AS PART of a new series leading into the 2023 Western Australian Football League (WAFL) Women’s season, we count down 23 players to watch who are under 23. We are only looking at those players who were born January 1, 2000 or later, have played a WAFL Women’s senior match and have never been on an AFL Women’s list. Today we continue our countdown at number #11 in South Fremantle speedy small forward Noa McNaughton.

#11 Noa McNaughton (South Fremantle)

DOB: 20/10/2006
Height: 158cm
Position: Small Forward
Local club: South Coogee

Though still a bottom-ager this season, small forward Noa McNaughton has made quite the impact in the red and white. In a side that was still in the bottom few sides last season, McNaughton established herself as damaging inside 50, not just for her own scoreboard presence, but for her ability to set up her teammates. Standing at just 158cm, there is not much to her, but she is tricky to tackle purely due to her size and evasive traits. Unfortunately injury restricted her to half a season last year.

McNaughton is an interesting prospect because she has the footballing ability and athletic gifts to really worry the opposition. Last season the Bulldogs forward slotted seven goals in eight games, while averaging the 11.3 disposals, 2.3 marks and 2.3 inside 50s.

Offensively there are quite a few boxes that McNaughton clearly ticks early in her junior career, and if given time and space, she can do a lot of damage to her opponents. In 2021, McNaughton won the Rogers Cup Best and Fairest and Rising Star as a 14-year-old.

There are two key areas that McNaughton will look to step up over the next couple of seasons, being her strength and her ability to keep her feet. Only being a smaller player, McNaughton does apply some defensive pressure to her opponents, but being a lighter body is still learning to stick those tackles more permanently. Additionally, she tends to go to ground a little too much even when not under pressure. It is about adapting to the speed she possesses and keeping her feet, which would help become an even better player.

Though McNaughton does have areas to improve, being a young (late-year) 16-year-old, she has a high upside for the future. She has been named in the Under 18s State Academy to represent the Sandgropers at the AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships this year, and should be a valuable member of that side.

She offers a point of difference with her goal nous and smarts inside 50, and though she is small, her impact is high. A fully fit McNaughton will be an exciting player in her bottom-age year for the Bulldogs and expect her to hit the scoreboard consistently.