Draft 2022 AFLW Draft Analysis - Slice of Pie

[Pie 4 Life]

Hello all,

I've decided to get a bit more serious on this forum this year after mostly using the semi-discussion, semi- PMBangers thread to post my thoughts, but certainly considering the amount of thoughts I have on the women's junior footy pathway that I would create a thread early on the 2022 AFL Women's Draft. For those unfamiliar with how the men's draft board works, I'll be posting thoughts throughout the year and happy to answer any questions on players.

What do I know?

In terms of knowledge, I've been watching the girls pathway programs since the foundation of the AFLW. I saw Chloe Molloy and Monique Conti run around for Calder Cannons to give a bit of an idea. Based in Victoria I obviously see a lot of Victorian football, but watch all the SANFL Women's games thanks to the Digital Pass, and watched the two games each week on the WAFLW (one YouTube, one via The West). When a QAFLW game has multiple draft prospects I also check that out. Naturally all the championships games (17s, 19s etc.) I watch, and I also check out the V/Line Cup to get a good feel of the talented up and comers for future years prior to NAB League. If it goes ahead I'll check out the SSV U15s finals too for a look at the metro prospects.

Do I have power rankings?

At this stage I have around 30+ prospects I have put together into a group that I am particularly interested in. The age-old question of the number one pick next year? Ella Roberts for me. Prior to her tearing the WAFLW Grand Final apart in 2019, Hannah Ewings was my top selection and I was genuinely gutted she copped an ankle injury and missed the championships this year. Vic pool? It's even, Paige Scott has shot right up, it is hard to go past Montana Ham, but Sofia Hurley is one that could push her way into those top few, but there are quite a lot. I'll put together a bit of a rankings system, as well as comment on some 2023 AFLW Draft prospects throughout the off-season.

What will I do over the break?

I'll be going back and re-watching footage to particularly focus on next year's draft crop. I learnt this year that backing my gut in rather than making assumptions about coaching decisions, when it comes to my rankings is most important. An example is Zali Friswell. She opened my rankings in the Top 20, but slipped down to outside my Top 30 after seeing her put into back and forward pockets for VFLW and AFLW U19s assuming it meant that perhaps clubs weren't into her midfield work as much as I was, so pleased she got a chance.

Anyway, onto 2022 and I'll save a few posts for a Power Rankings, Draft Profiles and ultimately Phantom Draft.

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Reserved for Power Rankings.

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Reserved for Draft Profiles.

 

[Pie 4 Life]

AFLW Draft Features:

Tiah Hough (Sturt) | Hough overcomes "scary" debut to adapt to League footy
- A small midfielder from Sturt who has some nice traits with accumulation and clean hands, just 158cm and needs to work on her kicking

Jovanka Zecevic (WWT Eagles) | Zecevic finds "new level" with role change
- A midfielder forward, won the Eagles' 2020 BnF, a potential mature-age (23YO) look for Port

Jess Macolino (West Adelaide) | Constant growth the key to Macolino move
- A Westies recruit from Norwood, 29YO and 162cm but readymade midfield choice, one of the better South Australians not on a list

Erica Greet (North Adelaide) | Greet eyes more Roosters success
- 23YO wing who runs hard defensively, SANFLW TOTY last year, premiership player in 2020

Jessie Sandford (Central District) | Versatile Sandford looking to make her mark on SANFLW
- Raw type yet to make her debut at SANFLW level, but a SA U18s Academy member who can play anywhere on the field

Millie McCarthy (Sturt) | McCarthy excited for endless improvement
- Defender with some nice upside, made her debut late last year and showed promising signs in the back 50, had a good U17s carnival

Rosie Boon (Norwood) | Boon chooses footy, sets sights on improving
- Ex-basketballer who has played midfield now ruck, really athletic and nice speed

Jaslynne Smith (South Adelaide) | Skilful Smith aspires to reach top level
- One the first mature-agers I'd pick in the SANFLW if I was Port, really lovely kick, good smarts and provides both offensive and defensive coverage

Jess Bates (Glenelg) | Bates praises Bays' culture
- Mature-age midfielder who could make an immediate impact at AFLW level if chosen, another solid choice if Port go down that route.

 

[PMBangers]

Season hasn't even started yet!

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Season hasn't even started yet!

There are no season constraints

SSV and V/Line Cup coming up over next couple of months (COVID-19 permitting). Some U17s matches happening in September too!

