WESTERN Australia has named its 36-player squad for the upcoming 2022 AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships in April. Coached by dual AFL Premiership player Beau McDonald and headlined by potential number one pick Ella Roberts, the Sandgropers have a stack of fresh faces who are yet to pull on the state colours at Under 18s, or even Under 17s level.

Tall forward/midfielder Roberts is the standout prospect for 2022 with her athleticism and blend of offensive and defensive traits. She is joined in the side by fellow AFLW Academy members and South Fremantle duo, Ash Reidy and Lauren Wakfer. Reidy is a speedy pressure forward who can play up the ground, whilst Wakfer is the most promising ruck talent in the 2022 AFLW Draft.

Others to keep in mind for the 2022 AFLW Draft include utility Bella Mann, with the Peel Thunder over-ager one of only two 19-year-old prospects in the squad who played in last year’s AFLW Under 19 Championships. The other is Swan Districts defender Emma Nanut who has returned to the side for another year.

From a talent perspective outside the AFLW Academy, Tara Stribley is a quick, hard-running winger who is regarded as Western Australia’s top midfielder this year. From a bottom-age perspective, it is hard to look past Stribley’s teammate Jaime Henry who has been outstanding in defence for the Swans, and is a very impressive and composed talent for her age.

East Fremantle trio Georgie Cleaver, Alli Nokes and Anjelique Raison are other names to remember for the championships. Cleaver is the Sandgropers’ AFLW Academy member at a bottom-age level, whilst Nokes and Raison have shown promising signs at League level up their respective defensive and forward ends. Top-age Peel Thunder player Emily Gunton has also been a League player who has experience against bigger bodies, whilst Swan Districts’ Kloe Taylor has some exciting upside for the future.

From a club perspective, the two footy factories of late in Western Australia – and reigning grand finalists – Swan Districts and Peel Thunder have combined for 14 players in the 36-strong squad. Claremont has an impressive seven, with three of those capped at Under 17s level last year, only behind Swan Districts (five), and Peel Thunder and East Fremantle (four). Southwest prospect Jessica Verbrugge is the only one not assigned to a WAFL Women’s club, with Subiaco’s Charlotte Newland her side’s sole representative.

Western Australia will hold two trial matches in late March and early April ahead of their AFLW Under 18s Championships campaign against South Australia at home on April 10. From there, they fly to the National Championships in Queensland for a couple of matches against other states.

2022 WESTERN AUSTRALIA UNDER 18S SQUAD:

Claremont [7]: Tamashya Blurton | Jorja Elisseou | Emily Elkington | Eva O’Donnell | Makayla Rogers | Charlotte Tompkin | Mackenzie Webb

East Fremantle [5]: Nadya Browne | Georgie Cleaver | Alli Nokes | Anjelique Raison | Alessia Schmiedgen

East Perth [2]: Ruby Burgess | Holly Gill

Peel Thunder [6]: Megan Bain | Emily Gunton | Bella Mann | Ella Roberts | Kaitlyn Srhoj | Jordain Thompson

South Fremantle [4]: Tanika Bradley | Ashleigh Reidy | Aaliyah Ugle | Lauren Wakfer

Subiaco [1]: Charlotte Newland

Swan Districts [8]: Tamzyn Beros | Abbygail Bushby | Tyla Fitzgerald | Jaime Henry | Jorjina Kean | Emma Nanut | Tara Stribley | Kloe Taylor

West Perth [2]: Liliana Grassenis | Kayla Van Den Heever

Southwest [1]: Jessica Verbrugge