AS PART of a new series leading into the 2023 Western Australian Football League (WAFL) Women’s season, we count down 23 players to watch who are under 23. We are looking only at players who were born January 1, 2000 or later, have played a WAFL Women’s senior match, and have never been on an AFL Women’s list. Today we conclude our countdown at number #1 and that is Peel Thunder jet, Kaitlyn Srhoj.

#1 Kaitlyn Srhoj (Peel Thunder)

DOB: 10/07/2005
Height: 175cm
Position: Winger
Local club: Halls Head

Peel Thunder top-age talent Kaitlyn Srhoj had a 2022 season to remember. The young gun burst onto the scene at WAFL Women’s level in her debut season, playing 10 games for the senior side. Skipping straight past the Rogers Cup given her obvious ability, Srhoj became a key fixture on the wing for the reigning back-to-back premiers.

Though not always a massive disposal winner, Srhoj had those moments that stuck out, and she averaged the 13.0 disposals, 3.2 marks, 1.7 tackles and 1.8 inside 50s for the Thunder. The dual-code talent who has also been an impressive basketballer, slotted not only into the Thunder lineup, but the Western Australia Under 18s State Academy, where she played in all three of her state’s national carnival matches. There, she showcased her hard running to average 9.0 disposals, 2.3 marks, 2.7 inside 50s and a whopping 5.0 tackles for the Black Ducks.

Her best performance came after the season was over, when she ran out on GMHBA Stadium and won best afield honours for her side, equalling the effort of AFLW Under 18 Championships MVP winner, Shineah Goody for the opposition team. A natural winger given her athletic traits, high endurance base and natural skill, Srhoj has rolled into the stoppages at times, and standing at 175cm, is a taller midfielder than most.

One area that was to be improved upon the early stages of last year was her decision making, with her technique impressive, but just often not quite pinpointing the passes directly. That did improve across the course of the season, and with another year of development under her belt, expect the Mandurah-based talent out of Halls Head to be among the top players in this year’s draft class.

A West Coast Eagles fan, Srhoj would be odds-on to land at the blue and gold, and her top-end talent was further recognised by a place in the AFLW Academy. She is one player who catches the eye with about each touch she wins, and though last year she was not a massive ball winner, as she showed against her peers in the Under 17s Futures match, when she finds the ball and lifts her production, she can do a lot of damage. All those reasons are why she comes in at the number one spot in our WAFL Women’s 23 Under 23 countdown of players to watch.