 

[PMBangers]

There are no season constraints

SSV and V/Line Cup coming up over next couple of months (COVID-19 permitting). Some U17s matches happening in September too!

oh the joys

 

[briztoon]

Do you have any QLD’ers in your top 30 Pie 4 Life?

 

[The Nostradamus]

Claire Ransom seems to be the best tassie talent at next years draft, anyone else close to her from tassie?

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Do you have any QLD’ers in your top 30 Pie 4 Life?

Yeah I've got Alana Gee and Charlotte Mullins in there at this stage. Ella Smith one that I'm keeping a close look on and Kadie Fletcher is another name who has done some nice things for Aspley. Gee at this stage is my preferred pick, playing inside at club level, outside at champs, can play forward too. Very clean and composed. Always a bit harder with less Champs games, but watching them against Coorparoo and then at the Champs and in Academy games, Gee and Mullins are the ones i'm most excited about.

Claire Random seems to be the best tassie talent at next years draft, anyone else close to her from tassie?

Yeah Ransom is inside my Top 10, I'm a huge fan of her clean hands and work. Tassie have a couple of my watch list like Candice Belbin and Shania Saward. They showed some glimpses in games, but I want to see more before committing too much. Tassie had a lot of top-age/draft-eligible talent this year playing key roles, so seeing them in U17s games will be important.

One for the following year is Brooke Barwick. Only 156cm but boys she caught my eye in that final against GWV, and had some clever moments throughout the season.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Brooke Barwick

Any relation of Doug Barwick?

 

[RedmanWasHere]

As I do for the boys, I'll do for the girls.

Player family relations to go here.


Father/daughter.

Charlotte Simpson (Sean.) Geelong and St Kilda. (Also the sister of Sam.)
Mackenzie McGrath (Tim.) Geelong and North Melbourne.
Jemma Rigoni (Guy.) Melbourne.

Sister/sister.



Sister/brother.



Grandfather/granddaughter.



Great-grandfather/granddaughter.



Cousins.


Other.

Yasmin Duursma. (Sister of Port Adelaide's Xavier Duursma

28

Xavier Duursma

Age

23

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.5

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

8.5

5star

M

5.4

5star

T

2.1

4star

CL

1.6

4star

D

13.0

3star

K

8.8

4star

HB

4.3

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.3

3star

CL

0.5

3star

D

16.8

4star

K

8.4

4star

HB

8.4

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.0

4star

CL

1.6

4star

and their uncle is Jamie Duursma, formerly of Melbourne and Brisbane.)​

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Further, I hope Essendon get in and have a good list of names as a foundation.

 

[PMBangers]

As I do for the boys, I'll do for the girls.

Player family relations to go here.


Father/daughter.



Sister/sister.



Sister/brother.



Grandfather/granddaughter.



Great-grandfather/granddaughter.



Cousins.​

Charlotte Simpson (Geelong Falcons) is Sam Simpsons sister, so father-daughter eligible to Geelong and St Kilda
Mackenzie McGrath (Geelong Falcons) is father-daughter eligible for Geelong and North Melbourne
Jemma Rigoni (Oakleigh Chargers) daughter of Guy, father-daughter eligible for Melbourne
Yasmin Duursma (Gippsland Power) sister of Xavier

Not footy related but Jasmine Fleming (Oakleigh Chargers) is in this class and daughter of Damian

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Not footy related but Jasmine Fleming (Oakleigh Chargers) is in this class and daughter of Damian

Is Jasmine's mother (Flem's wife) a sister of Gary O'Donnell?

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Charlotte Simpson (Geelong Falcons) is Sam Simpsons sister, so father-daughter eligible to Geelong and St Kilda
Mackenzie McGrath (Geelong Falcons) is father-daughter eligible for Geelong and North Melbourne
Jemma Rigoni (Oakleigh Chargers) daughter of Guy, father-daughter eligible for Melbourne
Yasmin Duursma (Gippsland Power) sister of Xavier

Not footy related but Jasmine Fleming (Oakleigh Chargers) is in this class and daughter of Damian

Thank you.

Post is edited.

 

[Biggie]

If you need help with the WA pool hit me up.

And thread is stickied.

 

[Pie 4 Life]

If you need help with the WA pool hit me up.

And thread is stickied.

Sweet, top three I have at this stage is Ella Roberts, Lauren Wakfer and Tara Stribley. Don't mind the likes of Wright and Reidy up forward, just a bit more raw. Leitch is another one I'll be monitoring throughout the year too.

