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 strong defender/midfielder Heidi Ireland who had a really consistent bottom-age campaign for Peel Thunder and Western Australia.

Peel Thunder, Western Australia GirlsDefender-Midfielder

Heidi Ireland

Height: 171cm

Weight: -

DOB: 14-08-2008

Positional Analysis

Ireland looms as a top-ager to keep an eye on in 2026, sitting just outside the National Academy members, having tasted the action against the best of the best through the National Under 17 Futures game at Ikon Park. The Peel Thunder top-ager plays the back 50 role well, with both offensive and defensive traits, while also able to step in and do a tagging job, or even just use her size to match it with opponents around the coalface.

2025 Stats

WAFLW | 13.3 disposals | 1.1. marks | 4.6 tackles | 1.1 inside 50s | 1 goal (8 games)

AFLW U18s | 7.3 disposals | 7.0 contested possessions | 5.3 tackles | 1.0 clearances | 1.3 rebound 50s (3 games)

Key Strengths

One of Ireland’s big bonuses is her one-on-one strength which is handy when needing to play a defensive role. She can tag a half-forward and then go into the midfield, battling it out with players such as Poppy Stockwell by matching her for strength in marking contests, and then around the ball. She is not a huge marking player, but is good at applying pressure to bring it to ground, and her tackling as shown in the stats is another highlight.

2026

Ireland has areas to build upon such as her marking, only averaging just over a mark at WAFLW level last season and not taking one in her three games at the national championships. But with an 87.5 per cent contested possession rate for Western Australia last year, it is fair to say she thrives with pressure around her. Able to compete against just about anybody,

While Ireland is a stronger body, she is still mobile, recording a top five finish in the agility test at the West Australian Girls Preseason Testing Day. She clocked up a time of 8.619 seconds, and it shows she has the potential to grow as an offensive player, which will be the target this season.

Summary

Heidi Ireland is a name to keep in mind out of Peel Thunder, having had a really consistent season in 2025. She still has areas to develop in her top-age year, but is well prepared to go to another level and be a key part of a young Thunder squad in 2026.