Top five draft chance and Gold Coast Suns Academy prospect Leonardo Lombard added to his stellar 2024 campaign with a strong return to the VFL on Saturday against Essendon.
Lining up for his second game for the Suns this year, Lombard collected 22 disposals (all of which came before the final term), eight contested possessions, four clearances, five marks and three inside 50s, as well as a goal, at People First Stadium.
Lombard made headlines last year as a 16-year-old debutant for the Suns' reserves before going on to play in the side's grand final victory over Werribee last September in what was just his third game at the level.
His return to the VFL on Saturday claimed one of the highlights of the season, with Lombard finishing a goal on the run in the third quarter after covering almost half the field and recording three disposals in the process.
After marking the ball in the defensive half, Lombard combined with AFL-listed duo Lloyd Johnston and Nick Holman before kicking truly from 40 metres out from goal.
Lombard featured in Gold Coast's VFL opener this year against Richmond and enjoyed his best game in the state league, recording 28 disposals, eight marks, six inside 50s and three clearances.
Since, the teenager has been one of the form players in the U18s National Championships for the Allies, averaging 25.7 disposals, 7.7 inside 50s, 4.7 tackles and goal from his three games so far.
Lombard is in line to return for the Allies in their final game of the carnival against Vic Country in Queensland next month.
The Burleigh and Broadbeach product wasn't the only draft-eligible Suns Academy talent to feature in the win against the Bombers, with Nelson Beikoff-Smart, Lachlan Gulbin, Dylan Patterson, Jai Murray and Zeke Uwland also featuring in the match.
The latter trio are all eligible for next year's draft, following the trail blazed by Lombard in 2023, with Uwland also among the Allies' top performers in 2024 so far to be in the conversation as an early Pick 1 chance.
The younger brother of Suns AFL defender Bodhi, Uwland booted a nice long-range goal against Essendon on the run in the final term, adding to his 15 disposals and seven marks in his VFL debut.
Suns Academy pair Beau Addunsall and Zai Millane - who is the nephew of late Collingwood great Darren Millane - have also featured in the VFL for Gold Coast this year.
Gold Coast will need to collect the required draft points to secure Lombard at the end of the year, with a bid anticipated to come in the first half of the opening round of the count, while Millane, Beikoff-Smart and Gulbin, among others, will also be in their sights.
Suns Academy graduate Ethan Read (five goals, nine marks), ruckman Ned Moyle (16 disposals, 37 hitouts, nine clearances) and Brayden Fiorini (33 disposals, eight clearances, six tackles, one goal) featured among the Suns' best players in the win over Essendon, which was the club's fifth win of the year after also recording two draws this season.