Richmond’s No. 1 draft pick Ellie McKenzie is in the frame to become an All-Australian in her first AFLW season after being named in a 40-woman All-Australian squad on Wednesday night.
Melbourne star Karen Paxman and North Melbourne skipper Emma Kearney are both on track to continue their perfect records of being named in the All-Australian team every year since the inception of the national women’s league having both been named in the squad again.
Ellie McKenzieCredit: Getty Images
All 14 clubs were represented in the squad, with finalists Collingwood having the most players (six).
The final team will be revealed at the W awards on April 20.
McKenzie averaged 15.6 disposals, playing every game in her first season with the Tigers.
Paxman and Kearney both have four All-Australian team berths to their respective names.
Meanwhile, Fremantle midfielder Kiara Bowers was on Wednesday named the AFL Coaches’ Association’s Champion Player of the Year.
Her five-vote performance against North in the final round tipped Bowers ahead of Greater Western Sydney’s Alyce Parker. Bowers was initially suspended for the last round but managed to get her sentence overturned at the tribunal.
AFLW All-Australian squad:
Adelaide: Sarah Allan, Anne Hatchard, Ebony Marinoff, Erin Phillips. Brisbane Lions: Kate Lutkins, Sophie Conway, Catherine Svarc, Dakota Davidson. Carlton: Breann Moody, Kerryn Harrington, Darcy Vescio, Madison Prespakis. Collingwood: Stacey Livingstone, Chloe Molloy, Brittany Bonnici, Brianna Davey, Jaimee Lambert, Ruby Schleicher. Fremantle: Gemma Houghton, Kiara Bowers, Janelle Cuthbertson. Geelong: Meghan McDonald. GWS: Alyce Parker. Gold Coast: Lauren Ahrens. Melbourne: Kate Hore, Karen Paxman, Tyla Hanks, Lauren Pearce. North Melbourne: Emma King, Emma Kearney, Jasmine Garner, Ashleigh Riddell. Richmond: Harriet Cordner, Katie Brennan, Monique Conti, Ellie McKenzie. St Kilda: Georgia Patrikios. West Coast: Mikayla Bowen. Western Bulldogs: Isabel Huntington, Ellie Blackburn.