AFLW draft: Every club’s haul rated and analysed

The AFLW draft is done and dusted, with future superstars finding new homes across the league. Which clubs are most thrilled with their hauls? Our experts go over every club’s draft.

The AFLW draft is done for another year, with the first National Draft in the books.

We’ve broken down every club’s haul here.

ADELAIDE

13. India Rasheed (Forward/midfielder, Glenunga)

44. Georgia McKee (Forward/midfielder, Central District)

The Crows would be chuffed to get Rasheed, one of the best two South Australian prospects, given they probably would have expected the two-time under-18 All-Australian to be gone by their first pick. Adelaide added more forward potency via the crafty McKee.

BRISBANE

16. Claudia Wright (Mid-Forward, Subiaco JFC/Claremont)

39. Lilly Baker (Key defender/Ruck, Maroochydore Roos/Lions Academy)

Wright’s past two seasons have been cruelled by a broken wrist and fractured leg but when fit is one of the most skillfulplayers in the draft class. Baker is a known commodity from the Lions Academy and adds depth to a position of need while alsocapable of playing in the ruck.

CARLTON

6. Poppy Scholz (Utility, Glenelg)

17. Sophie McKay (Midfielder/forward, Sandringham Dragons)

46. Lou-Lou Fields (Defender, Western Jets)

Carlton were one of the big winners of the draft, swooping early on utility Poppy Scholz, the sister of AFLW Rising Star Matilda so you know she’s got upside. A bid for father-daughter prospect Sophie McKay didn’t come until late in the first round while Fields clears defence with her booming boot.

Poppy Scholz and Sophie McKay after the AFLW draft. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

COLLINGWOOD

1. Ash Centra (Midfielder/forward, Gippsland Power)

26. Georgia Knight (Forward, Eastern Ranges)

42. Violet Patterson (Midfielder, Glenelg)

The Magpies were always going to have a good night given they had access to the best player in the pool. Centra will be appointment viewing for any AFLW fan. Patterson is the daughter of 96-game Magpie Stephen and boasts great work ethic in the middle.

ESSENDON

9. Grace Belloni (Midfielder/forward, Eastern Ranges)

12. Holly Ridewood (Midfielder, Northern Knights)

30. Taya Chambers (Defender, East Fremantle)

35. Sophie Strong (Forward, Tasmania)

The Bombers pounced on two bolters with their pair of first round picks. Belloni adds x-factor to Essendon’s midfield while Ridewood does her best work on the wing. Chambers and Strong provide rebound in defence and spark in attack respectively.

New Bomber Grace Belloni. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/Getty Images.

FREMANTLE

14. Georgie Brisbane (Key forward, Eastern Ranges)

34. Holly Egan (Utility, Murray Bushrangers)

38. Evie Parker (Wing, Eastern Ranges)

41. Indi Strom (Defender, South Fremantle)

The Dockers wanted firepower and class this draft and they ticked both boxes. Brisbane was the second-best key forward in the draft pool and Egan and Parker are both known for their athleticism. Fremantle sprung a surprise late drafting Indi Strom, sister of ruck Mim.

GEELONG

10. Alexis Gregor (Key fwd-def, Moama)

16. Sienna Tallariti (Defender, Whitehorse)

37. Piper Dunlop (Ruck, Geelong VFL)

Geelong went for a versatile key position player in Gregor with its first selection who can play at either end, but the Cats’ second pick may prove to be the pick of the bunch. Tallariti is a proven big game player, winning best on ground medals in the last two Coates Talent League grand finals. She is super composed in defence and a great interceptor. Dunlop is the latest Geelong draftee to come from the Cats’ VFLW production line and the 21-year-old fills a glaring need in the ruck.

GOLD COAST

2. Havana Harris (Mid/Ruck/Fwd, Bond University/Suns Academy)

27. Heidi Talbot (Utility, Suns Academy/North Cairns Tigers)

29. Mia Salisbury (Mid-Defender, Suns Academy)

41. Niyalli Milne (Utility, Suns Academy)

47. Tara Harrington (Midfielder, Suns Academy)

The Suns got the steal of the draft only having to give up pick 19 to get perhaps the best player in the country in HavanaHarris. From there they loaded up on more academy talent, having to only match a bid on All-Australian Mia Salisbury fromthe Bombers at 29. Mission success.

Havana Harris of the Suns, Ash Centra of the Magpies and Molly O'Hehir of the Demons. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/Getty Images.

GWS

4. Sara Howley (Midfielder, Geelong Falcons)

22. Grace Martin (Mid-Defender, Woodville-West Torrens)

The Giants opened their night with explosive Vic Country midfielder Howley who should be a plug-and-play in the engine roomnext season capable of winning the ball both inside and outside. Martin is one of the top utilities in the draft, having starredat every line during her junior career and earning All-Australian honours at halfback.

