AHEAD of the 2022 NAB League Girls Grand Final, Rookie Me Central has released its 50-player extended list for the 2022 NAB League Girls Team of the Year. The squad is comprised of players from across the 13 full-time regions, based off their performances throughout the season. Each week in 2022, we produced a NAB League Girls Team of the Week, which has aided in the selection.

A total of 105 different players earned at least one spot in our Team of the Week this year, with 36 of them receiving three or more nominations. These players automatically made the 50-player squad. From there, a remaining 14 players were chosen, including four players who received two nominations and an emergency spot in a given week this year.

The list of 50 players will be cut down to a final squad of 24 and three emergencies (mirroring that of our Team of the Week). Those players who received five or more Team of the Week nominations (50 per cent of the season) automatically qualify for the Team of the Year, with the remaining places chosen by the Rookie Me Central team from the remaining squad.

Please note: The NAB League Girls Team of the Year squad nominations are based purely on performances in the NAB League and not the AFLW Under 18 Championships, and do not include finals performances.

It is no surprise to see grand finalists Dandenong Stingrays and Western Jets leading the way with a combined 12 players apiece in the squad. Whilst they both had six, losing semi-finalists Eastern Ranges (five) and Geelong Falcons (four) also contributing strongly. Tasmania Devils and Murray Bushrangers both had five representatives as other sides right in contention for finals until the last round of the season. Sandringham Dragons was the other side to have four representatives in the 50-player squad.

Of the lower represented sides, Bendigo Pioneers and GWV Rebels both had three as sides in the Country pool, whilst from the Metro pool, Northern Knights had three as well. The most unlucky side was Calder Cannons who only had the two despite their strong season, but their even team effort – nine overall nominees throughout the year – spread the total individual nominations thin. Oakleigh Chargers and Gippsland Power also had the two representatives.

Among the more high profile players to marginally miss out on the squad this year were AFLW Academy members Paige Scott and Bridie Hipwell, whilst Abbey McDonald missed a chunk of football through injury and just missed out despite some impressive outings. No doubt AFLW Academy bottom-ager Alyssia Pisano would have been included had injury not cut short her season, whilst Ashleigh Van Loon was another player who missed multiple games with injury.

The full 50-player squad is listed below.

2022 ROOKIE ME CENTRAL NAB LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE YEAR SQUAD

Bendigo Pioneers [3]: Octavia Di Donato, Lila Keck, Lucia Painter
Calder Cannons [2]: Amy Gaylor, Reese Sutton
Dandenong Stingrays [6]: Amber Clarke, Mackenzie Eardley, Taylah Gatt, Olivia Robinson, Charley Ryan, Emily Shepherd
Eastern Ranges [5]: Mia Austin, Mia Busch, Ava Campbell, Bridget Deed, Isabelle Khoury
Geelong Falcons [4]: Elizabeth Dowling, Keeley Hardingham, Analea McKee, Johanna Sunderland
Gippsland Power [2]: Ash Centra, Ella Stoddart
GWV Rebels [3]: Lilli Condon, Jamie-Lee Speakman, Molly Walton
Murray Bushrangers [5]: Zarlie Goldsworthy Zara Hamilton, Grace Hay, Cassidy Mailer, Keeley Skepper
Northern Knights [3]: Tarrah Delgado, Ava Jordan, Rylie Wilcox
Oakleigh Chargers [2]: Jasmine Fleming, Charlotte Taylor
Sandringham Dragons [4]: Keely Coyne, Georgia Foran, Sofia Hurley, Mia Zielinski
Tasmania Devils [5]: Brooke Barwick, Priya Bowering, Georgia Clark, Bellah Parker, Claire Ransom
Western Jets [6]: Charlotte Baskaran, Laura Elliott, Lou-Lou Field, Montana Ham, Krystal Russell, Caitlin Sargent