AFLW West Coast Womens 2025

[WCE777]

Do you see the difference, though, between people speculating, on the one hand, and you saying “looks like the club got scans had bad news” on the other hand?

appreciate your view, not going around in circles with you.

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

Yeah, I’m not sure where scans showing her being injury prone comes from.

Not sure about this move. I thought she did some positive things the second half of last year and would’ve liked her to get a chance to get fit after a full healthy offseason. I get that the Paterson trade made her expendable but I still think she could be a good player if she gets in shape. I’d imagine she’ll be on a list next year; a lower tier club would be silly not to take a chance on a recent first rounder.

Our drafting has generally been good recently but delisting the 14th overall pick 2 years after the draft is a really big miss.

 

[AlphaSheep]

Yeah, I got no idea, I would be shocked if they decided to stick with 35 year old Drennan over 20 year old Kavanagh. ACL or not she was a pick 14 you'd have thought they'd persist for one more year. First year after an ACL is never great unless your name's Will Ashcroft.

Conjuring Lily Paterson out of thin air was probably what did it.

Drennan's fast. And again, Rowley had an ACL too, came back looking trim, super fit. Kav didn't, which speaks to attitude. If she got in super shape, she may yet be a good player for some other team. But pro sports teams aren't going to bet yearly salaries on 'if'.

 

[Monocle]

Drennan's fast. And again, Rowley had an ACL too, came back looking trim, super fit. Kav didn't, which speaks to attitude. If she got in super shape, she may yet be a good player for some other team. But pro sports teams aren't going to bet yearly salaries on 'if'.

A very blunt call but also very fair.

The top sides are built on two way running and endurance, looks like we are now getting with that program.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

appreciate your view, not going around in circles with you.

I don’t want to go around in circles but it bothers me that you don’t understand the point.

You’ve now basically started a rumour about Kavanagh having a bad injury prognosis. All because, while you might have been just speculating like the rest of us, you worded it in a way that made it sound like “this is what’s happened”.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Yeah, I’m not sure where scans showing her being injury prone comes from.

Not sure about this move. I thought she did some positive things the second half of last year and would’ve liked her to get a chance to get fit after a full healthy offseason. I get that the Paterson trade made her expendable but I still think she could be a good player if she gets in shape. I’d imagine she’ll be on a list next year; a lower tier club would be silly not to take a chance on a recent first rounder.

Our drafting has generally been good recently but delisting the 14th overall pick 2 years after the draft is a really big miss.

Smaller AFLW list sizes allow for these kinds of calls unfortunately. Port Adelaide delisted a pick 25 from the same Rentsch/Kav draft last month. Personally I would've kept her on for at least one more year to see how she backs up a full season post ACL, but the people see who see her every day thought otherwise.

She's a one position player in a team that the coach values you playing multiple positions and the game looked like it was moving double the speed whenever the ball was around her.

 

[AlphaSheep]

Looking at players with that speed around our 2nd pick there seems a group of players like Eloise Mackereth SA/Maya Louvel-Finn WA/Alicia Blizzard WA around the 35-45 draft area.

Lucy Greenwood WA/Melissa Anderson SA/Sienna Gerardi WA/Ella Gilbey WA all look decent later prospects if we take another player with McDonald's future cloudy?
Thoughts on any of these players?

I doubt Mackereth will last anywhere near pick 36. RookieMe gets things wrong (Scarlett Johnson might go pick 1, RM had her at 13-15) and I reckon Mackereth will be top 20. Of course, if she did fall to 36, we'd be stupid not to take her. Louvel-Finn, no. Greenwood no. Anderson, don't know her. Gerardi, no. Gilbey, no.

Blizard, YES. Massively underrated, the only thing 'wrong' with her is her overhead marking. But that only became an issue when someone in her coaching pathway decided she was a forward - and sure, she sucks marking on a lead. But before that she was a defender, and she was fine. Terrific athlete (top five in a few of the combine categories) nice size, very strong, great below her knees, excellent kick. I'm a big fan.

Could definitely still be available at 36. If Daisy can sort her out, could be a steal.

Also worth pointing out, comparing Olivia Crane to SMac or Schilling - Crane's on a different level to both of them. Think Charlie Thomas's hands, skills and brains, but 181cm instead of 175. She's not fast, exactly, but she's agile - moves well in traffic, can buy herself an extra second with fakes and sidesteps. She's got the kind of agility that comes from cleverness and great fundamentals, not blistering pace.

I don't think she got back to her best in her senior year after doing her ACL the year before. If she'd been in truly top form in the Under 18s, she'd be a top 10 pick.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Drennan's fast. And again, Rowley had an ACL too, came back looking trim, super fit. Kav didn't, which speaks to attitude. If she got in super shape, she may yet be a good player for some other team. But pro sports teams aren't going to bet yearly salaries on 'if'.

