INJURIES put a stop to Sandringham Dragons’ season before it got going, losing a host of players for extended periods of time, including one of their most exciting top-age prospects in Chloe Williams to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury dating back to last year. When she and the likes of Claudia Kogler returned for the last couple of games, it showed just how impressive the Dragons could be at full strength, and their non-finals appearance was not indicative of their overall quality.

SEASON 2026

SNAPSHOT

Played: 14
Won: 5
Lost: 9

BEST PERFORMANCE

Round 21: def. by Dandenong Stingrays by two points

It might sound weird for a loss to be the their standout performance, but the Dragons very nearly ran over the top of the unbeaten Dandenong Stingrays in the last round of the season. After struggling in the first half, everything clicked into gear and the Dragons looked every bit that top four side to finish off on a high with their strongest side on the park yet. Williams collected 22 disposals and eight marks in her second game back from injury, while Grace McIntyre (20 disposals, eight marks and a goal), Isla Tucker (23 disposals, four marks and eight tackles) and Chloe Moffat (17 disposals, seven marks and six tackles) were all sensational.

DRAFT PROSPECTS

NATIONAL DRAFT COMBINE

Grace McIntyre (Murrumbeena)
Utility | 173cm | 31/12/2008

Stats [10 games]: 17.8 disposals, 4.0 marks, 3.2 tackles, 1.1 clearances, 4.0 inside 50s, 2.0 rebound 50s, 7 goals

A draft bolter in every sense of the term, McIntyre went to another level in 2026, starting with a call-up to the AFLW Academy side against the All-Stars, and then a really solid national carnival for Vic Metro. She is a superb aerial player with great hands and an explosive athletic profile. Having spent the bulk of her bottom-age season on a wing, McIntyre also rotated forward and back at times during the year adding extra versatility to her profile.

STATE DRAFT COMBINE

Grace Perrett (Prahran)
Midfielder | 178cm | 08/04/2008

Stats [10 games]: 21.0 disposals, 2.6 marks, 8.3 tackles, 3.4 clearances, 3.7 inside 50s, 1.4 rebound 50s, 1 goal

A powerful onballer who can also hold down key posts if required, Perrett is a fierce defensive player who brings the tackling pressure each time she runs out on the ground. Leading by example, Perrett constantly crashed and bashed her way around the coalface and pumped the ball forward, being a valuable contributor to turn congestion into space. Played as a tall forward for Vic Metro.

FUTURE PROSPECTS

Sandringham Dragons’ 2009-born crop looms as the strongest in the club’s history. Providing they can have a better run with injury, there is no reason half a dozen players can’t make their way onto AFLW lists next year. Headlining that group is Maya Duane who represented both Vic Metro and earned a rare chance as a bottom-ager to play for the All-Stars. A naturally gifted star who can roll forward or in the midfield, she has a booming kick and incredible X-factor.

Right there with her are the likes of Claudia Kogler, Chloe Moffat and Luella Hall all of whom offer different assets to the team. Kogler is the clean inside contested ball-wining midfielder, Moffat is the smart intercepting defender and Hall is the explosive high metres-gained winger. The latter is the sole Metro representative of the three, but the other two have enormous upside and are highly touted talents.

On top of that quartet, the Dragons also have hard-running wing Georgia Berryman, smart small Isla Mattsson, hybrid marking forward Sophie Storey and versatile utility Charlotte Embelton, the younger sister of recent Hawks addition Annabelle. Sandringham also got to blood some 2010-born prospects, with Georgia Naughton (eight games) and Zahra Stevens (nine games) since returning from the National Development Championships.