A player who has developed impressively from her bottom-age year is another Dandenong Stingrays talent in midfielder Charlotte Blair. Being an underrated member of the strong Stingrays midfield group, Blair has found the right balance between her offensive and defensive impact. While she has the ability to lay plenty of tackles, she has become more of a ball-carrier in 2022.

In the past, Blair might win the ball or mop it up and dispose of it quickly, but it was more noticeable in 2022 that she was willing to back herself and take grass before putting it inside 50. Though her decision making at times - bombing long inside 50 - could be improved by lowering the eyes, her stoppage nous and being able to pounce on a loose ball before anyone else became a feature of her game. She can be both a first and second possession winner around a stoppage and use her burst to take off.

Blair is a player who tested fairly well across the board at the NAB League Girls Preseason Testing Day, with above average or better efforts in the 20m sprint, vertical jump and yo-yo test. Though she has the tank to run a full game in the midfield, Blair could still lift her numbers a touch more, averaging just under 13 disposals per game at NAB League level, and less than eight at the AFLW Under 18 Championships. She did have to run around with plenty of quality ball-winners in those sides, but could become even better.

Overall, Blair has a real all-round foundation to work with from an AFLW club’s perspective, balancing her offensive and defensive traits with a high work rate and good athleticism. Not quite the finished product with her ball-winning and decision making areas to still have further improvement, Blair is one who has improved at a rate of knots in 2022.