EACH week leading up to the unique Over-age AFL Women’s Draft, Rookie Me Central will highlight some of the eligible players around the country who are impressing in the respective state leagues. In the first edition, the article will focus on Round 2 of the SANFL Women’s round and some of the players who impressed that clubs might consider.

>> Dates set: AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft

Georgia Bevan (Sturt)
11/06/1993 | 161cm | Midfielder/Forward

One player who is no stranger to playing at the elite level is the fierce Bevan, and she has lost none of her smarts or tenacity over the years. Turning 30 in June, she is still playing well for the Double Blues, and having played 16 AFL Women’s games at both Adelaide – including the 2017 premiership – and Gold Coast – the midfielder/forward would provide immediate relief for any club looking for a plug-and-play talent. She looks like she can still play for a number of years and after another impressive tackling display on the weekend, would add leadership to any of the young sides.

Julia Clark (North Adelaide)
03/05/2002 | 163cm | Wing

A former state representative, the winger has been thereabouts in terms of draftability over the last few years and continues to build confidence in the red and white. A dual premiership player with the Roosters, coach Krissie Steen is a massive advocate for Clark to reach the top level. Boasting clean skills and the ability to find space catches the eye. Still only 21, Clark is coming off a strong performance in North Adelaide’s loss to West Adelaide and will have a few more games under her belt before the Over-age Draft.

Sarah Branford (Norwood)
24/02/2003 | 159cm | Small Defender

The Norwood small has been trialled in multiple positions across the field and at one point or another has stationed herself inside and outside midfield – particularly on a wing – and up forward, but now Branford is settling into the rebounding defensive role. It seems a match made in heaven for Branford who boasts outstanding skills, nice speed and evasion. She has always struggled a little with production numbers, averaging just the 11.2 disposals last season for the Redlegs through the midfield. In 2023, Branford is firing on all cylinders with the possession-friendly role change, the talented youngster who racked up 25 disposals and three rebound 50s in the narrow loss to South Adelaide.

Iilish Ross (West Adelaide)
21/06/1999 | 169cm | Medium Defender/Midfielder

An easy immediate choice for an AFLW club if Ross wanted to step up this season and return to the elite level. Having retired due to injuries after 21 games across five seasons at Collingwood and Richmond, Ross has performed as you would expect at the next step down. She is not a massive accumulator, but rotates between defence and midfield and hardly wastes a disposal. Each touch she seems to have goes to her teammates advantage and going into the midfield she showed a crafty side when at a forward stoppage on the weekend, kicking a terrific goal to kick-start the Bloods’ upset win over the Roosters.