AN INCREDIBLE four-point victory to the All Stars over the AFLW Academy saw plenty of AFLW Draft prospects put their name in lights at Dingley on Sunday, and we took note of every player that took part. In part two of our Scouting Notes from the match, we focus on those on the winning side.

>> SCOUTING NOTES: AFLW Academy

ALL STARS:

#4 Lani Cocks
Midfielder/Defender | 161cm | 15/09/2009

Stats: 17 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s

The bottom-aged ball-winner certainly fitted in well, starting on the bench and then rotating through the middle and even off half-back. Her ability to burst from stoppages and find space to exit well were highlights, and she mopped up time and time again behind the ball. Took advantage from a free kick when under pressure when she shouldn’t have, but aside from that blemish was brilliant out of the back half and even won an eye-catching clearance out of the middle in the first term.

#5 Maddison Meagher
Wing/Defender | 164cm | 02/08/2008

Stats: 9 disposals, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 1 goal, 1 behind

Incredible that Meagher only had nine touches, because it felt like 20-plus the way she was impacting the game. Her run and carry off a wing and then out of the back half really broke the game opens at times and she seemed to have an impact with just about every disposal. Her goal in the third term was one of the best, receiving the handball, exploding away and then nailing it on the run from 40 metres with a classy finish. Brought the defensive heat too with some brilliant tackles.

#7 Layla Vizgaudis
Midfielder/Forward | 162cm | 22/04/2008

Stats: 13 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 3 inside 50s

Had a blistering start to the game by winning the first centre clearance and then continued to find the ball across the ground. She largely operated in the front half and applied some big tackles and also showed off a nice turn of speed out of the stoppages. Her form for South Adelaide has been first class, and it was no surprise she earned the call-up off the back of that. Her best traits – her kicking and decision making – were out in full force.

#8 Frances Walsh
Wing | 173cm | 30/01/2008

Stats: 23 disposals, 6 marks, 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 4 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 2 behinds

A deserved best on ground in the win, Walsh was phenomenal from start to finish. Had she kicked the two goals instead of behinds in the first term, it would have made it a near complete wing game, but she just about did everything else right. Often it seems like rinse and repeat with Walsh, able to find space, mark, transition the ball and then hit targets further afield. Not afraid to use either side of her body, she is always composed and even had some brief minutes on ball late in the first term.

#14 Ava Bilyk
Midfielder/Forward | 169cm | 07/07/2008

Stats: 19 disposals, 6 marks, 3 tackles, 2 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 1 goal, 2 behinds

Bilyk was clearly among the best on ground with her work both around the ball and when in space. She is strong overhead for her size, and she never takes a backwards step. Her defensive pressure is always great, but her clean hands and determination to win the ball is what stands out. She was a little wayward with her shots on goal, but did nail an important major in the fourth quarter after taking a sliding mark and converting the set shot. A genuine star.

#15 Kiara Boyd
Defender | 173cm | 02/06/2008

Stats: 8 disposals, 3 marks, 1 tackle, 4 rebound 50s

Didn’t do anything wrong and stepped up when needed to, just played in more of a defensive role. She competes well in the air, reads the play exceptionally well and has a long and penetrating kick. She applied an early tackle that set the tone, and while most of her touches involved intercepting or being the switch option, one highly was a huge intercept mark at centre half-back during the fourth quarter.

#16 Maya Duane
Tall Defender | 179cm | 16/03/2009

Stats: 10 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s

Played a different role to the one she is used to at the Sandringham Dragons, instead lining up behind the ball rather than in a midfield/forward rotation. She competed well and her great long kick during the opening quarter set up the early goal to Lange. Cleared downfield on several occasions and got aggressive with her running patterns as she so often does.

#17 Molly Ferguson
Midfielder/Defender | 161cm | 20/04/2008

Stats: 19 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 goal

The Lions Academy and Queensland midfielder started on-ball and then rolled into defence later in the match, but not before she converted a clever snap around her body in the second term. Her quick release by hand and great decision making stands out, and Ferguson is one of those players with a real all-round profile. Defensively she stood up, and aside from when she was a standing duck as Majella Day clunked a contested mark over her – and she gave away more than 10 centimetres – she was hard to fault.

#18 Ava Horneman
Tall Forward | 175cm | 12/11/2008

Stats: 13 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal, 3 behinds

The Swans Academy member had an ‘almost’ day around the big sticks, gathering 13 disposals and booting 1.3. She had her chances and often they were under immense pressure, but did convert a clever soccer goal when getting to the right spot. Deserved to finish with two or three, but set herself up for a big Allies campaign as a leading target, as she gets into the right spots and can take a good grab.

#19 Matilda Lange
Forward/Midfielder | 170cm | 30/01/2009

Stats: 18 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 1 clearance, 4 inside 50s, 2 goals

When her name was amongst the bottom-agers involved in this game, you always knew the AFLW Academy would have its work cut out, and the Tasmanian did not disappoint, rotating between forward and midfield, and hitting the scoreboard as she often does. Her first half in particular was enormous, and she has the rare ability to kick long off both sides, while able to create space with elite athletic traits. Still firmly the favourite for the top pick in 2027.