The coaches know who's putting in the work and who's doing just enough. Sanne came out of nowhere being a replacement player to signing a two year extension this time last year. Daisy played her every game last year and as soon as she was made available after she got over her virus she was back in the team and played the final five games.

Painter this morning posted, and then deleted for some reason, a 'back at it' story on IG with her, Rentsch, Boyd , Ella, Wakfer and a couple others getting some running in before the Christmas break.

 

[squashface]

There's a scan you can get that tells you if you're injury prone?

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

I feel a bit bad for Boyd. She very much seemed like she enjoyed being at the club and while long term she probably will be happy being back in Adelaide, I suspect that the Paterson trade developed very quickly and she didn’t have an inkling that she’d be moving back to Adelaide until the last 24 hours.

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

Drennan's fast. And again, Rowley had an ACL too, came back looking trim, super fit. Kav didn't, which speaks to attitude. If she got in super shape, she may yet be a good player for some other team. But pro sports teams aren't going to bet yearly salaries on 'if'.

I get that, but we’ve got one player on our list who has basically not played for two years and two others with blown ACLs. If Kavanagh didn’t have the work ethic then fair enough, but the positives and negatives she showed this past season (minus the lack of fitness) were pretty much as she was advertised going to the draft, so I think it’s a pretty big stuff-up to use a mid first round pick on a player and then decide after one actual playing season that she’s not AFLW material.

 

[WCE777]

I doubt Mackereth will last anywhere near pick 36. RookieMe gets things wrong (Scarlett Johnson might go pick 1, RM had her at 13-15) and I reckon Mackereth will be top 20. Of course, if she did fall to 36, we'd be stupid not to take her. Louvel-Finn, no. Greenwood no. Anderson, don't know her. Gerardi, no. Gilbey, no.

Blizard, YES. Massively underrated, the only thing 'wrong' with her is her overhead marking. But that only became an issue when someone in her coaching pathway decided she was a forward - and sure, she sucks marking on a lead. But before that she was a defender, and she was fine. Terrific athlete (top five in a few of the combine categories) nice size, very strong, great below her knees, excellent kick. I'm a big fan.

Could definitely still be available at 36. If Daisy can sort her out, could be a steal.

Also worth pointing out, comparing Olivia Crane to SMac or Schilling - Crane's on a different level to both of them. Think Charlie Thomas's hands, skills and brains, but 181cm instead of 175. She's not fast, exactly, but she's agile - moves well in traffic, can buy herself an extra second with fakes and sidesteps. She's got the kind of agility that comes from cleverness and great fundamentals, not blistering pace.

I don't think she got back to her best in her senior year after doing her ACL the year before. If she'd been in truly top form in the Under 18s, she'd be a top 10 pick.

RM is a guide and last update was months ago so things change.
Appreciate your inputs, just reading Blizard's profile and watching player highlights she has some nice talent.

If Crane is that good and WC are taking a KPP then we would be mad not to consider her.

There seems to be a decent group of SA girls around the 25-35 group who maybe to early for our 2nd pick 36.
L Waye/I Trengrove/L Baxter look like they all have those excellent speed and agility traits along with good football skills.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

I feel a bit bad for Boyd. She very much seemed like she enjoyed being at the club and while long term she probably will be happy being back in Adelaide, I suspect that the Paterson trade developed very quickly and she didn’t have an inkling that she’d be moving back to Adelaide until the last 24 hours.

Yeah, I feel for Boyd as well. Seemed to be really enjoying Perth and everyone loved getting around her. I'd love to know when Paterson dropped that news on Port. Had to have been real recent cos ol' mate Riley Beveridge would've been all over it weeks ago. Reading Port's press release it sounds like she requested a trade home.

“Lily has been a valued member of our group, and while we’re sad to see her go, we understand her reasons and thank her for everything she has given to our program.”

 

[jatz14]

According to Jordan Loxley on the WC AFL website:

“ Lilly is a genuine inside midfielder with exceptional hands, composure and decision making.

Her ability to set up teammates on the outside through her vision and ball use is a stand out, and we believe she will thrive in our program “

So that gives us a bit of an idea of what the Eagles thinking was in going after her .

Clean hands on the inside is something we lack. Rentsch is a 110% player, but she lacks touch and hands.

 

[jatz14]

Possibly, possibly it’s a solely football decision we don’t agree with it, possibly there’s off-field issues we don’t know about, possibly it’s injury related, possibly she asked for too much money …

I don’t see how you can suddenly leap to a conclusion as specific as “the club got scans and they showed she’s got long term injury issues”. That’s one of any number of potential explanations, and not automatically the most likely.

