WEST Australian MVP Carys D’Addario is a player built for finals football and she certainly showed it during Swan Districts’ upset win over Subiaco in the WAFL Women’s Preliminary Final. Against the odds, D’Addario and her third placed side upset the top two team to advance through to Sunday’s decider with a two-point victory.

In a clear best on ground performance, D’Addario was clinical through the midfield, racking up 10 clearances from 26 disposals, kicking the first goal of the game and having a hand in others with her ability to get the ball forward and put it into dangerous positions.

PLAYER FOCUS:

2025 WAFL Women’s: Preliminary Final
Swan Districts 6.4 (40) def. Subiaco 6.2 (38)

#5 Carys D’Addario (Swan Districts)
Stats: 26 disposals (16 kicks, 10 handballs), 1 mark, 7 tackles, 10 clearances, 6 frees for, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal, 111 AFL Fantasy points

FIRST HALF

D’Addario started where she always does, right in the thick of the action at the first centre bounce. Going head-to-head with Krstel Petrevski – as was the case for more of the day – the top-ager harassed the experienced Subiaco midfielder into a throw which won D’Addario an early free kick. It was the first of six for the day and she was able to deliver to a one-on-one at half-forward.

D’Addario would spend the first term starting to accumulate the ball all over the ground, getting back to help out the defence when she could, and despite being tackled by Petrevski at one stage at half-back, still got a clean handball off to a teammate. Then, in a rare moment for D’Addario, she received the handball at the back of a forward 50 stoppage and launched from around 45m out, watching it sail home for her first goal of the year.

That was the first goal of the game, and the top-ager went straight back into the centre bounce and won teh next clearance before resting forward later in the term. It was much the same in the second quarter as she showed her clean hands at ground level to win the ball at half-back and dish off, before another huge involvement in a goal.

When opponent Lisa Steane looked to have marked just before D’Addario spoiled late in the forward pocket, it was the teenager who remained active and played to the whistle, as Steane looked on in shock. D’Addario handballed off to Emma Humphries who banged home an important major.

By midway through the second term, D’Addario was up to 13 touches, and though the last 10 minutes were a little quieter – adding just two more disposals which were quick handballs – she still had 15 by the half and quite the influence on the match.

SECOND HALF

Much like the first half, D’Addario’s second half started by harassing Petrevski in the middle, winning the loose ball and handballing out cleanly, before another quick and effective pass to Jaime Henry on the wing. Within three minutes of play resuming, D’Addario had not only added another couple of touches, but worked back into defence to produce a huge run-down tackle at half-back to lock the ball up.

A second big tackle on the wing earned her a holding the ball free against Petrevski, kicking precisely to half-forward. In the dying few minutes she made a rare error kicking out on the full as she hugged the boundary line to try and gain meterage, before making up with it thanks to a brilliant goal-saving tackle on Jorja Schell 20m out from goal.

Entering the fourth term, D’Addario took her only mark of the match at half-forward and pumped the ball deep inside 50. Though it was ultimately intercepted by the Subiaco defence due to the Lions’ positioning, upon the next kick’s exit, D’Addario was able to intercept off the deck and handballed to space.

While the last quarter was quieter for D’Addario, she still won a couple of free kicks for going in hard, often looking for distance and playing the percentages. Her impact in the first half was enormous, and then the top-ager was able to make the right decisions when the heat was on in crunch moments late.

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

D’Addario is a talented AFLW Draft prospect who has really proven her top 30 credentials. Realistically when it comes to inside midfielders, there are few more readymade to impact at the elite level. More than capable around a stoppage with elite footy IQ and clean hands, D’Addario has a reliable and effective kick, and can impact in the air as well.

Naturally her defensive instincts are top notch, and while she does lack that explosive power of some mids, her footy smarts and cleanliness at ground level enable her to dispose of the ball and pick the right option before a lot of of opponents have even blinked. After injuries have interrupted her last couple of national carnivals, the Swan Districts talent showed what she could do on the big stage, and deservedly earned her state’s MVP and now a National AFLW Draft Combine invite.