Brisbane youngster Levi Ashcroft absent from fan celebration day after historic premiership three-peat

Brisbane youngster Levi Ashcroft might have celebrated his second premiership in as many years at AFL level just a little too hard.

Either that, or he had some sort of very important commitment on Sunday morning after the Lions’ pulsating grand final victory over Fremantle the day before, because he was nowhere to be seen at Brisbane’s Victorian fan celebration day.

Brisbane completed a historic second three-peat this century when they came back from 17 points down with around four minutes to play to stun the Dockers on Saturday, elevating them into rarefied air.

Ashcroft has played every possible game since being drafted with pick No.5 in the 2024 draft, notching 54 games in his first two seasons — a record mark that will almost certainly never be broken.

The 19-year-old had 19 disposals and kicked a goal to help his side win the decider as he goes from strength to strength alongside his brother Will, who was unlucky not to win a third consecutive Norm Smith Medal with 31 touches, the most on the ground.

Beloved Brisbane coach Chris Fagan stole the show at the Lions afterparty as he got up on the shoulders of 200cm co-captain Harris Andrews and danced the night away.

But there may have been another star off-field performer going about his business quietly as well in Ashcroft, who was conspicuously missing when the Lions players were presented to their fans at their spiritual Fitzroy home of Brunswick Street Oval on Sunday.

All bar one of the 23 players that took the field were introduced onto the stage to the applause of the thousands-strong crowd, who were switched on to the missing player.

Ashcroft’s name was skipped over as the players were introduced, but that didn’t stop the crowd from chanting his name over and over again.

“Leeeviiiii... Leeeviiiii... Leeeviiiii,” they chanted to no avail.

Brisbane veteran Ryan Lester admitted his young teammate’s celebrations could have got a bit carried away.

“Yeah, the rumours are true, he hadn’t arrived as of 20 minutes ago, but I haven’t checked lately,” Lester told Nine with a laugh during the fan day.

“The young fella might’ve got a bit excited.”

The younger Ashcroft has now played in five consecutive premierships across junior and senior levels.

The Sandringham Dragons product won three straight flags at Talent League level before stepping into the second and third of Brisbane’s premiership hat-trick in the big time.

His older brother, meantime, has rocketed himself into widespread consideration as one of the top handful of players in the competition.

Will Ashcroft’s legend is growing by the minute, having put together another blinding finals series, including extraordinary preliminary and grand final performances to will — pardon the pun — his side over the line.

Saturday’s victory also makes he and Brisbane champion Marcus Ashcroft the first father-son combination to each win three premierships in a row.