It’d be like me saying “looks like Drennan will remain on the list but be inactive for 2026 until she’s testified against the drug kingpin and been able to come out of witness protection”. Sure, that’s one possible explanation of her situation, but is it really the most obvious one?

Shhh. Thats supposed to be secret still.

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

Yeah, I feel for Boyd as well. Seemed to be really enjoying Perth and everyone loved getting around her. I'd love to know when Paterson dropped that news on Port. Had to have been real recent cos ol' mate Riley Beveridge would've been all over it weeks ago. Reading Port's press release it sounds like she requested a trade home.

Yeah, that was my reading of the situation as well. The length of the men's season and pre-season training starting up in November pretty much forces player's to commit to living where their club is located. Whereas the women's season is a lot shorter so they get a much longer period in between the end of the season and start of pre-season training. Look at Zippy, she pretty much left Sydney immediately after their season ended and will be living in Perth for the next few months while she attends uni.

I can understand how it happens with someone like Paterson, she might have stuck around in Adelaide for Port's B&F and then came back to Perth, was back among her family and friends and at some point during the trade period found herself dreading the idea of going back over to Adelaide for the next season and realised it was now or never.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Boyd's doing her x- days of Christmas vlogs at the moment on TikTok where she just talks about what she gets up to during the day in like a 1 minute vid, last night's one was a normal video then in the middle of it 'yeah, then I got traded to Port' then resumed the rest of the clip, lol.

Then she replied to a comment saying she moved and it was her choice. I assume that's because you can't trade players without their consent so her agent or the club went to her about the move and she signed off on it. Port sure as f*ck weren't getting Riggsy back.

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

I assume Port asked first about Riggs and were met with laughter.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

I assume Port asked first about Riggs and were met with laughter.

Absolute laughter, they were in a terrible trade position, to be fair. A player wanted to go home and they could only negotiate with one team because the other team had next to no draft capital cos they gave it all for Zanker.

I ain't gonna assume why Paterson wanted to come back so soon, but I am surprised she didn't just stick it out for the second season and request a trade when she's out of contract.

 

[Monocle]

Absolute laughter, they were in a terrible trade position, to be fair. A player wanted to go home and they could only negotiate with one team because the other team had next to no draft capital cos they gave it all for Zanker.

I ain't gonna assume why Paterson wanted to come back so soon, but I am surprised she didn't just stick it out for the second season and request a trade when she's out of contract.

None of us know the family and or personal details that are ever at play in situations like these and neither should we speculate.

It is, what it is.

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

None of us know the family and or personal details that are ever at play in situations like these and neither should we speculate.

It is, what it is.

A good example of this is Anne Hatchard's trade to Gold Coast yesterday. It came out after the trade that Hatchard suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, and part of the reason behind the trade was that she could live in a warmer (year-round) climate which is better for people suffering with that illness.

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

They've announced the first group of girls attending the draft.


Ava Usher, Sunny Lappin, Georja Davies, Dekota Baron and Alannah Welsh (all Gold Coast )
Ally Neyland (Sydney)
Evie Cowcher (WA)
Olivia Wolmarans (WA)
Scarlett Johnson
Chloe Bown
Chloe Baker-West

So of the 11 players invited (presumably all practically guarantees to go in the first round) 6 are already spoken for. Cool system.

 

[WCE777]

They've announced the first group of girls attending the draft.


Ava Usher, Sunny Lappin, Georja Davies, Dekota Baron and Alannah Welsh (all Gold Coast )
Ally Neyland (Sydney)
Evie Cowcher (WA)
Olivia Wolmarans (WA)
Scarlett Johnson
Chloe Bown
Chloe Baker-West

So of the 11 players invited (presumably all practically guarantees to go in the first round) 6 are already spoken for. Cool system.

Lets hope the new draft matching rules at AFL level extend to AFLW soon and we see a much more equitable sytem for both.

Looking forward to seeing who WC draft with their 1st & 2nd rounders.
Been a succesful trade period and not paid much for some decent prospects ready to play in our best team.

Hopefully a KPD player with use losing Boyd and McDonald's concussion worries.
Then add a quality ball user with good speed and endurance at our 2nd pick.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Bit of a palate cleanser after the last 24 hours. Lu Painters season in review.

AFLW Season Review: Lucia Painter

First year Eagle Lucia Painter recaps the 2025 AFLW Season

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

West Coast definitely exceeded my expectations and I can whole heartedly say I want to be part of the blue and gold for as long as possible.

 

[Livin1989]

Bit of a palate cleanser after the last 24 hours. Lu Painters season in review.

AFLW Season Review: Lucia Painter

First year Eagle Lucia Painter recaps the 2025 AFLW Season

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

Ooft, much needed injection of feel good.