STRENGTHS:

+ Athleticism
+ Speed
+ Versatility
+ Strength
+ Contested work
+ Groundballs
+ Upside

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Kicking precision
- Endurance

PROFILE:

If there was one word to describe Elli Symonds, it would definitely be athletic. The 178cm talent might not have completed testing in the preseason or at the National AFLW Draft Combine, but clubs do not need any numbers on a spreadsheet to tell she can run and jump. The Stingrays talent leaps high and can match it with taller opponents both in the ruck and in marking situations, while also able to beat them at ground level with strength and clean hands.

Once the ball does hit the deck, few talls are as more efficient and strong over the ball as Symonds, who will scrap to win a hardball and dish off a touch to a teammate on the outside. Even if not counted as a disposal, Symonds has the know how to just tap the ball to space for a teammate to run onto and take advantage of. In other words, she is just as capable below her knees as in the air, making her a two-way threat.

Once she has the ball, Symonds can explode away from the stoppage and bomb the ball forward with great penetration. Her precision definitely needs work and is her main area from a footballing perspective that has improvement to come. But given the metres she takes, followed by the distance she creates with her kick, she can very easily be a 70m player with each disposal.

Along with her kicking precision, her endurance is another understandable area to improve, having spent so much time on the sidelines, the Vic Country tall has not quite had the luxury of continuity in training. Once in an elite program, this is something that will sort itself out, but even to start her career, Symonds can play as a tall forward and second ruck, before progressing to a midfield role in the future.

Despite being a Carlton supporter, Symonds enjoys watching the way Gold Coast and Geelong play, and looks up to Charlie Rowbottom as a player who she can compare her future gamestyle to. Given her strength over the ball and power out of a stoppage, it is easy to see why. While perhaps not having the extended time in the game that Rowbottom had as a junior, she has the extra leap and versatility to be able to play a multitude of positions.

With all that comes evident upside. Considering she has missed so much time this year, Symonds did not miss a beat once she returned. Coming in she played a key role and had a number of challenging matches in terms of conditions and opponents, but took it all in her stride. A popular player with teammates, Symonds will have no problems fitting into the top level and given what she could become with a clean run and a big preseason, it is exciting for whichever team is able to select her in next month's AFLW Draft.