OVER the next three weeks, Rookie Me Central will be counting down our 23 Players Under 23 years of age to watch in the upcoming 2023 season. The criteria is the player must be born in 2001 or later, and must have played at least one AFL Women’s match in Season 7. As the list is completely subjective, the opinion is that of the individual author.
#19 Sarah Hartwig (Western Bulldogs)
DOB: 12/04/2002
Height: 173cm
Position: Tall Utility
Games: 28
Sarah Hartwig was taken with pick number 11 in the 2020 AFLW National Draft after producing a strong junior career for both Sandringham Dragons and Vic Metro. Though she had interruptions due to the global pandemic, the defender – who could also play up the ground – showed enough promise to earn a spot on an AFLW list as one of the most impressive players in the Victorian pool.
Her aerial ability and athleticism particularly stood out, and across her first three seasons in the AFL Women’s played 28 matches for the red, white and blue. In Season 7, Hartwig made the transition from defender to forward and that move paid dividends for both player and club.
SEASON 7 KEY STATS:
Games: 10
Goals: 5
Disposals: 7.7
Disposal Efficiency: 57.2
Marks: 2.1
Tackles: 2.1
Tackles inside 50: 1.4
Intercepts: 2.3
Rebound 50s: 1.3
Score involvements: 1.0
Time of Ground %: 83.8
While many players often go through a transitioning phase with regards to on-field roles over the off-season, rising talent Sarah Hartwig did that mid-season. For the five weeks, Hartwig played across half-back, in her usual role where she enjoyed a relatively smooth transition as the Dogs went 4-0.
Though they eventually went down to North Melbourne, Hartwig had her best game of the season to date, taking four marks from 11 disposals. Then the defender switched to the other end, and kicked five goals across the next five games, including two in the win against West Coast, and one in the knockout elimination final loss to the Magpies.
Her numbers lifted in that second half of the season, particularly in regard to tackling, where she laid multiple tackles in each match. Perhaps most impressive, Hartwig laid nine tackles inside 50 in the final two games, and added that pressure element to her aerial ability.
LOOKING AHEAD
Hartwig looks set to be that forward marking option who, if she does not clunk the grab, has the potential to bring it to ground for smaller forwards to rove. At 173cm, Hartwig is a good size to play on taller opponents, and is athletic enough to match up on smaller ones as well. She enters the countdown as a fourth season player to watch, with the 21-year-old gaining more experience by the season.
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