CHARLI Bassett enters her top-age season as East Perth’s headline draft prospect, and through three rounds of the WAFLW she has been delivering on that billing with competitive performances across multiple roles. Round 4 against East Fremantle was a reminder that individual quality can shine in a losing side with more midfield minutes than in her first two matches.

>> AFLW DRAFT Q&A: Charli Bassett (East Perth)

Charli Bassett

Club: East Perth
Height: 158cm
Date of Birth: 19/11/2008

STRENGTHS:

+ Agility and evasion
+ Versatility
+ Quick hands
+ Competitiveness
+ Defensive pressure
+ Footy IQ

IMPROVEMENTS:
– Kicking efficiency
– Groundlevel consistency
– Consistency

ROUND 4: vs. East Fremantle

Statistics: 21 disposals (14 kicks, 7 handballs | 9 contested, 14 uncontested), 3 marks, 2 tackles, 3 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

FIRST QUARTER

Bassett started on the bench and was introduced in the third minute, immediately making an impact – three disposals in 40 seconds after winning a loose handball on the wing, soccering it forward, receiving it back and kicking to the pocket before heading straight into the centre bounce.

She marked uncontested at half-forward in the seventh minute but the kick in front of the leading target fell short, and she was caught a little fumbly at ground level shortly after in the forward 50, soccering forward when she couldn’t gather cleanly.

Her best moment of the term came in the 20th minute, winning a clearance under pressure with quick hands while being tackled. Seven disposals from rotational minutes was a solid start.

SECOND QUARTER

Back on from the start and won the first centre clearance of the quarter, driving to the half-forward well. The next two minutes were a whirlwind of activity – penalised for holding the ball, immediately intercepting the handball from the tackler, winning a push-in-the-back free after handballing, kicking wide from the wing, then running past for the handball receive only to see her kick smothered.

She came off for a rest and returned in the eighth minute, kicking downfield to a half-forward contest before a left-foot kick from the wing in the 10th minute went off target. A clean take and burst down the wing in the 12th minute was her cleanest piece of play. Her kicking efficiency was a mixed bag across the term – the decision making was right, the execution inconsistent.

THIRD QUARTER

Her best quarter and the one that best illustrated her quality. Coming on at a wing stoppage in the fourth minute, she received a handball at half-forward in the sixth minute and threw it on the boot high, winning it cleanly from the stoppage and kicking long to a forward pocket contest.

Her best individual passage came in the 10th minute — a sidestep and burst at half-back, a kick forward effective on the wing, followed up by winning the handball receive and another sidestep, then getting hands free quickly for a clean disposal.

Her defining contribution came a minute later — quick hands to a teammate on the overlap at half-forward that led directly to a goal two disposals later. She was unlucky in the 18th minute, pinged for holding the ball at half-back after dropping a mark and being tackled, won it again and got a handball away under pressure.

FOURTH QUARTER

Started on-ball and competed early before coming off for a rest. She attended the centre stoppage in the ninth minute but East Fremantle cleared easily. It was a quieter final term that reflected both the load management of her rotational role and the scoreline beginning to get away from the Royals.

SUMMARY

Bassett continues to show she belongs at WAFLW level as East Perth’s lead draft prospect, producing creative and competitive performances across multiple roles in a losing side. Her quick hands, agility and football intelligence — best captured by that third-quarter goal assist off the overlap — are the qualities that make her an interesting prospect.

Kicking accuracy and overall consistency are areas that Bassett can further build on going forward. With the WA national carnival ahead and a full WAFLW season remaining, there are plenty of opportunities left to make her case.