MELBOURNE was a quarter off making another AFLW Grand Final this season, narrowly going down to eventual premiers North Melbourne in the preliminary final. The Dees lost a couple of key pieces but grabbed a top 10 pick for the incumbent coach to maximise next season after inaugural mentor Mick Stinear stepped down to be closer to family where he will coach the Cats instead.

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2025 RECORD: 2nd (H&A) | 9-3 | 209.2% | Eliminated: Preliminary Final
2025 PICKS: 9, 14, 53, 71, 89
FUTURE PICKS: ’26 R1 (Melbourne), ’26 R2 (Gold Coast), ’26 R2 (Melbourne)

LIST CHANGES:

IN
Aoife Horisk (other sport rookie), Mia Austin (trade, Carlton)

OUT
Denby Taylor (delisted), Gabrielle Colvin (retired), Lily Johnson (trade, Fremantle), Eden Zanker (trade, Fremantle)

Melbourne’s biggest loss of the off-season – other than of course the coach – was talented tall Eden Zanker, with the forward heading west for a lifestyle change. She was joined by youngster Lily Johnson who followed her partner Judd McVee to Perth after he was also traded by the Demons. They replaced Zanked with a developing tall in Carlton’s Mia Austin, while bringing in another Irish talent in the explosive Aoife Horisk.

FIRST PICK:
Pick 9

After Trade Period, the Demons ended with Pick 9 – likely to blow out to Pick 14 by the time it comes around to them – and like with most drafts, will be heavily dependent on what certain other clubs do to see what is left by the time their pick rolls around. Peel Thunder defender Evie Cowcher would be a great fit for the Demons, but the big question mark is whether or not she is still on the board, with no doubt both Collingwood and Essendon likely to consider the tall.

If the Bombers did go Cowcher, Melbourne might look to pair up last year’s first selection Molly O’Hehir with another West Australian in Mia Russo, or look to replace the outgoing Tasmanian Johnson with a readymade Apple Isle midfielder Priya Bowering. If the classy and tough Tayla McMillan slid to them, that would be a dream, while you cannot rule out the likes of Maggie Johnstone and Carys D’Addario who would be in the mix.

REMAINING CROP:
Picks 14, 53

Fortunately for Melbourne, the Dees can pair up their first pick with a second selection just five picks later with Pick 14 – likely to blow out to around Pick 20 – and still fill a need. While all of the above names would be in contention depending on any sliders, the Dees are known for throwing in a curveball at times.

Could they go a tall such as Josephine Bamford to work under Lauren Pearce if they see their other talls as forwards who can pinch-hit? Those with explosive attributes such as Imogen Trengove, Lucy Waye and Asher Fearn-Wannan are a few names, with certainly a couple of bolters in that mix. Jovie Skewes-Clinton provides some flexibility at both ends, and could be a good story if they manage to scoop up two Rebels with Johnstone.

Adding another West Australian alongside Cowcher – if that occurs could be a go too, with Olivia Crane one such player who could continue her West Australian partnership with the Thunder player, albeit with the pair having been injured at different times so rarely played together.

At the later selection – if even used which there is a big chance it isn’t – the Dees still have some great value, particularly from a mature-age perspective. Any one of the impressive state league prospects ready to make the jump up could be a great shout, with Matilda Van Berkel and Tahlia Sanger a couple of out of the VFLW as examples.

KEY QUESTIONS:

– Do the Demons go a West Australian with their first selection?
– Will a pair of talls be the way to go, or best available for the Dees?
– Does Melbourne add more readymade depth in the form of a mature-ager late?