WESTERN Australia picked up the one win at last year’s AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships, and heads into the 2023 carnival with a largely new-look squad. There are a number of players who have replaced others in the side, as well as some surprise packets impressing at WAFL Women’s level who have earned the chance to represent the Sandgropers.

FIXTURES:

vs. South Australia @ Pentanet Stadium, April 30
vs. Allies @ Blacktown International Sportspark, August 13
vs. Vic Country @ Pentanet Stadium, July 20

SQUAD:

Eva O’Donnell (Claremont)
Ella Slocombe (Claremont)
Mackenzie Webb (Claremont)*
Claudia Wright (Claremont)
Taya Chambers (East Fremantle)
Georgie Cleaver (East Fremantle)
Natasha Entwistle (East Fremantle)
Zippy Fish (East Fremantle)
Mylee Leitch (East Fremantle)
Tayah Palmer (East Fremantle)
Anjelique Raison (East Fremantle)
Holly Britton (Peel Thunder)
Kate Newson (Peel Thunder)
Dakota Sexton (Peel Thunder)
Kaitlyn Srhoj (Peel Thunder)
Noa McNaughton (South Fremantle)
Molly O’Hehir (South Fremantle)
Madison Dodd (Subiaco)
Charlotte Newland (Subiaco)
Eva Popovsky (Subiaco)
Brooke Edwards (Swan Districts)
Jaime Henry (Swan Districts)
Liliana Grassenis (West Perth)
Megan Norbury (West Perth)

KEY TOP-AGE PLAYERS:

Kaitlyn Srhoj (Peel Thunder)
10/07/2005 | 175cm | Midfielder

Srhoj had an impressive WAFLW season last year and really stepped it up a notch in the Under 17s Futures match where she won MVP for her side at GMHBA Stadium. Possessing outstanding athletic traits and an ability to play inside or outside, Srhoj is a player with enormous upside and one to watch in the carnival as capable of breaking the lines.

Georgie Cleaver (East Fremantle)
14/08/2005 | 183cm | Ruck/Key Forward

Juggling her football commitments with her high-level netball duties, Cleaver missed out of a full championships last year and has already been balancing the two in 2023. She has an enormous vertical leap, strong hands and can play inside 50 or roll through the ruck. Similar to Srhoj, Cleaver has plenty of upside for the future and is hard to match up on given her height and athleticism.

Jaime Henry (Swan Districts)
05/10/2005 | 176cm | Midfielder/Defender

As reliable as they come, Henry has forged an ultra-consistent career at WAFLW level and earned an invite to the AFLW Academy in 2023. Clean by hand on the inside, strong and with a very handy left foot, Henry is the type of player who will be among the bests each and every game. While her teammates are high-upside, Henry is a readymade talent who could compete against senior players with ease.

Anjelique Raison (East Fremantle)
07/09/2005 | 180cm | Key Position Utility

One of the most versatile players in the AFLW draft crop, Raison has the potential to play forward, back or through the ruck and could even roll into the midfield given her high work rate. She has strong hands overhead, can clunk big grabs, then go back and drain set shots with consistency. Similar to Henry, Raison has footy smarts and is readymade to compete against senior opponents.

Ella Slocombe (Claremont)
06/12/2005 | 164cm | Forward/Midfielder

Another exciting speedster, Slocombe has made a busy return over the last couple of weeks following an impressive outing with the State Academy against the WAFLW All-Stars, and then for the Tigers. Capable of hitting the scoreboard when inside 50, Slocombe is a metres gained player with some eye-catching athletic trait. A little rawer compared to the others on this list, but has the natural talent to go far.

FUTURE WATCH:

Western Australia’s 2006-born crop is a bumper one, headlined by East Fremantle star Zippy Fish. Already readymade to play AFLW despite being a year younger, Fish has elite skills and vision and can play in each third of the ground. Her East Fremantle Taya Chambers has a nice highlights package also coming out of defence, while small forward Noa McNaughton is a quintessential high footy IQ small forward. Bulldogs teammate and versatile tall Molly O’Hehir is another top-end talent, while West Perth winger Megan Norbury is primed to return from concussion this weekend.

PREDICTION:

Western Australia has the toughest assignment up first in South Australia and will go in as underdogs against a Croweaters side that has far more experience at the Under 18s level. However in the two August matches, the Sandgropers take on the Allies and Vic Country, and both are very winnable given the Black Ducks will have had more time together and have the speed to worry other sides.