2024 AFLW Draft review: North Melbourne
NORTH Melbourne traded out of the first round in the 2024 AFL Women’s Draft but somehow still grabbed a top talent with Pick 36, before turning its attention to an Irishwoman to add to the Roos’ strong Gaelic flavour at the club.
>> EVERY PICK: National Draft | Recap
DRAFT HAUL
National Draft:
36. Claire Mahony
43. Amy Gavin Mangan
It was a short but sweet draft haul for the Roos who picked up both of their players within eight selections. Given the upside of Claire Mahony, it was incredible that she slid to North Melbourne’s first pick with the selection they traded away for Eilish Sheerin – Pick 18 – thought to be the top of her range anyway. With the most balanced list in the AFLW and coming off an undefeated season, it was no surprise that the Roos could afford to look outside the box and bring in another Gaelic player for the club as well through Amy Gavin Mangan.
Mahony is a contested marking beast, who clunks anything in her zone and was arguably the best contested mark in the AFLW Draft. She can pull down grabs three or four deep in a pack, and as the season went on, showed her ability to go behind the ball and take some goal-saving intercept marks. Mahony even played on a wing for a short time, and she has the athleticism and work rate to impact further afield, but her best position is inside 50.
Obviously in terms of Australian rules ability it is hard to know what to expect from Gavin Mangan. The Offaly prospect is 25 years-old and naturally with Irish cross-coders, it was her speed and agility that stood out to Roos recruits. Adding extra power to the blue and white hoops, Gavin Managan will become the fifth Irish player on North Melbourne’s list, making up 20 per cent of the total playing squad.
While Gavin Mangan is an unknown quantity in terms of readymade action, in the past Gaelic cross-coders havre been more immediate than those crossing from other sports. It is a tough team to crack into, but no doubt the mature-ager will be in the mix. Mahony would get early games for just about any club, but again coming into the premiership side makes it a little tougher. Has great potential to crack in for a spot in 2025 however.