SOUTH Fremantle utility Molly O’Hehir has one of the highest ceilings of any player in next year’s draft crop. While others have put more runs on the board to-date and the crop as a whole is looming as an incredible one, O’Hehir has the potential to be among the best with all the traits to piece together as a genuine AFLW talent.

Her performance against West Perth was her best of the year, and she was the subject of our Player Focus for Round 9 playing at half-forward. Of her 18 disposals, incredibly 16 were contested, as she dominated in the air and was clean at ground level, showcasing her fantastic athletic abilities to put her side on top early.

South Fremantle, Western Australia GirlsMidfielder-Defender

Molly O'Hehir

Height: 179cm

Weight: -

DOB: 24-05-2006

2023 WAFL Women’s Round 9
South Fremantle 4.9 (33) def. West Perth 2.1 (13)

STATS: 18 disposals (10 kicks, 8 handballs), 16 contested possessions, 6 marks (5 contested), 2 tackles, 10 inside 50s, 1 hitout

FIRST QUARTER

Molly O’Hehir’s day started well by winning a one-on-one ball and kicking inside 50 to a contest. She was smothered with her next kick inside 50 but applied good pressure to the opposition. In the fifth minute, O’Hehir had the height advantage over Jess Roper in a one-on-one, won it and burst away but after aa bounce spilled it and was pinged for doing so.

Midway through the first term, O’Hehir took a great one-on-one mark against Laura Butler then bulleted in a kick to the leading Bethany Bond who was able to recover and slot a goal. A few minutes later, O’Hehir again won a one-on-one against Butler, gathering at ground level this time and firing off a quick handball to a teammate. She ran forward to be of support and her crucial one-on-one win allowed for an extra number and helping set up another goal.

Still developing in terms of her strength, O’Hehir was bumped in a marking contest and dropped it in the 14th minute, but found space in the middle a few minutes later. She marked uncontested, ran forward and kicked to space in what would be the last kick of the term.

SECOND QUARTER

Two minutes into the second term, O’Hehir ran past fellow State Academy member Noa McNaughton who was at ground level and received the handball from her smaller teammate. She burst away and kicked inside 50, and while it was not pinpoint, went into a dangerous position. She continued to compete inside 50 as South Fremantle applied plenty of pressure on the West Perth defence.

Again, O’Hehir found the mismatch at half-forward against the smaller Roper to take a good mark then handballed to a teammate. She went back and won another touch but was nailed in a good tackle by Roper, and forced to get away a quick handball. Midway through the quarter, O’Hehir won her sole hitout inside 50, then finished the half with a great tackle on the wing which forced a rushed kick down the ground.

THIRD QUARTER

Starting the third term on fire, O’Hehir took a strong mark on the lead then spun around and put the ball in front of her teammate inside 50. In the fifth minute, O’Hehir assumed the front position in a marking contest as she so often does, against Jeevna Heer to take another grab. Her kick inside 50 was a nice one to a teammate.

In the 12th minute mark of the term, O’Hehir won a one-on-one by shrugging off her opponent while spinning around and hitting up a teammate inside 50. Unfortunately that next set shot missed, but the South Fremantle bottom-ager was making things happen in the front half of the ground. Her final play of the third term was winning the ball on the wing in a contest and bursting away, but copped contact and it spilled unable to kick it clear.

FOURTH QUARTER

The fourth term was a quieter one from O’Hehir after a big day out, but she still won an early touch in the opening four minutes, picking it up and bursting away inside 50 to deliver to a one-on-one. Midway through the quarter, O’Hehir had a neat handball inside 50 after bursting off, and then won it again to compete her performance with a second fourth quarter handball in the same zone.

CLOSING THOUGHTS ….

Molly O’Hehir is an exciting utility who played at half-forward in this match, but is equally capable of running off a wing or half-back. Standing at 176cm, she is the prototype size who can arguably grow another centimetre or two to be of key position height. But what separates her from others is her ridiculous speed, and nice leap. A lot of talls can have an athletic jump, but O’Hehir has a burst that few players her size can match, which really stands out.

At the moment, consistency has been the main deficiency in her game, and while she can build greater strength to compete against bigger bodies as well, O’Hehir has all the tools to really worry the opposition, regardless of the level she plays. Though she might not have the fanfare of some others who have already impressed at the Under 18 Championships last year, O’Hehir is one likely to shoot up the draft boards next year, but will be no surprise to those who have tracked her development.