733 | 114 | 95 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 13.7 | 13.5 | 27.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 11 |
| Career | 58 | 26 | 27 | 735 | 693 | 1428 | 242 | 191 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 12.7 | 11.9 | 24.6 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 21 | ||
Honours and Achievements
Team Awards
- 2× AFL premiership player: 2024, 2025
Individual Awards
- 2× Norm Smith Medal: 2024, 2025
- Larke Medal: 2022
- AFL Goal of the Year: 2023
- AFL Rising Star nominee: 2023 (round 2)
- 2x 22under22 team: 2023, 2025
- AFLCA Gary Ayres Award: 2025
