
Cannons “bullish” on emerging talent
THE CALDER Cannons are not shying away from the emerging talent at their disposal in 2023, with coach Ross Smith “bullish” on what is a relatively new look lineup. Only 15 draft eligible players feature in the 47-player Under 18 squad, as the Metro region looks to cater to its youth and the qualities needed […]

2023 Preseason Testing Top 5s – Tasmania
THE TASMANIA Devils convened at the Silverdome in Launceston recently to partake in their annual preseason testing event, under the eye of Rookie Me. Under 18 talent from both the boys and girls squads underwent a range of physical tests; from vertical jumps, to sprints and endurance running. >> SCROLL for all top five results There was […]

Well travelled talent getting a Kik’ out of footy
TASMANIA Devils top-age talent Tunisha Kikoak is no stranger to travel or adversity, sharing one of the more unique football journey stories leading up to her AFLW Draft year. The teenager’s father hails from a small Canadian town in Inuvik, her mother travelled the world, they settled on the Gold Coast and then moved to […]

Parker focuses on footy to chase draft dream
TASMANIAN key forward Bellah Parker has been no stranger to juggling multiple sporting codes over the years. It has been exciting, albeit challenging, for the 17-year-old to juggle one set of commitments with another. Though in 2023, Parker is all-in on football as she eyes off reaching the top level. Parker initially got into footy […]

Barwick’s busted knee unlocks coaching door
HEADLINING developments in the AFLW Draft space this week is the unfortunate news that Tasmanian midfielder Brooke Barwick has suffered a serious knee injury. The star top-ager ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee while playing a local touch footy match with friends, less than a month out from the start of the […]

Docker Staunton “just lucky” for GIANT opportunity
BOLTING out of relative obscurity into the AFL Women’s Academy, GWS GIANTS Academy member Melanie Staunton is one name to keep an eye on in 2023. Though she describes her rise from Ulladulla Dockers talent to AFLW Academy as “just lucky”, the 18-year-old is certainly not taking her incredible opportunity lightly. Tasting life as an […]

Suckling makes GIANT move to the border
REALISING her footballing potential early on in her journey, Murray Bushrangers AFL Women’s draft hopeful Emma Suckling chose to switch from her local competition in Wagga Wagga to the border. There, she teamed up with the strong Lavington Panthers outfit while sharing her time with the Bushrangers in the NAB League and developing through the […]

Coates Talent League officially launched
AUSTRALIA’s premier AFL talent pathway has undergone its third rebrand, with the official launch of the Coates Talent League today. Set to enter its 32nd year in 2023, the competition started out as the Victorian State Football League (VSFL) in 1992, before perhaps being most famously known as the TAC Cup, and most recently the […]

2023 NAB League coaching changes
NAB LEAGUE regions in Victoria and Tasmania have all but completed their coaching appointments for 2023, after it was announced that roles would again been split between girls and boys teams. The move comes as part of the AFL’s commitment to boosting resources in the girls’ talent pathway, with all regions now having dedicated full-time […]

Queensland to Maroon on the ‘Map’ in rep clashes
STATE football will return to the eastern coast of Australia, with Queensland and Tasmania set to do battle in a double-header of men’s and women’s representative football next year. In a throwback to bygone years, Australia’s most northern state and most southern state, will converge on the latter at North Hobart Oval for a huge […]