IN THE lead-up to next week’s AFLW Draft, we’re breaking down some of the available prospects in each area. Today we take a look at the specialist wingers, as well as those wingers who have also shown enough versatility to play in a secondary position throughout the year.

>> GENERAL DEFENDERS
>> GENERAL FORWARDS
>> VERSATILE MIDFIELDERS

WINGERS:

Emma Juneja (Sydney Uni / Swans Academy / NSW-ACT)

Height: 169cm
DOB: 08/05/2006
Key Strengths: Two-way running, outside game, agility
Main Improvement: Strength

A hard-running Sydney Swans Academy member, Juneja was the sole National Draft Combine invitee who was a pure winger in 2024. She projects as a defence-first wing who gets back and helps out her teammates behind the ball as she did regularly for the Allies. However, the Sydney University young gun showed she can get forward and hit the scoreboard as well, with a terrific outside game and a deadly sidestep. She loves to open up angles off the mark and wrong foot players, getting the ball down the ground with quick transitional play.

Evie Parker (Eastern Ranges / Vic Metro)

Height: 179cm
DOB: 06/07/2006
Key Strengths: Speed, outside game, aerial ability
Main Improvement: Composure

A prototype wing in the women’s game, Parker stands at 179cm and has enormous potential to round out her game. While building some aspects of her profile such as composure will be needed at the top level, Parker has some elite traits, particularly with regards to her athleticism. She is quick, mobile and hits the ground running, often finding space to pull in a lot of marks. Being that taller player, she is hard to beat in one-on-one aerial contests, and is often used as the link in the chain between defence and offence. Has the potential to be a valuable pickup.

Holly Britton (Peel Thunder / Western Australia)

Height: 163cm
DOB: 17/02/2006
Key Strengths: Kicking, clean hands, footy IQ
Main Improvement: Speed

The sister of West Coast’s Jaide started as an inside midfielder who could also pressure opponents up forward, but found her home out on a wing. Though she is not the quickest player, Britton did improve her explosiveness by three tenths of a second this year, and has made inroads with her endurance. What stands out in the young gun’s game is her skills by hand or foot. She is a lovely kick, and disposes of the ball quickly in congested situations, almost always making good decisions with a high footy IQ. Definitely had a progressive top-age campaign.

Mekah Morrissy (Geelong Falcons / Vic Country)

Height: 158cm
DOB: 16/01/2006
Key Strengths: Defensive pressure, leadership, competitiveness
Main Improvement: Kicking precision

An experienced winger who has been strutting her stuff in the role the past few years for Geelong Falcons, Morrissy brings the heat and her competitive nature to any club she plays for. Having skippered the Falcons and co-captained Vic Country, Morrissy’s leadership is unquestionable, and she has done everything to achieve her elite level dream. Though the Falcons talent could tidy up a few areas of her game, she showed in the wet against Gippsland that without top 10 prospect Sara Howley, she racked up a massive 40 touches to guide her side to a win.

Zali Gallagher (Gippsland Power / Vic Country)

Height: 163cm
DOB: 08/07/2006
Key Strengths: Explosive speed, agility, defensive pressure
Main Improvement: Durability

Unfortunately the year ended on a sour note for the Gippsland Power captain who had a breakout top-age season. Tearing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), Gallagher will be on light duties throughout the off-season, and will cautiously take her time getting back to her best. She does have some eye-catching traits that earned her a State Draft Combine invite though, including her explosive speed, agility and fantastic defensive pressure, covering the ground well and holding her position on the wing strongly for both the Power and Vic Country.

DUAL-POSITION WINGS:

Sarah Poustie (Oakleigh Chargers / Vic Metro)

Height: 171cm
DOB: 05/01/2006
Key Strengths: Endurance, contested work, defensive pressure
Main Improvement: Explosive speed

As consistent as any player in the AFLW Draft crop, Poustie put together a really strong top-age season where she transitioned from being a winger in 2023 to a full-blown inside midfielder in 2024. She did spend some time on a wing for Vic Metro, and has shown she can play there too, with an elite endurance base. She broke the record for both the yo-yo test in the preseason and 2km time trial in the off-season, but she is far more than just an incredible gut runner. She thrives on the contested ball, is fierce in the air or at ground level, and does everything she can to bring others into the game.

