AFLW 2024: Tayla Harris, Lily Mithen trades could unlock mega deal

Melbourne could enter the AFLW draft with its best ever hand but at a high cost, as more than a handful of clubs come to the trade table.

Melbourne has designs on entering the AFLW draft with two top-10 picks, as deals for Tayla Harris and Lily Mithen could draw more than five clubs into a mega trade.

Haggling over draft picks threatened to blow up the complex trade into separate moves at the end of the first day of the trade period, but the experienced Melbourne duo were both expected to find new homes, with Hawthorn positioned to add Harris to its ranks.

Collingwood had also shown strong interest, but sources at rival clubs believed the second-placed Hawks had won the battle to lure the out-of-contract key forward to her fourth club.

Mithen, a 26-year-old inaugural Demon, was yet to confirm her decision to join Gold Coast but also expected to move as the Suns put their no. 2 pick on the trade table.

St Kilda, which was courting Hawthorn speedster Charlotte Baskaran, and Adelaide, which was set to trade Najwa Allen to the Hawks, were the other clubs exploring the deal.

Tayla Harris had strong interest from Collingwood but is poised to join Hawthorn as part of a six-club mega trade. Picture: Dylan Burns / Getty Images

The Crows were hoping to shuffle higher into the first round than their current pick 16, while Melbourne was targeting two picks higher than their current first selection at 10 – which it was open to swapping.

The Demons took small forwards Alyssia Pisano and Ryleigh Wotherspoon with picks five and 12 last year, but had not brought in a first-round pick in the two previous drafts since taking Alyssa Bannan (five) and Eliza McNamara (15) in 2020.

It comes after they missed the finals in 2024 after being hurt by the departures of Maddi Gay (Essendon), Libby Birch (North Melbourne), Eliza West and Casey Sherriff (Hawthorn).

As well as landing Baskaran, St Kilda also anticipated securing a separate deal for inaugural AFLW No.1 draft pick Nicola Barr from GWS.

The 28-year-old racked up 29 and 22 disposals in the first two games of the season before she suffered a severe hamstring injury in round 3 and was sent for season-ending surgery.

There were two completed trades on the first day of the window, with Geelong midfielder Darcy Moloney joining Sydney in exchange for pick 22.

GWS former No.1 pick Nicola Barr is being courted by St Kilda after a hamstring tendon injury ruined her 2024 season. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The 22-year-old offered vital midfield depth to the Swans, who were sorely tested by injuries in a 3-8 campaign following their breakthrough finals appearance in 2023.

With first-choice Essendon ruck Steph Wales recovering from the ACL injury she suffered last month, the Bombers added to their tall stocks by trading pick 65 to GWS for former college basketballer Courtney Murphy.

It meant 24-year-old Murphy’s second trade in as many years despite only one senior game – for the Giants early this season after she left Brisbane at the end of 2023.

Hawthorn threw a lifeline to delisted Western Bulldogs defender Keely Coyne, who did not play a game this season after suffering an ACL injury late in the 2023 campaign.

The Bulldogs did not see enough in the 20-year-old to offer her a new deal, but the Hawks were impressed by her two performances against them in her first two seasons, where she averaged 11 disposals and six tackles.

“Keely is a talented and skilful young player who we think will complement our exciting brand of football,” Hawks list boss Keegan Brooksby said.

“Having already experienced three seasons of AFLW, we think she will be a great fit in our backline and our club overall.”