Western United star Dylan Leonard and Brisbane Roar young gun Lucas Herrington are among the top 10 Under-21 centre-backs for most ball wins per 90 minutes across the 20 non-European top divisions.
Leonard (20.4) ranks second on the CIES Football Observatory list for central defenders to have played at least 630 domestic league minutes.
The highly-rated 17-year-old Isuzu UTE A-League academy graduate is only behind Penarol’s Juan Rodriguez (24.8) following a stunning debut season that featured 28 appearances.
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Leonard broke all kinds of records – becoming the club’s youngster debutant and goalscorer, as he helped John Aloisi’s Western United finish third before reaching the 2024-25 Semi-Finals.
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The Australia youth international ranks ahead of 20-year-old Japanese sensation Kota Takai (19.6), who has reportedly agreed to join UEFA Europa League champions Tottenham from J1 League outfit Kawasaki Frontale.
Fellow A-Leagues academy graduate Herrington is also on the list, coming in at sixth with 17.8 ball wins per 90.
The 17-year-old made an impression in his rookie season amid speculation he is poised to earn a transfer abroad.
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