Among the finest elements of a contemporary AFLW season is the chance to see particular person gamers take management in video games, or break by way of for a career-best season.
Some will accomplish that of their debut season, just lately drafted or rookie listed, others in model new colors, on return from harm, or in a brand new place.
Right here is each membership’s participant to observe this yr.
Adelaide: Chelsea Biddell
Chelsea Biddell has been important on the again for the Crows, however she may very well be wanted at each ends of the bottom this season. (Getty Photographs: Mark Metcalfe)
Age – 26
Profession video games – 48
Initially chosen as a key ahead with decide 102 within the 2019 draft, Chelsea Biddell struggled to make her mark as a part of a stacked Adelaide assault. A shift to defence labored wonders, leading to back-to-back All-Australian picks over the past two years. This yr, nevertheless, it’s at ahead that the Crows look a bit of skinny, whereas down again the emergence of Zoe Prowse and health of Sarah Allan has solidified the road.
In consequence, there’s the potential for Biddell to spend time at each ends of the bottom all through the season, providing coach Matthew Clarke the power to be unpredictable to the opposition every week.
Brisbane: Belle Dawes
Age – 23
Profession video games – 56
Final yr the strain was on Belle Dawes to hold extra duty by way of the midfield with Emily Bates’ shift to Hawthorn, and he or she rose to the problem. Dawes was added to the management group and carried the additional roles with aplomb, changing into a two-time premiership participant by season’s finish.
Now, coming into her sixth season, she is going to grow to be the important thing driver of Brisbane’s midfield unit. Her career-best 17.5 disposals and 4.3 clearances every week final yr will virtually definitely be bested this yr as Dawes goes to a brand new degree as soon as extra.
Carlton: Maddy Guerin
Age – 24
Profession video games – 21
Demon-turned-Blue Maddy Guerin has had an unlucky run with harm to begin her AFLW profession. Two ACL accidents have prevented followers from seeing simply how gifted the midfielder is, however now she is robust and able to assault the season head-on.
To make sure she was able to go, Guerin opted to play some SANFLW footy early this yr, earlier than returning to Victoria to play a big portion of the VFLW season. What she confirmed in these video games was a robust affect on the midfield and ahead traces akin to Larger Western Sydney’s Zarlie Goldsworthy, and could be the hybrid participant Carlton desperately wants this yr.
Collingwood: Ruby Schleicher
Ruby Schleicher missed loads of final season to harm, however the Magpies are set to learn from her management this season. (Getty Photographs: AFL Pictures/Dylan Burns)
Age – 26
Profession video games – 53
Two-time All-Australian Ruby Schleicher had surprising luck with harm final yr, in a position to play simply two of a doable 10 video games.
This yr, nevertheless, she is primed to return to her greatest footy coming off Collingwood’s half again line.
Below new head coach Sam Wright, and with a brand new sport plan, Schleicher’s commanding attacking run will probably be essential to the aspect’s bounce again into finals.
However it’s not solely her prowess with the footy that’s so essential to the Pies.
The management Schleicher will provide as Collingwood appears to inject a number of new gamers throughout the sector is invaluable.
Essendon: Emily Gough
Age – 18
Profession video games – 0
Choose quantity 20 from December’s draft, hailing from East Malvern, Emily Gough has been likened to a mixture between Bonnie Toogood and Sophie Alexander. Gough is basically a 180cm tall utility, who could be reliably used throughout all traces.
In assault, she is a sound pair of fingers within the air and a neat set shot, and in defence, she will be able to shut down opponents with comparable attributes, in the meantime, when injected by way of the center her physicality can match it with the likes of Charlie Rowbottom and Montana Ham.
Fremantle: Ebony Antonio
Fremantle will hope {that a} match and firing Ebony Antonio can get again to her All-Australian greatest. (Getty Photographs: Janelle St Pierre)
Age – 32
Profession video games – 57
One other family title who has struggled by way of harm lately, Ebony Antonio is primed and able to go in 2024. Knee surgical procedure to repair an issue incurred within the 2022 (S7) preseason lastly has Antonio match and firing.
She is an underrated cog within the Fremantle machine, providing an essential hyperlink between the midfield and ahead line, whereas additionally in a position to hit the scoreboard herself. You will need to keep in mind that in Antonio’s final absolutely match season, she was named within the All-Australian squad, was Fremantle’s equal-leading goalkicker, and took out the Purpose of the Yr award.
Geelong: Jackie Parry
Age – 28
Profession video games – 46
Two-time Geelong main goalkicker Chloe Scheer has been dominated out of the early a part of the season with a toe harm, including duty squarely on Jackie Parry’s shoulders. Coming off her greatest ever season which resulted in 16 objectives and 21 contested marks, it’s now Parry’s time to guide the ahead line.
She is a dependable marking goal inside 50 and has gone to work on her set shot routine, so could be the regular hand with Irish duo Aishling Moloney and Kate Kenny buzzing round her.
Gold Coast: Jamie Stanton
Jamie Stanton of the Suns in motion throughout the 2023 AFLW Spherical 01 match between the Carlton Blues and the Gold Coast SUNS at Princes Park on September 02, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Getty Photographs: AFL Pictures/Michael Willson)
Age – 28
Profession video games – 59
Jamie Stanton is an inaugural AFLW participant at her third membership, however she has undoubtedly made the largest mark on Gold Coast. This yr will probably be her second enjoying as a pure small ahead, and, as a very smart, skilful participant she is the perfect small to take a seat on the toes of Jac Dupuy and Tara Bohanna.
Stanton proved final yr simply how harmful she could be within the function, kicking six objectives in spherical two in opposition to the Eagles, and it is not unreasonable to anticipate one other bag or two out of her this yr.
