FOR the first time since Round 10, the top West Australian AFLW Draft prospects returned to their state league clubs with plenty of promising showings across the board. With their return, so to comes the WAFLW State Academy notes focusing on those players from the final West Australian squads that at least played one national carnival game.

East Perth:

#3 Lucy Greenwood (Forward)
Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 4 inside 50s

Greenwood started forward and got more involved as the game went on, having limited chances early. She worked up the ground and even found the ball in the defensive half of the ground, using her skills and smarts to advantage. She is quick to dispose of the ball and her pressure game was right up. While Greenwood has had bigger games – and her impact was limited considering the strength of the opposition – she was still one of the better Royals and caught the eye from time to time.

#20 Charli Bassett (Midfielder/Forward)
Stats: 9 disposals, 1 tackle, 1 inside 50

Bassett got to start on-ball and rotated through there and up forward. While not setting the world on fire production wise, what Bassett does well is the little things that won’t show up on a stats sheet. Desperate at ground level, happy to block or tap the ball into space, she has a great fundamental grasp of the game and is one to just keep an eye on for next year.

Subiaco:

#12 Olivia Crane (Defender)
Stats: 20 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 2 inside 50s

A prolific game from the tall defender who was a thorn in the Royals side behind the ball. She took several huge grabs and what Crane always looks to do is cut into the corridor to open the game up. her hands are clean and her skills are great, which makes her such a damaging rebounder. Her form has been building this season since returning from her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, and this one of her best games yet.

#22 Olivia Wolmarans (Forward)
Stats: 12 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 2 hitouts, 2 goals

Caused all sorts of problems for the East Perth defence and did not really get reward for effort until later in the match. She set up a few scoring chances and kept presenting, before kicking her first major just before three quarter time from long-range. Four minutes into the last, she converted a second goal from a similar range but tighter angle, and should have had a third right before hte final siren but was called for a push. Looked confident in the air and had a number of ‘almost moments’ as well which could have been an even bigger day out.

#24 Sunni-Quay Peters (Defender)
Stats: 10 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles

Played her role behind the ball and was clean by hand or foot transitioning from the back 50 to the wing. She remained composed even when under pressure deep in defence and looked to clear to the safety of the boundary downfield time and time again.

#27 Layla Quinn-Schofield (Forward/Midfielder)
Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks, 9 tackles, 1 inside 50, 1 behind

Got more midfield minutes along with her high half-forward role and brought the defensive pressure as usual. Not afraid to get her hands dirty, Quinn-Schofield is strong at ground level and makes her teammates around her better. When she can wheel onto that left foot watch out, though her sole shot on goal from a handball receive was a behind.

Peel Thunder:

#7 Heidi Ireland (Midfielder/Defender)
Stats: 20 disposals, 1 mark, 2 tackles

A reliable bigger bodied player who can match up on a rnage of talents, Ireland spent time both on-ball and in defence. She provided a bit of rebound from the back half and competed in the air and at ground level even if only taking the one mark. Is still fine-tuning some elements of her game, but has the strength and can find the ball when able to roam around the ground.

#22 Tahlia Head (Defender)
Stats: 10 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s

Held her place after her WAFLW debut the round before and the Under 16s prospect had a number of some eye-catching runs off half-back. She looked to have good technique by foot, and while it will be her only chance this season to play at League level, holds her in good stead of her bottom-age campaign next year.

#26 Charlie Fletcher (Wing)
Stats: 14 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 1 behind

Fletcher has been one of the most exciting Under 16s players to watch this season and Round 17 was no different. The way she takes grass and backs herself catches the eye, and while at times she can be a little too quick for her own good, has all the tricks and traits to be a high-level footballer. The name to watch for a couple of years time.

South Fremantle:

#15 Renee Morgan (Midfielder)
Stats: 19 disposals, 2 marks, 8 tackles, 5 inside 50s

You know exactly what you get with Morgan each round and it was no different on the weekned. She returned to the Bulldogs and immediately produced four quarters of intensity through the midfield where she put her body on the line, tackled hard and looked to spread and get it forward wherever possible. Could have been a massive factor in finals but the loss now all but denies that for the Doggies. Still had a great season though.

#22 Eva Flynn (Forward/Wing)
Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 4 inside 50s

The speedy left-footer rotated between half-forward and wing where she worked up the ground to find the ball even in defence. Her natural athleticism shines on the field where she loves to sidestep an opponent and shows nice technique by hand or foot. Still improvement to come but has some exciting traits for the future.

#31 Marie Polimeno (Wing/Defender)
Stats: 8 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles, 4 inside 50s

Polimeno has done well stepping into that wing role since initially playing as a defender which she still does at times too. The South bottom-ager is strong in the air and generally looks for those more risky kicks that open the play up. Managed to nail a brilliant pass inside 50 to Fotu at one stage midway through the third term and had her moments in the match.

#41 Alira Fotu (Forward)
Stats: 10 disposals, 5 marks, 1 tackle, 1 hitout, 2 inside 50s, 5 behinds

If Fotu had a combination of straighter kicking or a touch more luck, then this could have been a breakout game for the talented forward. Instead just five behinds go to her name, but a few were very unlucky. She still presented, took some great grabs and even worked up to the wing at times. Not afraid to fly high in a bid to bring the ball to ground and oozes X-factor.

