Revealed: The one player Port Adelaide won’t let the Crows get their hands on at the AFLW draft
For the first time in AFLW history, the Crows and Port will head to the draft competing for the best of the local SA talent. We look over who’s in the running to be drafted on June 29.
AFLW
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFLW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The 2022 SANFLW premiership cup has been hoisted by the Roosters, the various club “Mad Mondays” have been celebrated and now comes the off-season.
But for many of South Australia’s best footballers, there’s no time to rest, with the AFLW’s 2022 draft less than four weeks away.
And for the first time in SA’s football history, there will be two AFLW clubs fighting to draft the best of the local talent.
For the first six seasons of the AFLW, the Crows have had the pick of the talent and have turned that into three premierships and a dynasty side.
But now Port Adelaide looms large and as an expansion club has been given priority draft picks so it can build a competitive list.
As it currently stands, the Power will head into the AFLW Draft on June 29, with first round picks 3, 7, 23, 31 and 34, followed by future rounds 46, 63 and 81.
Adelaide doesn’t get a look in, until the second round and has picks 43, 60 and 78, unless it can up its hand in the current trade period.
The final draft order will be released once the trade period ends on June 8.
It’s expected Port will take nine picks into the draft, with Adelaide two.
But regardless of whether Adelaide moves up the draft order, Port is guaranteed two Top 13 picks ahead of the Crows.
SANFL’s women’s talent manager Robbie Neill, says the 2022 draft crop is brimming with talent, headlined by North Adelaide’s midfielder Hannah Ewings.
Asked whether there was any potential for Ewings to be left in the draft for the Crows to pick up, Neill had a quick, solid response: “Oh, hell no”.
“She’s got to be one of the top draftees in the country, she’s top-notch nationally.”
What will be interesting to see if whether Port select purely the teenagers, or whether they’ll also pick up players with previous AFLW experience – for example Katelyn Pope (West Coast), Jaimi Tabb (Adelaide), or Sophie Armistead (Adelaide) – or experienced, mature-age players – for example Jess Bates (Glenelg), Jess Waterhouse (South Adelaide), Isabelle Starmer (Central Districts) or Georgia Bevan (Sturt).
Port’s list manager Naomi Maidment hinted this week: “If (we’re) looking at adding that last third of your list at the draft, that will be a combination certainly of your 2004-born, draft-eligible players, but it will also include open-age players from various leagues around Australia”.
Neill says this draft crop is exception and shows the exciting recent improvement in women’s football in SA.
“When I first started in this job five years ago, it was a case of almost having to put a public call-out for girls to come and try out for State under-18s side,” he said.
“Now, we’ve introduced a nomination process via our SANFL clubs, similar to the boys.
“Back in 2017, I had five players who had never played a game of footy play a State game against Tasmania, that’s how far we’ve come … now, all our State under-18s are SANFLW players, and they are all highly credentialed.”
So, who could Port and the Crows be looking to draft?
Hannah Ewings, 18:
North Adelaide, midfielder, 168cm, 27 SANFLW games
Neill says: “Hannah, I’d imagine, will be certain to go to Port Adelaide.
“She’s had a wonderful year, had a really good Under-18s Championships and was dominant playing as an inside-mid, but being able to go forward as well.
“Her kicking is absolutely fantastic and she’s got really strong hands. So she’s got that ability, I think, in AFLW terms to be sort of a Dustin Martin-type that can play on-ball and then go forward and hit the scoreboard as well.
“Has had three years in the SANFLW system already, so she’s a hardened senior player that will make an immediate impact.”
Amelie Borg, 17:
North Adelaide, defender, 177cm, 20 SANFLW career games
Neill says: “She’s an All-Australian under-18 and is a really good, solid lockdown defender.
“Depending on what you need to make up your side, what you’ve here is one that you can you know is going to be super competitive, can play on a dangerous forward, has got good speed.
“She’s 177- 178cm as well, so she can play your tall or small and do a really good job defensively … you can rely on her to put someone out of business because she also defends well aerially as well.”
Sachi Syme, 17:
Norwood, midfielder, 166cm, 19 SANFLW career games
Neill says: “All-Australian this year as well as in The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year. She had a really good year in the midfield and can play forward as well as a high-half-forward.
“Is fearless and loves winning the loose ball, is prepared to make contact and certainly isn’t afraid to put physical pressure on the opposition, when she doesn’t have the footy.”
Lana Schwerdt, 17:
Norwood, midfielder, 163cm, 21 SANFLW career games
Neill says: “She could be a father-daughter for the Crows, her dad Stephen played there.
“Alana is just an absolute bull terrier, makes physical contact on the opposition, her tackling, getting the loose ball there, the contact she makes, she makes life so much easier for the outsiders … who end up being the beneficiaries of her grunt work inside.”
Sarah Goodwin, 17:
Glenelg, midfielder, 163cm, 19 SANFLW career games:
Neill says: “Top notch and in the AFLW under-18 Academy and had a great year for Glenelg, they really missed her in the SANFLW preliminary final (out with a calf injury).
“A fantastic athlete, a really good runner, a beautiful kicker of the footy and makes really good decisions. She’d be one of those ones who I think will go straight to Port Adelaide along with Hannah (Ewings).”
Ella Boag, 17:
Glenelg, midfielder, 170cm, nine SANFLW career games:
Neill says: “Had a fantastic season. Started off in the development league with Glenelg and then I think she got picked in round 3 or 4 and never lost her spot.
“Went on to play at the under-18 national level and was fantastic. Really athletic on the wing, can probably play across halfback as well, but really good speed, uses the ball well and just so athletic.”
Kiera Mueller, 19:
Sturt, defender, 165cm, 27 SANFLW career games:
Neill says: “Played for the SA under-18s side as an over-age defender. Is a left-footer, really good kicker of the footy. She was good value at the under-18s national championships and took a lot of kick-ins for us.”
Keeley Kustermann, 18:
West Adelaide, midfielder, 166cm, 30 SANFLW career games:
Neill says: “Captain of our state under-18s, another Advertiser Team of the Year addition, who’s a wonderful athlete. Keeley’s essentially just ready to go.”
Jess Waterhouse, 25:
South Adelaide, forward, 159cm, 12 SANFLW career games:
Neill says: “Has had an excellent year, made the Team of the Year. A small forward who uses the ball well, and has good speed and agility too.”
Jessica Bates, 26:
Glenelg, midfielder, 165cm, 37 SANFLW career games:
Neill says: “Winner of the SANFLW best and fairest this season and is certainly one who will be around the mark and will certainly be considered, there’s no doubt about that.”
Isabelle Starmer, 25:
Central Districts, ruck, 176cm, 12 SANFLW career games
Neill says: “I don’t think she’d play ruck at AFLW level, which is where she makes her mark for Centrals at this level. So (recruiters) would probably look at where else they could play her and whether they could turn her into a key player.”
Originally published as Revealed: The one player Port Adelaide won’t let the Crows get their hands on at the AFLW draft
From hoops to hoops: Inside Cats recruit’s footy rebirth
Piper Dunlop traded one elite sport for another as Geelong plucked the rookie ruck from their VFLW side at last week’s AFLW draft. The former hooper opens up on her decision to pursue footy.
Heartbreak at shock death of AFLW trailblazer
Devastated friends have paid tribute to women’s football pioneer Sal Rees whose sudden death at age 58 has sparked an outpouring of emotion.