STRENGTHS:

+ Speed
+ Clean hands
+ Ground balls
+ Skills
+ Run-and-carry
+ Leadership

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Endurance
- Strength

PROFILE:

Tatyana Perry has played a range of positions over the years, but in 2024, settled into a half-back role where her athleticism and skill comes to the fore. At the National Draft Combine earlier this month, Perry clocked a blistering 3.125-second 20-metre sprint time to hold off some absolute speedsters such as Zippy Fish for the top time.

She not only blitzed the sprint, but tested well in the vertical jumps with Top 10 finishes in both the standing and running tests. Overall, Perry was able to showcase that element of her game which she has utilised over the years, be it running off half-back or along a wing going forward in transition.

Her endurance is one area that when it comes to that off-ball work is still a work in progress. She has largely been strengthened by playing off half-back rather than through the middle, and aerobic capacity upon reaching the top level is never the biggest of concerns, and nothing a huge preseason leading into an elite system year cannot fix.

Aside from her endurance, the other main query on Perry's game comes from her strength and in turn, her one-on-ones. She is not likely to be a one-on-one defender, and rather be the player to receive the ball, explode away and hit targets further afield. Once again it is an area that with a big preseason can improve, but when you have the athletic gifts that Perry has, you take the extra speed for less strength.

When it comes to her footballing ability though, that is a different story. Perry is a naturally gifted player who has great skills, clean hands and footy smarts. She is not necessarily a massive accumulator, but her impact-per-possession is high and she makes good decisions with ball in hand. Coming off half-back, Perry sees the game in front of her and can buy herself time through her speed.

Her run-and-carry is a highlight in her game, often taking kickouts or being the first target from the kickout, then linking up through hand or foot to cut through the opposition's forward press. She can work up the ground and provide an option, or most likely stay a kick behind play to mop up, switch and find a target in space on the other side of the ground.

Her most notable show of her traits came in torrential rain against Western Jets at Craigieburn where Perry was able to pick up the ball like it was a perfectly dry day as everyone around her fumbled. She is mostly a one-touch player and then able to quickly dish off to open up avenues to score through her teammates, and is a facilitator turning defence into offence.

Those traits, coupled with her evident leadership by co-captaining Palmerston all add up to Perry being a promising player for the future. If she is able to have a big preseason or two heading into the AFLW, then watch out as she already has the weapons that can hurt opposition teams in transition.