Meet our Round Sixteen Men’s Rising Star Nominee, Joshua Ralph, UTS Bats
Player Profile:
Name: Joshua Ralph
AFL Sydney Club: UTS Bats Australian Football Club
Junior Club: Moore Park Tigers
Position: Small Forward
What is one thing that we don’t know about this Rising Star that they are well known for around the club?
Joshy is a superb athlete, hard worker, great sense of humour and he genuinely cares about his team mates. Ralphy is universally loved & respected at the Bats. He is also a super dangerous player.
What role do they play for the club(s) both on and off the field?
Small forward is Ralphy’s role with a burst in the midfield occasionally. At 19 years of age Ralphy sits 8th on the Premier Division goal kicking bagging 26 goals. He is a natural leader with a pedigree of high achievement as Captain of Moore Park Tigers, Captain of the Indigenous Academy in 2023 as a proud Gumbainggir man & Captain of the Bats U19s in 2023. Ralphy continues to develop as a footballer and a leader in our community.
Reason for nomination this round:
Ralphy dominated the game with 4 goals as a small forward and putting enormous pressure on the opposition with his speed and tackling. In addition, when we lost three rotations early in the third quarter, Ralphy stepped up into the midfield and gave us amazing drive to keep our scoreboard pressure ticking over on the Dragons.
Coach quote on Performance:
“Ralphy was unstoppable against the Dragons with another super high quality performance. His speed, balance, tackling pressure, energy and accurate goal kicking with 4 majors were very significant for our win. However, as a young man of just 19 years of age, Ralphy had to step into the midfield with significant injuries that we had absorbed just after half time. Ralphy, was superb in the midfield with his skill, game sense and leadership. Ralphy has a very bright future ahead of him and it was a superb performance from the lad and is well deserving of a Rising Star nomination.” – Men’s Premier Division Coach, Kevin Dyson
