
Draper more than the third wheel in promising Panthers trio
THE South Adelaide Panthers boast the most promising junior footballing trio in South Australia in 2021. Pick one candidate Jason Horne has spent the past couple of seasons matching it with the SANFL’s best at League level and ball-magnet Matthew Roberts appears a strong chance to join him in the first round of the National Draft. […]

Rising Sun Davies learns from the best
NOT everyone gets the chance to talk footy with AFLW stars in between classes at school, but Gold Coast Academy prospect Giselle Davies is taking plenty of learnings out of that exact opportunity. The 18-year-old tall defender attends Southport State High School, where current Suns midfielder Jamie Stanton teaches. While the two are quite different […]

Tenacious Tonon shows “massive” development
SO impressive was Brooke Tonon‘s form in 2021, she earned a call-up to the illustrious AFLW Academy. She was fresh off an impressive Under 19 National Championships campaign with South Australia, and en route to SANFLW premiership honours with Glenelg – showcasing a rapid rate of development across both competitions. The SANFLW team of the […]

Draft hopeful Harmer looks to find “the best of both worlds”
IN the air and on the ground. Intercept marking combined with run-and-carry. That’s the kind of impact Maroochydore prospect Maggie Harmer aims to make across half-back. The versatile talent is in line to become one of the first Brisbane Lions Academy products called out on draft night, and has a pair of senior defenders to […]

Smith taking things “week by week”
POWERFUL prospect Bella Smith has proven herself as one of Queensland’s top draft chances in 2021, but is taking a steady mindset into next week’s big day. The Maroochydore midfielder has been aligned with the Brisbane Lions Academy and there are plenty of former ‘Roos to look towards for inspiration in the same pathway. “At […]

Breguet takes “learning opportunity” with both hands
BY her own account, Lauren Breguet‘s footballing journey is “a bit of a long story”, and the explosive Central District forward has come quite some way in a short period of time. The 18-year-old hopped codes and borders to get to where she is now, thriving at SANFL Women’s level and in the South Australian […]

Competitive Venning used to putting in the “extra effort”
WINNING your club’s best and fairest award over the league and state Under 19s MVP is no mean feat, but it’s exactly what West Adelaide midfielder Zoe Venning pulled off in 2021. The tenacious ball winner was part of a strong Westies side which surged to this year’s SANFL Women’s grand final, averaging 16.5 disposals, […]

Pauga overcomes injuries and adapts to change ahead of AFLW Draft
AFL Women’s Academy member Mikayla Pauga admits she is in a unique situation. The 18-year-old moved to Bond University for the start of the year to continue her studies, and therefore resides on the heart of the Gold Coast. Despite being around plenty of Gold Coast Suns, Pauga is a Brisbane Lions Academy member and […]

Maurer thrives on Tasmanian “team bond”
RETURNING for her second season of Tasmania Devils representation in 2021, there was a rise in “enjoyment” levels for tough midfielder-forward, Ella Maurer. The 19-year-old thrived across nine NAB League outings in her top-age campaign, averaging a tick under 17 disposals and five tackles as an integral part of the starting squad. She put much […]

“Go-getter” Swan brings leadership to the fore
STARTING her football career as a seven-year-old for the Bridgewater Raiders in the Adelaide Hills, Georgia Swan is still travelling on her “really fun and long journey,” a decade later. The now 17-year-old Swan, known by her teammates as “Swanee”, is a part of the South Australian Academy. Swan has recently completed her third season […]