2024 AFLW Draft preview: Hawthorn Hawks
A BREAKOUT regular season saw Hawthorn reach the AFL Women’s finals for the first time and though inaccuracy hurt the brown and gold in the post-season series, showed they were on the right track. After a relatively active trade period, Hawthorn finished with three picks inside the Top 30 and five list spots.
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2024 RECORD: 2nd, 10-1, 193.2%
2024 PICKS: 14, 22, 28, 44, 50
LIST CHANGES:
IN: Keely Coyne (Western Bulldogs), Najwa Allen (Adelaide), Pick 22, Pick 28, Pick 44
OUT: Charlotte Baskaran (St Kilda), Lou Stephenson (Western Bulldogs), Mattea Breed (Collingwood), Casey Dumont, Sophie Locke, Tahlia Fellows (delisted), Pick 32
FIRST PICK:
Pick 14
The Hawks have a well-rounded list for the future with plenty of young talent, but are always eager to add more. At Pick 14, Hawthorn can eye out the best available prospect in their eyes, with it set to be bumped back at least a couple of picks through the Havana Harris and Sophie McKay bids.
If going for a tall, the brown and gold could look to gain the likes of either Georgie Brisbane or Grace Belloni, both of whom impressed for Eastern Ranges and Vic Metro this year in the forward half. Belloni also played as a predominant midfielder for the Ranges, which gives her that additional versatility. Claire Mahony and Elli Symonds are a couple of other prospects around the mark.
REMAINING CROP:
Picks 22, 28, 44, 50
The picks in the 20s are likely to be littered with either bigger midfielders or versatile utilities which is the way Hawthorn could well go. Northern Knights’ Zoe Hargreaves is a name to keep an eye on and could squeeze into that early second round, while West Australian Lily Paterson is another bigger-bodied midfielder who could make an early impact.
From a forward perspective, Georgia Knight is a goal-kicking machine and could replace the outgoing Sophie Locke and be a long-term replacement for Greta Bodey, while South Australian Georgia McKee is clearly the standout classy small forward. Up the other end, names such as Grace Baba and Taya Chambers come into the mix as some high-upside defenders, but Hawthorn has the flexibility with its selections thanks to the five list spots and in both cases two selections are close together.
Further down the track, State Draft Combine players such as Stasia Stevenson and Abbey Vicino would come into consideration for their pressure in the front half and ability to link between midfield and attack. Another long-term tall could be Lions Academy Chloe Gaunt who is in the open draft.
KEY QUESTIONS:
– What will Hawthorn do with Pick 14 in terms of position?
– Will the Hawks pick up any club-tied Eastern Ranges prospects?
– Do the needs-based drafting come into it later on, or remain best available?