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Any relation of Doug Barwick?

It’s the right part of the world but haven’t heard anything. Certainly not from a father-daughter perspective because you’d think she’d have something as one of the most promising U15s. I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a relation there but haven’t seen any confirmation of sorts yet. I’ll ask around and see.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

It’s the right part of the world but haven’t heard anything. Certainly not from a father-daughter perspective because you’d think she’d have something as one of the most promising U15s. I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a relation there but haven’t seen any confirmation of sorts yet. I’ll ask around and see.

Thank you.

And, while here, can you please ask around if Jasmine Fleming is related to Gary O'Donnell?

Thank you P.

 

[Pie 4 Life]

My 22 to watch in 2022:

Charlotte Baskaran (Mid, Western/VM)
Mia Busch (Def, Eastern/VM)
Amber Clarke (Util, Dandenong/VC)
Octavia Di Donato (Util, Bendigo/VC)
Mackenzie Eardley (Util, Dandenong/VC)
Hannah Ewings (Mid, North/SA)
Jasmine Fleming (Mid/Fwd, Oakleigh/VM)
Alana Gee (Mid, GC Suns/QLD)
Montana Ham (Mid, Western/VM)
Cynthia Hamilton (Mid, GIANTS/NSW-ACT)
Bridie Hipwell (Mid, Sandringham/VM)
Sofia Hurley (Mid, Sandringham/VM)
Keeley Kustermann (Util, West/SA)
Charlotte Mullins (Fwd/Mid, Lions/QLD)
Claire Ransom (Mid, Tas/TAS)
Ella Roberts (Fwd, Peel/WA)
Paige Scott (Fwd, GWV/VC)
Emily Shepherd (Mid, Dandenong/VC)
Keeley Skepper (Mid, Murray/VC)
Tara Stribley (Mid, Swan D/WA)
Lauren Wakfer (Ruck, South/WA)
Lily-Rose Williamson (Def/Mid, Gippsland/VC)

State-by-State Breakdown:

VC 7
VM 6
WA 3
SA 2
QLD 2
NSW-ACT 1
TAS 1

22 in 2022: AFLW Draft Ones to Watch

There are plenty of talented players to watch in the 2022 AFL Women's Draft and here's 22 name (plus plenty more) to remember.

afl.draftcentral.com.au

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Thank you.

And, while here, can you please ask around if Jasmine Fleming is related to Gary O'Donnell?

Thank you P.

From a Google search you appear to be on the money. Gary O’Donnell is her uncle (mum Wendy is Gary’s sister) based on searching through both lines (Damien’s wife is Wendy O’Donnell, Gary’s sister is Wendy O’Donnell, and the two strike what you would call an identical resemblance)

 

[RedmanWasHere]

From a Google search you appear to be on the money. Gary O’Donnell is her uncle (mum Wendy is Gary’s sister) based on searching through both lines (Damien’s wife is Wendy O’Donnell, Gary’s sister is Wendy O’Donnell, and the two strike what you would call an identical resemblance)

Thank you P.

Jasmine Fleming will have not only her own section but a completely separate post.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

With Jasmine Fleming a possibility for next year's draft, let's look at her lineage.

Outside of footy, dad is Damien Fleming. (Cricket superstar.) (AKA, the Bowlologist.)

In footy, this is where her links get a bit stir crazy.

Her maternal uncle is Gary O'Donnell. (Essendon.)
Gary's dad is Graeme O'Donnell. (Geelong and North Melbourne.)
Graeme's paternal grandfather was Pat O'Donnell. (Geelong.)

Jasmine's 2x great-uncles are:

Bert Rankin.
Cliff Rankin.
Douglas Rankin.

Bert, Cliff and Doug were the sons of Edwin "Ted" Rankin.

This makes Ted the 2x great-grandfather of Jasmine Fleming.

Ted's brother, Tom Rankin, was Jasmine's 3x great-uncle.

Finally, current Geelong Cats' No. 10, Georgia Rankin, is the 3rd cousin of Jasmine Fleming. (Ted Rankin was their mutual ancestor.)

All the players, Gary O'Donnell aside, have played for Geelong.​

 

[RedmanWasHere]

On Bridie Hipwell, it's a shame her brother, Darby, wasn't drafted last year.

Here's hoping that, in 2-3 years, there'll be 2 Hipwell's in the league.