Match practice the key for determined Janschek
ASPIRING AFL Women’s footballer Yasmeen Janschek is under no illusions she has a long way to go to succeed at the top level. The former netballer spoke to Rookie Me Central about her journey recently, with part one of the two-part series looking into her background and decision around choosing the code. Part two will […]
Underrated Berry focused on getting better
BEING CUT from the Swans Academy and missing out on Allies selection might have been a couple of bumps in the road for talented Giants Academy member Aoife Berry, but the UTS Bats best and fairest winner, AFL Sydney Team of the Year representative and 2024 Premier Division Rising Star is trending in the right […]
Anderson goes to work after draft omission
SOUTH Adelaide’s Melissa Anderson was one of the many thousands of people each year who missed out on reaching the elite level in her top-age season. In what was only her first year of SANFL Women’s football back in 2023, the talented Panthers prospect never lost hope, and always had the faith that she could […]
2026 AFLW Academy Girls squad announced
NEXT year’s 2026 AFL Women’s Academy has been announced with 25 promising bottom-age players included amongst the group. Seven of the eight states or territories are represented with eight Victorians leading the way. After Victoria, the growing talent in NSW/ACT was rewarded with five players, while South Australia and Queensland (four), Western Australia (three) and […]
TOP 5s | 2025 AFLW State Draft Combines
A WEST Australian speedster and agile Gippsland draft bolter were among the most prominent individual results at the AFL Women’s State Draft Combines across October. Claremont’s Ella Gilbey is known for her all-round athleticism, while Power player Baia Pugh showed no signs of the broken collarbone that ended her top-age season early. Gilbey recorded the […]
Honest Mackereth concedes year was “challenging” but “unforgettable”
SOMETIMES your top-age season is not everything you want it to be, and that is okay. At least it was for South Australian draft hopeful Eloise Mackereth who conceded the “pressure” of needing to go to another level in 2025 provided challenges, though at the end of the day, she was grateful for the amount […]
Baxter found balance in Panthers, state experiences
TOP-AGE AFL Women’s draft prospect Lily Baxter did not mind the extra time or energy it took to juggle her footballing commitments between South Adelaide and South Australia over the last couple of years, with the hard-running utility more “sad” when she couldn’t be part of training at either. While now studying occupational therapy at […]
2025 AFLW Draft Profiles to start next week
NEXT Monday our road to the AFL Women’s Draft commences with the first of our AFL Women’s Draft Profiles to kick off. Each day throughout the week there will be two National Draft Combine, and one State Draft Combine profile that will be completed over the next month running until the end of November. In […]
2026 WA Girls Summer squad announced
WESTERN Australia has announced its Girls Summer Squad talent program for the upcoming off-season with some of the brightest AFLW Draft prospects for the 2026-27 drafts. The squad of 38 players – which includes bottom-age All-Australian Cara Dziegielewski – features a league-high nine West Perth players, two more than Peel Thunder, while East Fremantle has […]
Omission helped Lily Smarten up and blitz year
BEING dropped from the SANFL Women’s side back to the Development League was a blessing rather than a curse for Sturt’s Lily Smart who credits that as the catalyst behind her strong finish to 2025. Recalling the moment after a Round 3 win over Glenelg, Smart said her three weeks in the second tier helped […]
