STRENGTHS:

+ Versatility
+ Footy IQ
+ Athleticism
+ Positioning
+ Reading the play
+ Aerial ability

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Contested work
- Durability

PROFILE:

Claudia Wright has some really nice natural footballing skills, while also boasting some impressive athletic attributes. Her vertical jump in particular stands out, while she moves well for a 172cm player who can play on talls or smalls.

That versatility is what sets her aside from a lot of her peers, with Wright having predominantly played a half-back/wing role, though has also played at half-forward, and on-ball. The latter she did for the majority of the 2024 WAFLW season, earning extra experiences in there and being able to use her smarts to glide out of stoppages.

From an athletic point of view, Wright is very comfortable in the air. Not just having the jump that justifies it, but also being able to clunk some strong marks. She can compete one-on-one and her combination of athletic prowess and size allows her to take on taller key position players, as well as quicker smaller types, making her a valuable prospect.

At ground level, Wright is clean enough and uses the ball well by hand or foot, particularly when able to get on her preferred side and have a split second to assess. She can weight her kicks well over multiple distances, and while not an elite user, is still a consistent and efficient player in a variety of circumstances.

Over the journey Wright has spent more time as an outside player as that is where her strengths lie with her aerial ability, reading the play and positioning behind the ball leading up to the West Australian being an intercept half-back prospect. Her run and carry enables her to play aggressively and when on a wing, can drive the ball inside 50 consistently.

In 2024, Wright spent more time on the inside, but is more of a second possession winner than a first, largely because she can glide around the ground and transition the ball from congestion to the outside. She could further improve the first-possession winning element of her game, though at the top level, she will likely fill out an outside role to begin with anyway.

The other knock or more unknown in Wright's game is regarding her durability. Luckily the teenager has had completely different injuries - being wrist and leg - that have kept her out of action, and neither were soft tissue. However it has still limited her ability to consistently get out on the park, and therefore made it trickier to judge how she fares against the best in the country with just the one match - as well as the two AFLW Academy games - to her name.

Though there might be a couple of question marks, Wright as a whole looms as a player who should find a home across the first two rounds with her athleticism and footy smarts combined making her a well-rounded player who can impact across multiple lines and in various roles.