ANOTHER season of WAFLW Women’s action is just around the corner, with the season kicking off on March 28. As we did with the SANFL Women’s competition, Rookie Me Central will count down 15 players to watch in the upcoming year, focusing on either top-age or bottom-age prospects to keep in mind.

We continue our top 15 players to watch countdown – which will run over the three weeks to finish on the eve of the WAFL Women’s season – with smooth-moving South Fremantle defender Marie Polimeno who had a big start to last year and was solid throughout her season for both the Bulldogs and Sandgropers.

South Fremantle, Western Australia GirlsMedium Defender

Marie Polimeno

Height: 169cm

Weight: -

DOB: 06-07-2008

Positional Analysis

A talented defender, Polimeno has found her place in South Fremantle’s League side and become an instrumental member of the team. She will have plenty of support this year with a host of new inclusions to make it a formidable lineup, but Polimeno has really slotted into the back half, though is just as capable of pushing up the field and could play off a wing or in the middle.

2025 Stats

WAFLW | 10.1 disposals | 2.4 marks | 2.5 tackles | 1.1 rebound 50s (11 games)

AFLW U18s | 6.0 disposals | 1.0 marks | 2.5 tackles | 1.0 rebound 50s (4 games)

Key Strengths

Polimeno is a player who can be damaging with her ball use coming out of the back half. She can intercept and has the hands to be able to get into the hole and then take off to begin transition down the field, but more often than not, she’ll find a pocket of space for a teammate to hit her up and she can take it from there.

Not a massive accumulator of the footy, Polimeno is a player who loves to attack with ball in hand and take grass wherever possible. Composed with the pill and able to have a good view of the field ahead, she generally makes good decisions and finds a target further down the line.

2026

Polimeno should be freed up in 2026 with the inclusion of Madison Evans and even Natasha Entwistle in rotation through the back half, with the East Fremantle recruits also great interceptors and smart players. For Polimeno, it means she will be part of an even more experienced back five and should get time further afield at different points and can certainly run amok for Western Australia as well.

If she can continue to work on getting into more ball-winning positions and build her strength to compete one-on-one more consistently, then she can take her game to another level again. The South Fremantle junior remains a key player in the Bulldogs’ lineup and will look even better with greater experience back there.

Summary

Marie Polimeno is a rock solid defender who just does her job, while also able to provide some nice run and carry out of defence. While not yet quite ready to tackle the monster forwards, Polimeno does her best work when the ball hits the ground as she can take off and burst downfield to set up forward forays for her club and state.