AFLW Draft 2024: GWS Sara Howley intent on earning respect as three Falcons prospects products achieve draft dream

Top Geelong Falcons talent Sara Howley’s reaction said it all when she became a top five pick, as she opens up about her impending move north. Plus, a St Joseph’s star finally gets their AFLW shot.

Sara Howley was taken at pick four by GWS. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/Getty Images

Geelong Falcons star Sara Howley says she will first look to earn the respect of her new teammates and club before thinking of a possible round one debut with GWS Giants next year.

Howley was left visually stunned when she was taken inside the top 5 by the Giants in Monday night’s AFLW draft, with the midfielder later telling this masthead those emotions quickly turned to excitement to join the Orange army.

“Stoked to go that high, obviously it doesn’t matter what pick you go at the end but can’t wait to go to GWS and meet everyone,” Howley said.

Howley is among three current or former Falcons taken in this year’s draft, her current teammate Rebecca Clottey headed to Hawthorn with pick 50 while graduate and this year’s VFLW rising star Keeley Hardingham went a pick earlier to Western Bulldogs.

Geelong Cats didn’t tap into the Falcons’ production line, instead using their picks on Bendigo Pioneers tall Alexis Gregor, Oakleigh Chargers defender Sienna Tallariti and their own VFLW ruck in Piper Dunlop.

Sara Howley was left stunned when she heard her name called by the Giants. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Howley said the Giants, who pulled something of a shock selection with pick 4 to snap up the 18-year-old, had been on her radar.

Speaking with the club several times throughout the year, a two-hour in-depth sit-down at Howley’s house followed post her exams at Geelong College.

Howley had been tipped to feature between the 5-15 mark despite her dominance over the past two seasons – winning the Coates Talent League best and fairest as a bottom-ager and Vic Country’s MVP this season – as the Giants pounced on the prolific speedster in what was the first fully national AFLW draft.

The Newtown & Chilwell product is a dual U18 All-Australian and hardly played a bad game across her junior years.

Bound for the Harbour City, Howley is set to move in with fellow midfielder Kaitlyn Srhoj, who was drafted to the Giants from WA last year.

A “surreal moment” saw Howley presented her jumper by Giants midfielder Alyce Parker, who is one player the Falcon is excited to link up with on field alongside former rising star winner Zarlie Goldsworthy.

“As a collective, I think it’s a very exciting young core,” Howley said.

Asked if a round one debut was in her sights when the 2025 season launches in August, Howley, who has explosive speed out of the midfield, wasn’t getting ahead of herself just yet.

“Most importantly, just earning the respect of the group, putting the hard work in and then if I’m lucky enough to make my debut, whenever that may be, if the opportunity presents itself I’ll definitely take it,” she said.

Keeley Hardingham (left) joins Western Bulldogs’ AFLW program after a breakout VFLW campaign with the Dogs’ VFLW side. Picture: Rob Lawson/AFL Photos)

Geelong Falcons’ Rebecca Clottey has landed at Hawthorn with pick 50. Picture: Martin Keep/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Geelong College football director Nathan Brown was one of Howley’s mentor over the past two years.

The former Collingwood and St Kilda defender believes she has the ability and temperament to succeed interstate.

“She has ticked nearly every box that needed to be ticked – at state level and AFL academy. She has done everything.

“What has been extremely pleasing behind the scenes is her ability to handle expectations and her ability to keep composed and calm amongst balancing football demands, academic demands.

“She will go in and she will learn off older players, she will work with the coaches closely and really embed herself in the Giants’ culture.

The most pleasing thing is I know, which is guaranteed with Sara, is she won’t forget her ability and her strengths and she has got a real good, strong self belief in her abilities and the Giants seem like a club that really wants her to show what she can do.”

Later in the draft, Hardingham’s hard work in the state league paid off when she heard her name called by the Western Bulldogs at 49.

The Dogs loomed as a likely landing spot for the 20-year-old ruck, after she won the VFLW rising star award in her first season at the Dogs after averaging 22 hitouts and 17.5 disposals.

A former Geelong VFLW player, Hardingham is originally from Colac and has starred in the AFL Barwon women’s competition for St Joseph’s.

She has also joined Lara as its women’s co-coach in 2025.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn will look to cultivate Clottey’s raw talents after snapping up the 18-year-old with pick 50.

Armed with explosive speed and power, it caps a remarkable rise for the Ghana-born forward, who took up the game just two years ago.

A St Mary’s U19 premiership player, Clottey will balance Year 12 studies at Western Heights next year alongside her AFLW commitments.

Clottey is the first female draftee to come from the school, and women’s football coach Susie Robinson was beaming with pride given how far Clottey has come.

“It was so amazing, it was so exciting,” Robinson said.

“It has been a journey for her, a few things probably hadn’t come as easy to her as a lot of others, her pathway there is different.”

Robinson saw her relentless intent first hand during school footy..

“She is incredibly brave, she will tackle anyone – boy or girl,” Robinson said.

“She is ferocious at the ball, she will just knock people out of the way. She is competitive, very competitive.”

Originally published as AFLW Draft 2024: GWS Sara Howley intent on earning respect as three Falcons prospects products achieve draft dream