AFL Draft 2025: How Swan Districts’ Leon Kickett went from relative unknown to hottest prospect from WA

At the start of this year Leon Kickett was on the fringes of Western Australia’s State Academy program as an over-ager. Fast forward to this week and the 19-year-old will get on a plane for the first time in his life as he prepares to test alongside the nation’s best next AFL stars at the National Draft Combine in Melbourne this weekend. Kickett emerged as a genuine draft bolter as the year went on, attracting initial interest from Richmond and Fremantle to now be one of the most intriguing small forwards in this year’s crop. It has some predicting the forward could be picked up as early as the second round, a just reward for his work in pursuing a career at the level, having moved up to Perth from Bunbury last year to commit himself to football. “I’ve loved it ever since. It’s been good and this year has been my favourite year so far,” Kickett told The West Australian. “I moved in with my aunty and uncle and my five cousins, it’s a packed house but I love it because it’s all about family.” Kickett grew up idolising one of the modern day great small forwards in Cyril Rioli. And watching the teenager’s highlights you can see the traits he’s taken from the four-time Hawthorn premiership great. “He was my favourite player of all-time. All through juniors I used to watch his footy highlights and try to do them in games,” he said. “Like every forward I want to kick goals, so that’s always my favourite thing to do and speccys as well. I love sitting on people’s heads.” Kickett has embraced his new-found rise into a genuine AFL prospect. Midway through the season he was unlucky to not get a late call-up to play for Western Australia in the Under-18 Championships. He didn’t let it dishearten him from continuing to push to be in front of recruiters, making his league debut for Swan Districts in round 19 before kicking four goals in a final when he returned to the colts side. “It’s something I dreamed of since I was a kid and to get a message to say clubs were reaching out, I was spinning out,” Kickett said. “Then I used it as motivation to keep getting better because I didn’t get picked for any of the state programs. “Playing league footy was fun, I wished they’d started me more throughout the year but the end of the year was wicked. I loved it.” Kickett is now getting ready to test alongside seven other West Australians at the National Draft Combine which begins on Friday after getting a late call-up. The forward has plenty of reasons to put his best foot forward as list bosses and recruiters watch on, but a friendly competition with teammate Tylah Williams also has him motivated to showcase his best. “It’s going to be a good match-up running with him and competing against each other,” he said. “It’s good to have the weekend together just doing what we both love which is footy and testing. Hopefully we both get picked up and do each other proud.”