- Brother of the Norm Smith medalist will join the Lions
- Levi Ashcroft will join forces with older brother Will
- The couple are the sons of ex-Lions player Marcus Ashcroft
Norm Smith medalist Will Ashcroft proved he was unstoppable on grand final day and says Lions fans can expect similar things from his younger brother Levi next season.
The Lions bounced back in stunning fashion from heartbreak in last year’s grand final, topping Sydney by 60 points to claim their first AFL premiership in more than two decades.
Will Ashcroft, who took home the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground, looked absolutely unstoppable throughout the match.
He collected 30 possessions and scored an excellent goal as the Lions tore Sydney apart.
Ashcroft received 14 votes to win, ahead of Lions co-captain Lachie Neale (eight), while teammate Callum Ah Chee had seven and Kai Lohmann one.
The 20-year-old is Norm Smith’s youngest medalist since Carlton’s Wayne Harmes was crowned the first winner in 1979 at the age of 19.
Amazingly, it looks like the Lions will have an even stronger squad next year with Levi Ashcroft and his first round midfield mate Sam Marshall set to join the club.
The two players will find their way to the Lions due to father-son entry rules and the northern academy that the competition will not change until next year.
Will Ashcroft is excited to be working with his brother Levi in Brisbane next season
Star midfielder Levi Ashcroft (pictured) has agreed to join the Lions as a father-son squad
Levi, a projected top pick, has committed his services to the Lions and will come at a heavily discounted price, which could well put the Lions on the path to becoming a dynasty.
“(Playing together) was definitely part of the decision-making process and ultimately the same goes for Levi,” Will Ashcroft said News Corp.
“We played five or six games together at the Dragons and were lucky enough to play in a premiership together. That was so fun and exciting for the family.
“My experiences playing with him were great, so I thought it would be cool to do it at AFL level as well. Playing for the club (Brisbane) that dad (Marcus Ashcroft) played for was a big part of my decision-making too.”
Will says footy fans are in for a treat when his 17-year-old brother arrives.
“The way we play is similar and people are already saying they’ve seen him play some VFL footy and junior footy, compared to my footy,” he said.
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“I think we’re both attacking the game head-on and leading from the front and trying to thrive in those big moments.
‘We find no challenge too big and that is representative of both our games.
“I think Levi and I are a little bit different in the way we approach our footy,” he added.
‘Levi doesn’t like to talk about it too much outside the football club or when he’s at training or things like that.
“I would say Levi and I, or Dad and Levi, probably don’t talk about football that much. But I don’t mind getting his (father Marcus) feedback every now and then.
‘He (Levi) is probably trying to distance himself from football outside of training and matches. I definitely enjoy doing things outside of football as well, I try not to get too involved with it, so I think we are similar in more ways than we are different.”