TOP 10s | 2024 AFLW National Draft Combine

A SERIES of blistering runs and jaw-dropping jumps headlined the 2024 AFL Women’s National Draft Combine that was held yesterday at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC). After the 2km time trial was completed on Friday, the remainder of the indoor tests – conducted by Rookie Me – took place on Sunday.

One of the most-watched players was East Fremantle’s Zippy Fish who produced a dazzling effort to be among the Top 10 performers in all five tests, including taking out the agility test in 8.388 seconds. Fish also finished second in the 20m sprint, fifth in the 2km time trial and equal sixth in both standing and running vertical jumps.

The only person to clock a faster 20m time was Palmerston Magpies’ Tatyana Perry who raced home in 3.125 seconds. Perry was the Northern Territory’s sole representative at the combine, with a top 10 finish in the standing vertical jump as well.

Eastern Ranges defender Grace Baba took out both the standing and running vertical jumps with scores of 63 and 67cm respectively. In the former, she jumped 12cm higher than any other player who tested. Queensland tall Lilly Baker also impressed across the board, finishing second in the standing vertical jump and sixth in both the 20m sprint and 2km time trial.

In the 2km time trial endurance gun Sarah Poustie notched up a record time of seven minutes and two seconds to finish 33 seconds clear of West Australian star Molly O’Hehir. Midfield trio Grace Martin, Maggie Mahony and Fish all clock sub-eight minutes, as did Baker and Amelie Prosser-Shaw.

Among the other top five finishers were Western Jets’ Lou-Lou Field, Dandenong Stingrays’ Zoe Besanko, Queensland utility Heidi Talbot, Eastern Ranges forwards Georgie Brisbane and Georgia Knight, Murray Bushrangers’ Holly Egan and tall Chloe Gaunt.

Of the 47 invited athletes, 35 completed the indoor testing, with pick one contender Havana Harris, Carlton father-daughter prospect Sophie McKay and AFLW Under 18 Championships MVP Sierra Grieves among those not testing.

AFLW Academy members Mackenzie Williams, India Rasheed, Poppy Scholz, Claudia Wright, Tara Harrington, Elli Symonds and Millie Lang, and Sandringham Dragons co-captain Scout Howden also did not test on the day, while Martin only completed the 2km time trial.

AFLW Draft Combine athletes listen to Head of High Performance Dr Scott Graham ahead of the 20m sprint. Image credit: Rookie Me Central

NATIONAL AFLW DRAFT COMBINE TOP 10s

2KM TIME TRIAL

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubTime (min:sec)
Sarah PoustieVIC MOakleigh ChargersOld Scotch7:02
Molly O’HehirWASouth FremantleSouth Coogee7:35
Grace MartinSAWoodville-West TorrensSMOSH West Lakes7:46
Maggie MahonyVIC MOakleigh ChargersOld Scotch7:49
Zipporah FishWAEast Fremantle 7:51
Lilly BakerQLDBrisbane Lions AcademyMaroochydore7:52
Amelie Prosser-ShawNSWGWS Giants AcademyEast Coast Eagles7:55
Sara HowleyVIC CGeelong FalconsNewtown & Chilwell8:00
Lily PatersonWASwan DistrictsCaversham8:00
Emma McDonaldVIC MOakleigh ChargersAshburton8:01
Lucia PainterVIC CBendigo PioneersWhite Hills8:01
Holly RidewoodVIC MNorthern KnightsHeidelberg8:01

20M SPRINT

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubTime (sec)
Tatyana PerryNTNT AcademyPalmerston Magpies3.125
Zipporah FishWAEast Fremantle 3.185
Taya ChambersWAEast FremantleCanning Vale3.243
Holly RidewoodVIC MNorthern KnightsHeidelberg3.265
Amelie Prosser-ShawNSWGWS Giants AcademyEast Coast Eagles3.277
Lilly BakerQLDBrisbane Lions AcademyMaroochydore3.279
Zoe BesankoVIC CDandenong StingraysFrankston Dolphins3.297
Heidi TalbotQLDGold Coast Suns AcademyNorth Cairns3.313
Sienna TallaritiVIC MOakleigh ChargersWhitehorse3.319
Grace BabaVIC MEastern RangesMooroolbark3.328

AGILITY

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubTime (sec)
Zipporah FishWAEast Fremantle 8.388
Heidi TalbotQLDGold Coast Suns AcademyNorth Cairns8.469
Holly RidewoodVIC MNorthern KnightsHeidelberg8.536
Lou-Lou FieldVIC MWestern JetsWerribee Districts8.706
Georgia KnightVIC MEastern RangesMonbulk8.740
Emma McDonaldVIC MOakleigh ChargersAshburton8.755
Ash CentraVIC CGippsland PowerSale City8.766
Esther SchirmerSASouth AdelaideChristies Beach8.781
Amelie Prosser-ShawNSWGWS Giants AcademyEast Coast Eagles8.789
Molly O’HehirWASouth FremantleSouth Coogee8.838

STANDING VERTICAL JUMP

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubHeight (cm)
Grace BabaVIC MEastern RangesMooroolbark63
Lilly BakerQLDBrisbane Lions AcademyMaroochydore51
Zoe BesankoVIC CDandenong StingraysFrankston Dolphins51
Amelie Prosser-ShawNSWGWS Giants AcademyEast Coast Eagles51
Molly O’HehirWASouth FremantleSouth Coogee50
Zipporah FishWAEast Fremantle 49
Tatyana PerryNTNT AcademyPalmerston Magpies49
Holly EganVIC CMurray BushrangersShepparton United48
Chloe GauntQLDBrisbane Lions AcademyCoorparoo48
Sara HowleyVIC CGeelong FalconsNewtown & Chilwell48

RUNNING VERTICAL JUMP

NameStateState League ClubCommunity ClubHeight (cm)
Grace BabaVIC MEastern RangesMooroolbark67
Georgie BrisbaneVIC MEastern RangesBlackburn64
Chloe GauntQLDBrisbane Lions AcademyCoorparoo63
Molly O’HehirWASouth FremantleSouth Coogee63
Holly EganVIC CMurray BushrangersShepparton United62
Taya ChambersWAEast FremantleCanning Vale61
Zipporah FishWAEast Fremantle 61
Amelie Prosser-ShawNSWGWS Giants AcademyEast Coast Eagles61
Holly RidewoodVIC MNorthern KnightsHeidelberg61
Charlotte RiggsSACentral DistrictAngle Vale60

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