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key defence was an area of need last season, now we have a few!Or we can keep picking talls. We have some serious height in our team now.
AFLW Draft Analysis: Fremantle Dockers and West Coat Eagles take different paths as AFLW rivalry begins
Mitchell WoodcockThe West Australian
Tuesday, 22 October 2019 11:11AM
Trent Cooper during the 2019 NAB AFLW Draft at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Credit: AFL Photos
Fremantle may have taken a hit with the introduction of West Coast to the AFLW competition, but after today’s draft, they have shown they’re not about to go down with a fight.
The Eagles poached eight players from the Dockers, including two-time All Australian and inaugural best and fairest winner Dana Hooker, as they look to enter the competition with a bang and retain their status as the biggest club in WA.
Despite the hit, the Dockers are not about to accept a slide down the ladder after making finals for the first time in 2019 and instead added plenty of ready-made talent which will bolster their already experienced side.
DOCKERS POUNCE ON HIGH LEAPING ROUX WITH FIRST PICK
EAGLES DRAFT ROUND-UP: FLAG EXPERIENCE VITAL FOR NEW CLUB
DOCKERS DRAFT ROUND-UP: FREO BOLSTER FORWARDS AND RUCKS
First round draftee Roxy Roux was a no brainer. The 18-year-old forward is arguably the best forward in the draft, but has the ability to play all over the ground and is ready for a debut in round one.
She is strong both in the air and on the ground and despite appearing shy in public, has an air of confidence on the field that has the ability to take a game away from the opposition in the space of a quarter.
They replenished their ruck stocks by adding Swan Districts ruck Mim Strom, who despite still being raw, has great athleticism and will eventually fill the hole left by Alicia Janz and Parris Laurie, who made the move to West Coast.
From here the Dockers continued to pick up young talent, with defenders Emma O’Driscoll and Janelle Cuthbertson adding depth down back, while Sarah Garstone and Bianca Webb will likely be depth players with one eye on the future.
But Dockers coach Trent Cooper clearly has one eye on the future as well as a premiership and most of these moves are smart.
Fremantle coach Trent Cooper. Credit: AFL Media
Much like their male counterparts, the Eagles are aiming for a premiership next year and it was reflected in their approach to the draft.
West Coast made big moves with youth before the draft by signing up academy players Mikayla Bowen and Sophie McDonald, a duo who have no trouble finding the football and skills which rival many of the best in this year’s under-18 carnival.
But today they went for as much experience as they could when it came to the draft, taking 30-year-old employee Kate Orme and 31-year-old former Adelaide and Melbourne defender Talia Radan.
West Coast recruit Talia Radan brings premiership experience to the Eagles. Credit: AFL Media
WAFLW leading goalkicker Tarnee Tester gives them some added firepower, while the surprise of Imahra Cameron with pick 19 was a move made to make sure they had pace for the beautiful surfaces at Lathlain Park.
Combine these selections with the likes of Hooker, former GWS Giant Emma Swanson and Docker Ashlee Atkins, West Coast did not shy away from their intentions.
Whether this is the smart approach or not is yet to be seen, but the coach Adam Selwood now has a team on his hands who he knows can at the very least compete right from round one.
I'm not a full bottle on WC's list but I found their drafting a bit strange tbh. All their talls are either old and fringe (eg Radan and Perera), or talented but really young and unlikely to impact at AFLW level just yet. They have our old undersized rucks (our main weakness in 2019) but without the quality of Bowers, Donnellan (now KAntonio) and Miller in the middle. Hooker is an exceptional talent but teams will just tag her hard and they'll be left with who to win the ball?So Eagles targeted experienced players at first and we went for the ready-made youth. It'll be interesting to see how we stack up against each-other come the derby.
Cowan is a clown.I'm not a full bottle on WC's list but I found their drafting a bit strange tbh. All their talls are either old and fringe (eg Radan and Perera), or talented but really young and unlikely to impact at AFLW level just yet. They have our old undersized rucks (our main weakness in 2019) but without the quality of Bowers, Donnellan (now KAntonio) and Miller in the middle. Hooker is an exceptional talent but teams will just tag her hard and they'll be left with who to win the ball?
Similarly with picking Cameron with their first pick. She is very talented but she's the polish. Who arrests the dominance of taller rucks against their undersized ones by sharking the taps and keeping the opposition mids accountable? Their men's list is incredibly well put together and balanced but the women's list looks a bit of a mess on a quick glance through imo. They have some talented individuals but not sure they have a team. Cowan having an influence perhaps?
are west coast womens 2019 really fremantle 1995I'm not a full bottle on WC's list but I found their drafting a bit strange tbh. All their talls are either old and fringe (eg Radan and Perera), or talented but really young and unlikely to impact at AFLW level just yet. They have our old undersized rucks (our main weakness in 2019) but without the quality of Bowers, Donnellan (now KAntonio) and Miller in the middle. Hooker is an exceptional talent but teams will just tag her hard and they'll be left with who to win the ball?
Similarly with picking Cameron with their first pick. She is very talented but she's the polish. Who arrests the dominance of taller rucks against their undersized ones by sharking the taps and keeping the opposition mids accountable? Their men's list is incredibly well put together and balanced but the women's list looks a bit of a mess on a quick glance through imo. They have some talented individuals but not sure they have a team. Cowan having an influence perhaps?
WEST COAST EAGLES
Who they got:
Imahra Cameron (Pick 19), Sophie McDonald 9Pick 39), Tarnee Tester (Pick 56), Katherine Orme (Pick 70), Talia Radan (Pick 92), Chantella Perera (Pick 101)
Analysis: One of West Coast’s best selections arguably came at the end of the draft, selecting Hawthorn VFLW defender Chantella Perera. Perera was named best on ground in last year’s VFLW Grand Final thanks to her ability to run and create off halfback. She now makes the move across the country to try and cement a regular spot in the Eagles’ line-up, alongside fellow Hawks defender Talia Radan. The Eagles used their first pick of the draft on mature-age recruit Imahra Cameron, who played in a premiership with Swan Districts as a midfielder/ forward. She was coached by Fremantle captain Kara Antonio (nee Donnellan). Because the Eagles are a new side, many question marks remain over their line-up, but with inaugural Fremantle best and fairest Dana Hooker there to steady the ship, these new recruits have every opportunity to develop into stars.
Grade: C+