Young tall Sam De Koning’s rapid rise caught the eyes of the footy world in 2022 as he established himself as one of the preeminent key defenders in the league. Selected with pick 19 in the 2019 draft, De Koning had played just one game – as a forward – in 2021, but proved he is a serious threat overhead and in the air as a key defender, intercepting and spoiling at will. He even managed a sneaky goal in Geelong’s 2022 Premiership triumph.
