STRENGTHS:

+ Contested work
+ Defensive pressure
+ Competitiveness
+ Clean hands
+ Short kicking
+ Strength
+ Speed-endurance mix

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Agility
- Offensive impact
- Production

Over the years, Sutton has honed in on her craft to be one of the most reliable players at the Power's disposal. On paper she has the strengths and talents to do a lot, and perhaps it is this reliability and team-first instinct that has helped others standout over herself. Sutton's best and fairest in 2025 was just reward for a player who is an outstanding competitor and has clearly improved a number of facets of her game.

From an athletic standpoint, Sutton has an explosive burst and a big tank, which reflected in her State Draft Combine testing when she scored a 3.239-second 20m sprint and a 7:40 2km time-trial. Both placed her in the top 10, and her sprint in particular was a remarkable improvement from her preseason score. Her agility was low, which does not come as too much as a surprise as she is an explosive straight line runner.

From within the draft each year in both boys and girls there always seems to be a focus on what players 'can't' do rather than what they 'can' do from clubs. If we start with the former, there actually isn't much Sutton can't do. It is more about improving what she can do, and perhaps becoming a more damaging player in her role.

A high retention and safer ball user, Sutton can break from packs, but could utilise her explosiveness even more on game day. When forward, she can find space and win the ball, but for the Power only kicked the four goals in 15 games. Most of her disposals going inside 50 are effective, but can be a touch more precise and therefore it's that final finishing polish. Essentially, Sutton - who has been honing her forward craft - can be more damaging offensively as a way to further improve.

Now onto what she can do, and Sutton certainly does do a lot right. Athletically - at least from a sprinting and endurance standpoint - she ticks those boxes. With ball in hand as referenced above, she is a high-retention player who records really reliable efficiency each and every week. Her hands are as clean as anyone's and her groundball effectiveness is terrific. In theory, she can cleanly take the ball and burst away, utilising her strength to break tackles.

When forward, she presents as an option, but given her height - 168cm - Sutton is usually not the first or second target inside 50. Especially with both Gippsland and Vic Country who have tall timber forward. However as a defensive forward, Sutton's qualities are elite. She has the speed to close down on leads, the competitiveness to battle one-on-one and the defensive pressure to lock the ball in and forced turnovers.

It is likely that role which clubs will be interested in for her, with Sutton also a strong inside midfielder. Essentially, she just does everything to a really solid level and is an all-round player who never lets you down. In the past her numbers stagnated a little, and while her production could lift again, she did improve that significantly (around 25 per cent) from 2024 to 2025. If she continues to develop at that rate, then she will no doubt have a role at a higher level.