THERE is no secret that wins taste much better after the heartbreak of defeat, and Ruby Lynch is one of a number of Woodville-West Torrens players who know the two contrasting feelings very well. She was part of the Eagles side that fell agonisingly short to South Adelaide in 2025, while also finishing second to Vic Metro in the AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships.

Fast forward 12 months, and the outlook is much brighter for the top-ager, now able to call herself a premiership player, as well as a national carnival champion with both of her sides going one better in 2026.

“It’s been great,” Lynch said. “I think to get up and get the flag in the end after losing the grand final last year, i think it all made it a bit sweeter and the group of girls we got to win the flag with was absolutely amazing.

“A really special team to be a part of. I think going throughout the year getting an invite to the All-Stars and then finding myself here at the Draft Combine, it’s ticking off little goals along the way and it’s been a really special year. It’s gone super fast but it’s been super exciting.”

Lynch described the feeling around the Eagles over preseason as going to “another level” with the hunger to taste success only growing out of that initial disappointment.

“I think we wanted it in 2025, but having that little taste of it and falling just short, it definitely meant a little bit more to us,” she said. “We also had that little bit of finals experience which helped out.

“At state this year everyone connected really well, it was an amazing group. “If you look at all the girls that are here [at the Draft Combine], super talented, really well connected group, both teams I was really excited to be a part of.”

Lynch herself is no stranger to dealing with various conundrums, having quite literally played every position over the past two years for Eagles or South Australia. Her versatility was on show and most impactful during the Croweaters’ crucial victory over Vic Metro – which ultimately clinched the AFLW Under 18 Championships title – when after playing in defence for the first half, was thrown forward and she booted two crucial goals.

“I think part of it is just trusting your coaches and knowing their footy IQ is unmatched, what they’re doing is going to be the right call, so I guess just trusting that and backing your footy at the same time,” Lynch said. “I love switching around and as cliche as it is, I love playing wherever the team needs me. More than happy to do that and I find it part of my game now.”

But just what role does Lynch rate as her favourite?

“To be honest I do just love playing footy wherever that is across the ground, but I’d say I’m probably most comfortable playing forward,” she said. “Spent a fair bit of time there, but love playing wherever that might be.”

Boasting a booming left boot, Lynch is looking to hone in on that to becoming more precise, with it a key focus throughout the season and going forward.

“I think I’ve been really trying to refine my kicking, my skills,” Lynch said. “I guess no matter what position I’m playing it applies all over the ground so just trying to refine those fundamentals which has been a big focus on my kicking and my ball drop. “Seeing a bit of improvement in that and there’s a fair bit of growth to still go.”

While the kicking is one element, Lynch has a short list of things to do, including building her strength in order to compete against the more experienced AFLW players should she hear her name called out in December.

“Definitely want to keep holding myself steady in the gym, getting stronger, especially hopefully getting an opportunity on an AFLW list if I’m lucky,” Lynch said. “I want to be able to compete with the girls who have a few preseason who are stronger than I am, fitter than I am, just trying to put myself in the best position to be able to compete with them.”

As for her first goal hitting preseason, it was all about “hard work”.

“That’s what we had at Eagles this year, holding each other accountable and just ‘how bad do you want it’ so I think it would be the hard work that comes with preseason as it always does, so just showing up every day with the right mindset, being prepared, just doing the basics, the fundamentals,” Lynch said.

DRAFT FEATURES:

New South Wales: Evie Bowie, Frances Walsh, Majella Day, Morgan Stevens
Queensland: Zoe Petrides, Summer Browning
South Australia: Emily Mableson, Emma Charlton
Vic Country: Greea McKeegan, Lily Milner, Eliza Roche, Lacey Nihill
Vic Metro: Bailee Martin, Tayla Olivieri, Maddison Meagher, Brylee Anderson, Grace McIntyre, Alli Allen
Western Australia: Lexi Strachan