Will Ashcroft

Will Ashcroft (born 6 May 2004) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was taken as pick number 2, under the father–son rule. Ashcroft is a two time premiership player and two time Norm Smith Medallist, claiming the distinctions in Brisbane's 2024 and 2025 grand final victories. Ashcroft began playing football as a child at the age of six. The son of Marcus Ashcroft, a three-time AFL premiership player, Ashcroft's talent as a footballer was identified by the Gold Coast Suns Football Club at the age of ten. He played for various teams in Queensland as a child, before moving to Melbourne in 2019 at the age of 15 where he commenced playing for the Sandringham Dragons. During his time with the Sandringham Dragons, Ashcroft was promoted to captain and received the Larke Medal for best player at the national championships. At the 2022 AFL Draft, Ashcroft was chosen to play for the Brisbane Lions. Ashcroft was widely considered the best player in the 2022 draft class by AFL club recruiters.