HAWTHORN

15. Lavinia Cox (Midfielder, Eaglehawk)

23. Daisy Flockhart (Midfielder, Old Brighton Grammarians

28. Grace Baba (Defender, Moorolbark)

45. Elli Symonds (Ruck-fwd, Frankston)

50. Rebecca Clottey (Forward, St Mary’s)

Lavinia Cox now lays claim to being a WNBL rookie with Bendigo and a first-round draft pick, with the draft bolter able to add elite kicking to the exciting Hawks. They took another supreme athlete in South Sudanese prospect Graca Baba, who took out the standing and vertical jump tests at the draft combine. Symonds had been talked about a possible top-15 pick so it’s a good get for the Hawks.

MELBOURNE

3. Molly O’Hehir (Defender/midfielder, South Coogee, WA)

20. Maggie Mahony (Midfielder, Old Scotch)

63. Amelia Dethridge (Ex-hockey, swimming, cross-country)

The Demons bid on Gold Coast academy star Havana Harris before taking super competitive West Australian utility O’Hehir who boosts the club’s on-ball and defensive units. Melbourne then added another midfield talent in inside dynamo Mahony before going a surprise with football novice Dethridge, a great endurance runner, with the draft’s final selection.

NORTH MELBOURNE

36. Claire Mahony (Forward, Lake Wendouree)

42. Amy Gavin Mangan (Utility, County Offaly, Ireland)

The premiers had a long wait for their first pick before going for a powerful key forward first up, then they added a fifth Irish player in Gavin Mangan, a Gaelic player whose speed and agility had stood out to Kangaroos recruiters.

PORT ADELAIDE

17. Lily Paterson (Midfielder, Caversham)

33. Jasmine Evans (Forward, Salisbury)

40. Jemma Whitington-Charity (Midfielder/forward, Henley)

48. Chloe Gaunt (Forward, Coorparoo)

51. Jasmine Sowden (Midfielder/forward, Sale City)

The Power went into the draft looking at need, as well as best available, and Paterson boosts the Power’s midfield crop, Evans is an elite ball user who Port thinks may be able to play in defence, and Gaunt will help replace the retired Olivia Levicki as a back-up ruck. Whitington-Charity, who is returning from a serious knee injury, is another terrific kick and Sowden a small forward option.

AFLW Draftees after the first round of the draft. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/Getty Images.

RICHMOND

11. Sierra Grieves (Midfielder, Western Jets)

20. Zoe Hargreaves (Midfielder, Northern Knights)

31. Paige Scott (Forward, Essendon)

After unexpectedly losing Eilish Sheerin in the trade period, Richmond needed to bolster its midfield and it did that with Grieves and Hargreaves. In any other draft, Grieves would be a top five pick after winning the National Championships MVP award. The Tigers get Scott for free after a botched trade.

ST KILDA

2. Zoe Besanko (Ruck-Forward, Frankston)

55. Kyla Forbes (Utility, Aberfeldie)

58. Alana Gee (Midfielder, North Mackay Saints/Gold Coast Suns)

The Saints went with a mix with their three selections. Dandenong Stingrays captain Besanko gives St Kilda an ultra-athletic ruck option, Forbes can play across all three lines and Gee is a 22-year-old, seven-game on-baller from the Suns.

New Swans Zippy Fish. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/Getty Images.

SYDNEY

5. Zipporah Fish (Midfielder, East Fremantle)

57. Amelia Martin (Mid-Forward, Sydney Academy)

60. Caitlin Reid (Ruck, East Coast Eagles/Geelong Cats VFLW)

62. Sarah Steele-Park (Defender, North Adelaide)

The Swans covered the ground with their four selections. Fish at five will feel like a steal given her class and ball-winningability. Steele-Park is a great story as a former Swans runner who now gets to pull on a jersey, while Martin comes in-housevia the academy and Reid is a former AFL Sydney standout who returns home.

WEST COAST

7. Lucia Painter (Midfielder, Bendigo Pioneers)

24. Charlotte Riggs (Utility, Central Districts)

53. Lucy Boyd (Utility, West Adelaide)

57. Kayla Dalgleish (Small forward, Dandenong Stingrays)

The Eagles midfield is suddenly looking frightening with Painter set to combine with Ella Roberts and Bella Lewis for years to come. Any other draft she would’ve been right at the pointy end. Riggs can play across all three lines but has shone this year as an intercept defender, as has Boyd.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

7. Emma McDonald (Key forward, Ashburton)

25. Sarah Poustie (Midfielder, Old Scotch/Hawthorn Citizens)

49. Keeley Hardingham (Ruck, St Joseph’s)

The Western Bulldogs now have a mouthwatering key forward combination for the future with McDonald and 2023 No.1 pick Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner. While they are long-term prospects, Poustie and Hardingham have the tools to play next season. Poustie is a running machine who broke the 2km time trial record at the AFLW combine, while Hardingham is a familiar face from their VFLW program. She enjoyed a breakout season in the ruck in 2024.