Claremont:

#11 Ella Gilbey (Forward)
Stats: 11 disposals, 2 marks, 1 goal, 1 behind

Looked to be in for a big day after a couple of chances in the first term including a clever soccer goal to get on the board midway through the quarter. It would be her only major, but Gilbey was involved in both of Jacinta Valentini’s goals, and had a golden opportunity set shot she would normally nail that just did not connect right. Played her role and was lively though.

#21 Emma Henderson (Defender)
Stats: 15 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles

Contributed to the team running off half-back and played an accountable role both with the ball in the zone and outside the immediate area. Henderson ensures she has a matchup and does not get caught ball-watching like some others, but when it is her time to go, she has a high running capacity to break the lines and take off down the field.

#33 Juliet Kelly (Midfielder)
Stats: 21 disposals, 4 marks, 8 tackles, 4 inside 50s

Was deployed to lockdown on State Academy teammate Russo around the stoppages, and while Russo’s speed got her a few times, ultimately she did nullify the West Perth talent. Kelly spread out to find more of the ball herself as well and was clean at ground level and with her decision making. Always a team-first player, Kelly got her hands on the ball often and was one of the most impressive Tigers in the match.

West Perth:

#7 Mia Russo (Midfielder)
Stats: 12 disposals, 1 mark, 5 tackles, 1 inside 50

It would have been no surprise to see Kelly head to her at the first centre bounce knowing her fellow top-ager would ensure she would have a tough day out. Russo did have her moments though, breaking out of stoppages and freeing the ball to teammates on the outside. One of her points of difference compared to a lot of other midfielders her age is Russo’s ability to literally rip the ball from the opposition and then handball away rather than wait to get a free kick or for the player being tackled to spill it out.

#25 Lexi Strachan (Midfielder/Forward)
Stats: 14 disposals, 1 mark, 8 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 2 goals, 2 behinds

Though Strachan did still spend most of the time on-ball, when resting forward she slotted two goals in the final 25 minutes to cap off her day following a couple of earlier misses. She has similar power to Russo, and the bottom-ager can get serious penetration on her kicks when in full flight. Strachan spreads well and has a high impact-per-possession which is evidenced from kicking two of her side’s three goals in the match.

#31 Cara Dziegielewski (Ruck)
Stats: 17 disposals, 3 marks, 10 tackles, 30 hitouts, 4 inside 50s

Her development from Round 1 this season to now is astronomical and it showed through the national carnival as well. She has always been good at getting hands to it at stoppages, but is having far greater impact around the ground now too. Her defensive pressure at her feet and her willingness to find the ball in transition is very exciting. Big year for both her and Strachan next season, and will be box office talents in 2026.

Perth:

#18 Sienna Timmermans (Defender)
Stats: 11 disposals, 1 mark, 4 tackles

A surprise packet this year, Timmermans is a competitive beast who just thrives on contact and winning each individual contest. She won a couple of frees for getting to the right spots and therefore getting infringed, while forcing a behind when bringing the ball to ground early in the match. Not a flashy player, but just does the job and can play on a variety of opponents.

#34 Addison Opalinski (Defender/Midfielder)
Stats: 12 disposals, 4 marks, 6 tackles, 2 inside 50s

Started at half-back and pushed on-ball late in the match where she showed an ability to win the ball. She is strong in the air and fierce at ground level, often looking to dish off by hand and move the ball quickly from defence. Opalinski is athletic for a taller player which enables her to face talls and smalls, and contributed to Perth’s staunch defensive back five. When she moved out of the defence is when Swan Districts scored more freely.

#37 Mia Carlshausen (Defender)
Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles

Like Opalinski, Carlshausen is a key player in the Perth defence even though she is very different. A smaller type, Carlshausen has a pinpoint dagger pass that can do some damage, though often is a high-risk, high-reward player. She can sometimes get caught out on bigger bodied opponents – such as McGuire – while zoning off to intercept, but provided run and carry and adapted well to the wet weather football.

#48 Mel Grage (Forward)
Stats: 10 disposals, 9 tackles, 2 inside 50s

A hard-running high-level pressure forward, Grage was one who thrived in the muddy conditions. The Perth small laid almost as many tackles as she had disposals, and though unable to hit the scoreboard, did plenty of nice things. She was incredibly clean and if she did not have time to pick it up, just aimed to gain meterage, winning a couple of frees for going in hard.

Swan Districts:

#5 Carys D’Addario (Midfielder)
Stats: 23 disposals, 4 tackles, 6 inside 50s

The high production midfielder had another big day out through the midfield, not phased one bit by the mud pile across the ground. She is the type of player who even on a clean day is likely to find the patch of exposed dirt and be at the bottom of a stoppage somewhere so it was no surprise to see her in the centre of the mud. She was strong at the clearances, clean by hand or foot and just accumulated plenty of possessions throughout the day.

#14 Ava Stewart (Defender)
Stats: 4 disposals, 1 mark, 3 tackles, 1 inside 50

It is always a good thing when a deep defender does not have a lot of the ball, so for Stewart it generally meant her side had everything under control. She laid a few nice tackles and cleared the ball on occasions, often simply not in the play and just remaining accountable to her opponent instead.