Holly Ridewood (Northern Knights / Vic Metro)

Height: 174cm
DOB: 07/12/2006
Key Strengths: Competitiveness, defensive pressure, aerial ability
Main Improvement: Composure

The Northern Knights skipper is another player who was overlooked for Vic Metro’s Summer hub but through impressive early season form, forced her way onto Metro’s squad list. She covers the ground incredibly well, drives standards with her competitiveness and leads the way with her defensive pressure. At 174cm, she competes strongly in the air, and follows up well at ground level. She can improve her composure going forward, but her versatility to play inside, outside or off flanks at either end, make her a valuable prospect for AFLW clubs.

Scout Howden (Sandringham Dragons / Vic Metro)

Height: 173cm
DOB: 01/02/2006
Key Strengths: Two-way running, work rate, run-and-carry
Main Improvement: Speed

A hard-running talent out of the Sandringham Dragons, Howden co-captained her Coates Talent League Girls side and held down a wing role successfully. She then stepped up to spend some time off half-back for Vic Metro and used her height and work rate to impact games at the sub-elite junior level. She is generally clean and uses nice vision, with great leadership potential and an understanding of the game to get into the right spots to win the ball and keep it moving. Was known for her long sleeves but then split her time between long and short sleeves.

Nyalli Milne (Bond University / Suns Academy / Queensland)

Height: 171cm
DOB: 26/05/2006
Key Strengths: Explosive speed, vertical leap, defensive pressure
Main Improvement: Endurance

Milne has played in a few roles over the last couple of years, having predominantly been a forward who could pinch-hit in the midfield, but in 2024, moved onto a wing for Queensland at the AFLW Under 18 Championships. Milne has ridiculous speed that she uses to breakdown defensive zones, while rounding out her athletic base with a terrific vertical leap. She is still building up her tank further and could tidy up some elements of her game, but her defensive work is fantastic, and she can do a lot damage in transition by leaving opponents in her wake.

Kaiya Hides (Maroochydore / Lions Academy / Queensland)

Height: 167cm
DOB: 09/02/2006
Key Strengths: Groundballs, speed, athleticism
Main Improvement: Inside game

Tied to the Brisbane Lions Academy, Hides was nominated by the reigning grand finalists and 2023 AFLW premiers, with the Maroochydore prospect adding the element of speed to any side. She found a home as that wing/half-back in 2024, producing some eye-catching performances for both the Lions Academy and Queensland this year. She is clean off the deck, can take it at speed, then wrong foot the opposition before disposing of it, impacting games with her run-and-carry. She deservedly earned a State Draft Combine invite, indicating interest from more than just the Lions.

Emma Kilpatrick (West Adelaide / South Australia)

Height: 167cm
DOB: 03/07/2006
Key Strengths: Competitiveness, run-and-carry, endurance
Main Improvement: Athleticism

Kilpatrick developed from a running half-back into a strong wing with a high level of competitiveness. Her endurance was an element that held her back a little in the past, but after a massive off-season, Kilpatrick turned it into a strength and she worked over opponents. She has a penetrating kick, takes the game on and kicked some important goals for both West Adelaide and South Australia this year. Others have greater athleticism, but Kilpatrick is a smart football player who cracks in consistently at all levels she plays.

Coby Morgan (Norwood / South Australia)

Height: 173cm
DOB: 14/11/2006
Key Strengths: Explosive speed, endurance, athleticism
Main Improvement: Kicking

Another player with ridiculous speed, Morgan can explode away and once goalside, no one is catching her. The Norwood prospect is a late-year birth and still has some fundamental work to continue to improve, but her balance of speed and endurance makes her a perfect candidate for the wing role. That is what Norwood coach Brad Ferrall saw in her, as she transitioned from small forward to wing. She covers the ground well and can turn defence into offence in a flash, and possesses some high upside for the future.