#20 Lily Milner
Wing/Forward | 172cm | 25/01/2008

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 6 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 1 behind

Played her role and provided some attacking drive, while adding her usual defensive intensity. Milner laid a fantastic tackle in the attacking 50 early, and then had a shot on goal after leading to perfection and making in the third term. She missed that set shot, but playing as a wing at the time, showed she could still impact the scoreboard.

#21 Lacey Nihill
Wing/Defender | 172cm | 01/05/2008

Stats: 12 disposals, 2 marks, 1 tackle, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50s

Spent her time roaming up and down the ground on the outside, and like Milner, still found her fair share of the ball. She pressured – even though only credited with one tackle – and gets into ball-winning positions to link up with teammates. Finished the game showing she could match it with the best in the draft crop and really has the complete versatility to play any role.

#22 Emily Rankin
Midfielder/Forward | 166cm | 11/05/2008

Stats: 23 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50s

The Eastern Ranges skipper was clearly amongst the best, racking up stacks of clearances early with all four coming in the first term. Her link-up by hand and coalface work is what she does best, but she has that high footy IQ that allows her to roll forward and find space to impact the scoreboard either directly or indirectly. Might not take the metres that some others do, but she is the one who times the release by hand that allows others to.

#23 Carmela Perri
Wing/Forward | 168cm | 15/10/2008

Stats: 3 disposals, 2 tackles, 1 goal

Didn’t get her prime on-ball position given the strength and depth of the midfield, and therefore Perri settled as a forward then moved onto a wing. It was evidence she does her best work around the ball, but even with limited chances, the Murray Bushrangers ball-winner was able to gather and snap a classy goal. She continued to run hard all game, just without much individual production. Still tried hard for four quarters, though.

#24 Isabella Mazzei
Midfielder/Forward | 169cm | 06/06/2008

Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s

Unassumingly found the ball as she so often does and managed to ride tandem with Rankin as two similar players with their contested appetites. Mazzei has that explosive speed, and while her kicking at times can be hit and miss, her burst down the middle in the second term to nail a pass to Gibson was sublime. Strong in the air and at ground level, she is ultra competitive and always plays the team role wherever that may be.

#28 Alli Allen
Defender | 172cm | 15/10/2008

Stats: 9 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 1 inside 50, 2 rebound 50

One of the surprise packets of the game in the sense that she was asked to play on bigger opponents and do more of a lockdown role than a rebounding one, and some of the highlights she produced are those coaches bring up on the Monday review. Time and time again she threw herself with reckless abandonment to spoil a ball, even taking a couple of brilliant intercept marks, not afraid to cop contact from behind. Can’t understate how winning marking contests against the likes of Day and Harlee McIlwain – among the best contested markers in the crop – is outstanding. Like Knights teammate Meagher, was surprised she only had the nine touches, definitely felt like 15-plus even with the shutdown roles.

#29 India Bonadeo
Tall Defender | 177cm | 05/08/2008

Stats: 6 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 rebound 50

The stats might not jump off the page, but they rarely do when Bonadeo plays in the back 50, and yet she is still one that catches the eye. Her reading of the play is outstanding, she positions herself so well in one-on-ones, and she has a lovely long kick too. If she can stay fit, Bonadeo is capable of having a massive carnival. Should be the next best WA prospect behind the trio of National Academy members.

#30 Ella Gibson
Ruck/Forward | 184cm | 27/07/2008

Stats: 12 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 11 hitouts, 2 clearances, 2 inside 50s, 1 goal

Gibson is the kind of player who can roll up and slot into any of the key position spots and just do a job, and on Sunday, she rotated between the ruck and forward. While Sophie White had her measure in the ruck battle, Gibson’s around the ground work really came to the fore, and her impact when doing so for a 184cm player stood out. She kicked a goal on the end of a team play with 10 seconds left in the third term to make it an 18-point margin at the final break. Has some fundamentals to work on, but the athletic attributes are there.

#31 Ruby Lynch
Ruck/Forward | 181cm | 14/11/2008

Stats: 10 disposals, 3 marks, 2 tackles, 2 hitouts, 2 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

While playing as a midfielder/forward for Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFLW, Lynch found herself starting in the ruck in quarter two, and spending time there when not rotating forward. Against taller opponents who are just as athletic, the ruck work isn’t as much her go – though she tested White around the ground – as the follow-up and ability to extract the ball from the contest. Her booming left-foot is eye catching, and while she is still a little raw, has enormous upside.

#32 Peggy Rock
Forward/Wing | 166cm | 20/07/2009

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 1 tackle, 3 clearances, 1 rebound 50

Rock is shaping up as the most talked about Northern Territory prospect in many years with her balance of offensive power and defensive pressure. She can play just about anywhere and most of the time she was on the outside but still got her hands on the ball around stoppages knowing how to dash through an extract. Can give away a few frees with her overzealous competitiveness as she tries to stop the opposition, but screams one of those players that everyone loves running out alongside because she leads by example.

#37 Hannah Seaborn
Tall Forward | 177cm | 16/04/2009

Stats: 3 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 hitouts, 1 goal

The bottom-ager started on the bench then went forward, having played up the other end of the ground at times for Claremont as well. When she had a rare opportunity on goal she made the most of it by converting the set shot, while constantly looking dangerous inside 50. Didn’t have a lot of looks, but laying four tackles for a player of her size was a big tick.