STRENGTHS:

+ Endurance
+ Speed
+ Defensive pressure
+ Competitiveness
+ Strength
+ Upside

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Footy IQ
- Composure
- Production

PROFILE:

Unlike a lot of player earning Draft Combine invites, Thompson is in her first season with the Tasmania Devils, having previously played local football before making the jump. Across the course of the year, Thompson became a mainstay in the Devils' lineup, averaging 10.5 disposals, 1.2 marks and 4.8 tackles across 13 games.

Thompson has become good at adapting to different sides, having not only played for the Devils and Allies this year, but also a game with North Melbourne VFLW and two with her local club, Ulverstone. It was a far cry from her inclusion as an overager for the Tasmania South Under 16s in 2022, off the back of a remarkably consistent year for Ulverstone kicking 10 goals in 15 games and being named in the best just as many times.

Looking at her gamestyle, Thompson is a defensively-minded player with offensive capabilities. She is well-rounded with her endurance-speed mix, with her running capacity among the best in the country. She clocked up a time of seven minutes and 23 seconds in. the 2km time trial to finish third in the nation for the test at the Draft Combine.

Outside her obvious athleticism, she is competitive and strong inside, and work to the outside where she tries to burst away with ball-in-hand. That balance of power, speed and endurance allows her to extract the ball when on the inside, or be a handball receive on the outside and motor away.

Though she admits she is working on her awareness and composure at times, her improvements have been noticeable in going to the next level in a short space of time. With sustained access to an elite program, Thompson has the potential to continue her upward trajectory.

Naturally more of a defensive player with a lower production rate, Thompson's potential upside is vast. She has a lot of elements to her game that are harder to teach, and as she adds extra strings to her bow, can only get better. An invite to the Draft Combine shows clubs agree with her potential to go to another level again, and with extra focus on her development Thompson's rate of improvement is exponential.

The top-ager barracks for the Western Bulldogs in the AFL, while supporting Brisbane in the AFL Women's and looks up to Lions' winger Orla O'Dwyer who has a similar running capacity and work rate to the Tasmanian.