Larger Western Sydney: Eilish O’Dowd
Age – 26
Profession video games – 0
A brilliant athletic, 180cm tall ruck, Irishwoman Eilish O’Dowd will put her hand up as one of many recruits of the season this yr.
She is dynamic and highly effective and can provide the Giants’ midfield group a distinct look as she works in tandem with the extra conventional, bodily ruck that’s Fleur Davies. It’d take O’Dowd a sport or two to settle into the rhythm of AFLW, having solely arrived in Australia in latest months, however her affect will probably be clear come the season’s finish.
Hawthorn: Hayley McLaughlin
Age – 18
Profession video games – 0
Hayley McLaughlin was certainly one of Hawthorn’s three precedence signings forward of final yr’s draft – a concession afforded to the 4 most up-to-date enlargement sides. She is a wing/ahead possibility who appears severely harmful near aim, whereas additionally providing some severe ahead strain.
She’s going to set the usual for defensive efforts inside 50, which is able to enable Hawthorn to play a much-desired entrance half sport. On high of all of it, she is an elite kick on each toes.
Melbourne: Grace Beasley
Grace Beasley’s energy within the center will probably be a strong addition to the Demons’ midfield. (Getty Photographs: AFL Pictures/Josh Chadwick)
Age – 24
Profession video games – 0
As a part of loads of change over the offseason for Melbourne, the addition of Grace Beasley to the midfield group is definitely certainly one of their greatest strikes. Beasley performed junior footy at East Malvern earlier than spending a while enjoying basketball at Arizona State College within the USA.
She strikes by way of the competition with energy and energy, complementing the remainder of Melbourne’s midfield unit properly, and Beasley turns into much more essential within the wake of facial accidents suffered by Liv Purcell in final week’s observe match.
North Melbourne: Taylah Gatt
Age – 20
Profession video games – 26
As a winger, Taylah Gatt is a very essential a part of North Melbourne’s system – one which made all of it the way in which to the Grand Remaining final yr. She performed each sport within the membership’s 2023 marketing campaign, averaging 11 disposals and three.9 tackles within the course of.
Gatt gained a stack of confidence that season, and comes into 2024 as among the best, albeit underrated younger gamers within the AFLW. She is extremely disciplined and skilful, fantastically balancing out the Roos’ contested ball winners together with her positioning and out of doors run.
Port Adelaide: Shineah Goody
Age – 18
Profession video games – 0
One other of the low season’s precedence signings, Shineah Goody would possibly simply be the most effective of all of them. At simply 18 years previous, she is mature past her years, and provides a way of calm and composure on the footy discipline.
Goody is extremely expert, extremely disciplined, and extremely versatile. She could be injected throughout any line, however anticipate to see her largely by way of the midfield and throughout the half again line for the Energy this yr. After starring in opposition to Melbourne in final week’s observe match, Goody will little doubt have a big affect on Port Adelaide’s fortunes this yr.
Richmond: Ellie McKenzie
Age – 21
Profession video games – 27
As a former primary draft decide, loads of strain sits on Ellie McKenzie’s shoulders, and the one factor that has held her again throughout her AFLW season thus far has been harm. Final season she performed only one sport earlier than a fractured fibula struck her down and stored her on the sidelines for the rest of the yr.
Now, she is able to go, and he or she is so useful to the steadiness of Richmond’s midfield. McKenzie will slot proper in alongside reigning AFLW greatest and fairest winner Monique Conti and can make sure you put her excessive marking means and run and keep on present.
St Kilda: Jesse Wardlaw
Age – 24
Profession video games – 59
Jesse Wardlaw is a former All-Australian and premiership ahead, however final yr was wanted by way of the ruck for brand spanking new membership St Kilda. Now, with the recruitment of two rucks in Rene Caris and Emmelie Fiedler, Wardlaw can as soon as once more make the ahead line her residence.
Preseason kind has her wanting ominous sitting inside 50, with 5 objectives in opposition to West Coast of their official observe match. If the Saints can generate sufficient alternative for Wardlaw, she has the potential to leap again into All-Australian calculations.
Sydney: Montana Ham
The Swans will hope to make use of Montana Ham’s bodily presence in assault and going by way of the center within the new season. (Getty Photographs: AFL Pictures/Matt King)
Age – 20
Profession video games – 16
Coming into her third season of AFLW, that is essentially the most settled, and fittest that former primary draft decide Montana Ham has been. In 2022 Ham was travelling between Melbourne and Sydney whereas finishing her VCE research, and final yr needed to cope with a growth-related harm.
The bonus of that was formally reaching 180cm tall, and he or she is now bodily imposing and able to be an essential presence each up ahead and thru the midfield for Sydney.
West Coast: Jess Rentsch
Age – 18
Profession video games – 0
West Coast has already confirmed that final yr’s quantity two draft decide Jess Rentsch will make her debut in spherical one after a formidable first preseason. She is well-known for being a barometer in her junior golf equipment, and has the potential to deliver that power as much as AFLW degree.
Rentsch is a dependable half again possibility who can neatly intercept the ball and defend an opponent, but additionally provide her robust operating capability on the rebound to start attacking launches.
Western Bulldogs: Jess Fitzgerald
Age – 22
Profession video games – 40
The quantity two choice from the 2020 draft, Jess Fitzgerald appeared to plateau in kind lately. Referred to as a midfielder, she was struggling to have constant affect alongside the likes of Ellie Blackburn and Isabelle Pritchard.
So, a shift to the half again line was on the playing cards, and preseason kind suggests it has given Fitzgerald a brand new lease on life. The function change turns into much more essential, too, with latest defensive recruit Mua Laloifi now dominated out of the season with an ACL harm.
