The crisp autumn air bit at my cheeks as I settled into the weathered wooden bleachers at City Oval last Saturday. Below, the turf was a vibrant, almost impossibly green canvas, soon to be scuffed and churned by the relentless pursuit of a leather ball. I’ve been coming to these Ballarat Football League games since I was a kid dragged along by my dad, and there’s a certain magic to these afternoon clashes, a raw, community-driven passion you just don't get in the sanitized professional leagues. As the players warmed up, their breath misting in the late afternoon light, my mind wasn't on the established veterans, the household names everyone expects to dominate. No, my eyes were scanning the field for the new blood, the young guns whose names are just starting to be whispered in the pubs and clubrooms around town. It’s these players who truly shape the future of our league, and this season, more than any in recent memory, has been a showcase of breathtaking new talent. Frankly, it’s been an absolute pleasure to watch them emerge, and it got me thinking—it's high time we shone a spotlight on them. So, let's dive in and discover the top 5 rising stars in the Ballarat Football League this season.
Take young Liam Croft from Darley, for instance. I saw him in Round 3 against Melton, and the kid has ice in his veins. He’s only 19, but he plays with a maturity that belies his years. He’s a midfielder with a knack for finding space where none seems to exist, and his disposal efficiency is already sitting at a ridiculous 78%. I remember one particular passage of play where he won a hard ball get, sidestepped two opponents with a shimmy that would make a dancer jealous, and delivered a 50-meter pass right onto the chest of a leading forward. The crowd, a mix of die-hards and families, just erupted. It’s moments like that which make you sit up and take notice. He’s not just playing; he’s orchestrating. Players like Croft are the reason the ladder is so tight this year, creating a scenario where every win and every percentage point is critical. In fact, with the season barreling towards its climax, the performances of these young talents could very well be the deciding factor in who makes the finals and who watches from the sidelines. It will leave the two teams with superior numbers vying for the No. 2 seed in a one-game playoff, a high-stakes showdown where a single moment of brilliance from a rising star could define an entire club's year.
Then there’s the excitement machine, Jake Ryan from East Point. Goodness me, this kid is electric. At just 20, he’s a human highlight reel. I lost count of the times he’s left seasoned defenders grasping at air with his explosive pace. He’s kicked 28 goals so far this season, but it’s not just the quantity; it’s the sheer audacity of some of them. I was at the game against Sebastopol where he took four bounces on the wing, burned off his opponent, and slotted a goal from the boundary line from 45 meters out. The place went absolutely berserk. He plays with a joyful, almost reckless abandon that is just infectious. You can’t help but smile when he gets the ball. He’s the kind of player you buy a ticket specifically to watch, and in my book, that’s priceless for the league. His emergence has completely changed the dynamic of East Point’s forward line, making them a far more unpredictable and dangerous opponent.
Shifting focus to the defensive end, you can't ignore the impact of Tom Williams from Bacchus Marsh. He’s a key-position defender who plays with an old-school physicality that I absolutely love. In an era where the game can sometimes feel over-coached, Williams is a throwback. He’s strong in the contest, reads the play like a seasoned novelist, and has an uncanny ability to spoil what look like certain marks. I recall a specific contest where he was one-on-one with a forward who had 10 kilograms and 5 years of experience on him. The ball came in high, everyone in the stands held their breath, and Williams, with perfect timing, launched himself and punched the ball 20 rows back into the crowd. It was a statement. He’s averaging 7.5 intercept marks a game, a stat that is just bonkers for a 21-year-old. He’s the rock in that backline, and his consistency has been a huge part of Bacchus Marsh’s surprisingly strong season.
Of course, no list would be complete without mentioning the silky skills of Redan’s Noah Anderson. He’s a different type of player altogether—more finesse than force. His foot skills are, and I don’t say this lightly, probably the best I’ve seen in a young player in this league for a decade. His left foot is like a laser-guided missile. He makes the difficult look effortless, hitting targets through the narrowest of corridors. I have a particular soft spot for players who value precision over power, and Anderson is the epitome of that. He makes everyone around him better, and his vision to spot up a leading target that no one else even saw is a special gift. He’s already notched up 22 goal assists, and I’d wager that number will only climb as he continues to develop.
Finally, we have the engine room, the workhorse: Sebastian "Seb" Lee from Melton South. He might not have the flashy highlights of a Jake Ryan, but my god, is he effective. He’s the player every coach dreams of. He just never stops running. His GPS data must be off the charts every single week. I watched him closely in a game where his team was getting soundly beaten, and while others dropped their heads, Seb was still sprinting to make a defensive contest in the forward pocket in the last two minutes of the game. That’s character. He averages a league-high 34 disposals a game, but more importantly, he has 12.5 tackles a game. He’s the definition of a two-way runner, and his relentless pressure is a huge reason Melton South remains competitive in so many contests. In my opinion, players like him are the backbone of any great team.
Sitting here now, replaying their highlights in my mind, I feel a genuine sense of excitement for the future of the BFL. These five—Croft, Ryan, Williams, Anderson, and Lee—are just the tip of the iceberg. They each bring something unique to the game, and they’re doing it with a passion that reminds me why I fell in love with local footy all those years ago. The race for the finals is going to be brutal, a proper nail-biter, and you can bet your bottom dollar that at least one of these rising stars will have a direct hand in writing its final chapter. I, for one, can't wait to watch it all unfold.
