PRESEASON has been well underway across the country for the next crop of AFLW hopefuls, with the state leagues beginning their trial matches over the next month ahead of season starts in March. As part of that, we will run a series taking a look at some of the players to watch for the 2025 AFLW Draft outside our Top 25 in 2025.

>> Top 25 prospects in 2025

South Fremantle’s Renee Morgan is an ultra-talented natural footballer with outstanding skills and decision making that underpins her game. She is predominantly a midfielder, but her traits could adapt around the ground. We take a look at her profile and why she is one to watch for the 2025 AFLW Draft

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South Fremantle, Western Australia GirlsMidfielder

Renee Morgan

Height: 169cm

Weight: -

DOB: 04-05-2007

BY THE NUMBERS:

2024 AFLW U18 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (3 games)
14.0 disposals | 2.0 marks | 5.7 tackles | 1.0 inside 50s

2024 WAFL WOMEN’S (4 games)
19.3 disposals | 2.0 marks | 4.8 tackles | 2.0 inside 50s

STRENGTHS

+ Skills
+ Decision making
+ Dual-sided
+ Defensive pressure
+ Footy IQ
+ Contested work

Morgan had an interrupted 2024 season, only playing the four WAFL Women’s games for South Fremantle. When out on the park she did impress, in a similar vein to her debut year where she got a taste for it as a double bottom-ager in 2023.

A natural midfielder with a great knack for stoppages, Morgan can be a first or second possession winner, and is clean by both hand or foot. Her point of difference compared to others within her draft crop is the fact that she is dual-sided, able to comfortably hit targets off both sides of her body.

Defensively, Morgan stacks up with the best, applying a fantastic amount of defensive pressure, as emphasised by her tackle numbers for both the Bulldogs at at national level for the Sandgropers. Undoubtedly at the coalface often, balances between her contested and uncontested work, though her attack on the ball and attributes lean to the former, while being able to be effective with the latter.

Footy IQ can often be an underrated attribute and hard to measure from a foundational viewing of the game. However watching Morgan closely, it is clear she understands the game well, and how to maximise her talents to best influence the match at hand, and make her teammates better. A great team-first contributor, South Fremantle look all the more dangerous with her in the side, and she will lead the midfield this year with some quality inclusions returning from AFLW.

QUESTION MARK(S)

The main knock that comes with Morgan’s game is her speed. She uses the ball incredibly well and efficiently, but is working on building up her power to explode more from the stoppages and create separation. That along with her endurance – which has had a few interruptions over the last couple of seasons – is still developing, though will come with continuity and consistency.

Outside of those athletic traits, the only other potential question mark surrounds her versatility. While many midfielders have a secondary role, Morgan is a natural on-baller who can play on the outside as well. She was thrust into the middle for Western Australia still a little rusty from a long time off at last year’s national championships, when she could well have rolled into a flank rotational role.

In 2025, expect her to predominantly still play midfield, but like so many others, aim to spend time outside the middle even if just to rest, in order to build up minutes in another position – such as half-forward – and give clubs an insight into that potential secondary role.

PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS

THEY SAID

Trent Cooper – WAFC Manager of Female Talent Pathways

“Renee had an injury interrupted year last year and had an ankle to start this year but she’s now fully fit and tracking really well. Her training’s been first class. She’s probably one of those players that’s unlucky not to be in the National Academy and we’re expecting her to have a really big year this year.”

Renee Morgan on her improvements

“I’ve definitely been trying to build my acceleration so I can just get more of that uncontested ball. We’ve been doing a lot of power work in the gym and in running for me so I’ve been working with the state S&Cs (strength and conditioning coaches) to get my own program while I was not running and now I’ve noticed already that it’s definitely gotten better and I am getting a little bit faster. It’s definitely something that I need to work on, my speed.”

OUR SCOUTS SAID

2024 AFLW U18 CHAMPIONSHIPS: VS VIC COUNTRY

Stats: 19 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Morgan is one of those players who you know exactly what you’re going to get each time. She has had an injury-interrupted season in 2024, but is finding her feet again and always brings the defensive pressure. A dual-sided midfielder with nice smarts and knows her way around a stoppage, Morgan applied plenty of defensive pressure and was strong at both ends of the game where she won 14 of her 19 disposals. Didn’t have a massive influence through clearance work, but she tried hard against the flow and was one of the better Sandgropers.

2024 AFLW U18 CHAMPIONSHIPS: VS QUEENSLAND

Stats: 18 disposals, 5 marks, 7 tackles, 2 clearances, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50, 1 behind

Cracked in from the get-go and worked hard all game as you would expect. A dual-sided player with nice football smarts, Morgan never took a backwards step and worked to find the ball on the inside and outside. She had a flying shot on goal that only marginally missed, and while not a high clearance winner on the day, worked well defensively and laid seven tackles in the loss.

2024 WAFLW ROUND 16: VS EAST FREMANTLE

Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 6 tackles

It was great to see Morgan return from injury and have a solid first-up game. Though she has had far more influential outings, getting through the match was the main thing for the talented bottom-ager who had a highlight taking a sliding mark in the fourth term. Her kicking is normally a treat, though still looked a little rusty at times, and should be good to go come the national championships.

WHERE SHE SITS

Renee Morgan is a naturally gifted player who certainly has the traits to make to the elite level. A well-balanced prospect with high footballing traits, 2025 will be about consistency and continuity for Morgan. When out on the field, Morgan is usually having an impact, but getting out on the park regularly will be key after a frustrating few years.

The athletic traits are the key improvement areas in her game, but others before her have built them up over time, and on all-round attributes alone, should be among the Top 30 players. With a strong year, Morgan should remain in the frame as one of the more well-rounded midfield prospects and will be one to watch both in the WAFLW and the AFLW Under 18 Championships.