Mia Russo Draft Profile

West PerthMidfielder

#7

Mia Russo

height: 165cm

weight:

D.O.B: 06-08-2007

Leagues: WAFL Women's, AFLW U18 Championships

Snapshot
Analysis
Summary

SNAPSHOT: “A powerfully-built midfielder who thrives around the contest and driving the ball inside 50”

Mia Russo’s junior career has been somewhat like a rollercoaster, with the West Perth prospect experiencing the highest of highs, and most frustrating of lows. But at the end of her top-age season, the West Australian looms as a likely top 10 prospect and certain first round talent with an impressive CV to her name.

Starting her career with Stirling and moving into Wanneroo, Russo clearly looked a class above at local level and quickly found her place in the Falcons’ Rogers Cup side and then eventually with the Sandgropers at the National Devlelopment Championships as a bottom-ager. Impressing then as a 14-year-old, Russo dominated the Rogers Cup, to be named among the best eight times in 11 appearances and take out the competition’s best and fairest.

A year later, she did it all again, becoming a two-time league best and fairest winner at Rogers Cup level even though she was age-eligible to represent the Falcons at senior level. Biding her time developing through the junior system, it was very evident Russo was that cut above, and she was one of a number of talented junior who steered the Falcons to the 2023 flag.

In the same year, Russo won her state’s MVP and overall Pool A best and fairest at the National Development Championships, unsurprisingly making All-Australian and named on-ball in a star-studded midfield with Ava Usher and Sophie Eaton. Following the conclusion of 2023, Russo moved up to the senior Falcons squad, where as a bottom-ager she won Best First Year Player in 2024, and despite injuries, worked back to play one game for the Sandgropers at the Under 18s national carnival.

While it was a frustrating finish to Russo, she worked hard over the off-season to get back for 2025 but unfortunately again had setbacks and managed the eight games in Falcons colours. Open about managing her arthritis that has impacted her junior career, when she was out on the park, she was nothing short of a warrior, and averaged more than 20 touches a game at WAFLW level.

Getting her chance at the National Championships, she came into the carnival off the back of a long lay off to get herself right for the tournament, and played all four games. While not at 100 per cent, three of her four games were still ultra-impressive, and her form was rewarded with All-Australian honours in a strong Sandgropers outfit that split its results 2-2.

The Carlton supporter turned out for the National Academy as well, named as captain in the side’s first game against the All-Stars at RSEA Park where she lead by example with the quality on the field. Unsurprisingly, Russo received a National Draft Combine invite and is in the mix to be the first West Australian off the board, though it could be one of a number of players.

Click the ANALYSIS tab for more

STRENGTHS:

+ Speed
+ Contested work
+ Aerial ability
+ Strength
+ Clean hands
+ Hurt factor
+ Defensive pressure

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Kicking consistency
- Two-way running

Every club is looking for that powerful inside midfielder who can win the ball across multiple layers and link up between midfield and attack. Russo's profile is built around her ability to explode from the contest, and use clean hands and a powerful kick to influence games. She can win it on the inside or outside, and when around the coalface, is more than capable of being a first, second or third possession winner, linking up by hand to drive the ball forward.

She is one of the better players to drive her legs out of a contest, breaking through tackles and releasing to teammates just right, while giving as good as she gets defensively with her pressure. While her two-way running - getting into the back half of the ground and being the one to win it there - is an improvement, once she has the ball, she can inflict maximum damage.

Offensively, few are better in the way that Russo can extract the ball, drive it forward and set up her teammates, or be the one inside 50 to either mark and convert the shot, or put it into a dangerous spot that favours her teammates. While her kicking consistency is an area that has been a further improvement, given any time or space she can hurt the opposition.

If Russo is afforded an exit from the stoppage, watch out, because the only way to quell her influence in there is to force her to dump the ball on the boot, because as soon as she spots fresh air and space, she is off, and it is difficult to bring her down. While her defensive running is an area to improve, you cannot knock her pressure around the stoppages.

Last year she saw first hand what Zippy Fish did when the West Perth midfield left her to her own devices, and it was a great learning curve for the young side. Russo has the capacity to do the same - albeit not quite the same speed and skill but still very damaging in both - and is far more comfortable closer to the contest.

While Russo is a natural inside ball-winner, the West Perth talent can play off half-forward or deep forward, with her strength one-on-one and understanding of the game allowing her to position herself accordingly and find the most dangerous spots to get into in order to influence the scoreboard. Russo knows how to kick multiple goals in a game, and while her style has become more of a midfielder who sets others up, she is a threat anywhere inside the forward 50.

Russo has a penetrating kick and can nail some eye-catching goals, with her hurt factor and offensive brilliance really coming to the fore. Injury interruptions have restricted the West Perth talent from going to even another level, but she has massive respect amongst the Falcons and West Australian state side given how she has managed to keep fighting through any adversity that is thrown her way and performing at such a high level.

If Russo ever gets a full preseason and continuity for an entire year, watch out because her top-end ability is enormous.

DRAFT RANGE: 5-15

SUMMARY:

Mia Russo is a talented inside midfielder who can also play forward and impact offensively in a variety of ways. She has a stack of weapons which hurt the opposition, and while still honing some of her craft, is one of the more damaging players once goalside. Expect to hear her name read out somewhere in the mid first round.

WAFL Women's

Season	Team	K	HB	D	M	T	I50	GL	GM	K	H	D	M	HO	T	G	DC
2024	West Perth	155	88	243	29	62	57	12	14	11.1	6.3	17.4	2.1	0.0	4.4	0.9	65
2025	West Perth	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	-	155	88	243	29	62	57	12	14	11.1	6.3	17.4	2.1	0.0	4.4	0.9	65

AFLW U18 Championships

Season	Team	K	HB	D	M	CP	UP	T	CLR	I50	R50	GL	GM	K	H	D	M	T	G	DC
2024	Western Australia Girls	5	5	10	1	8	2	1	4	2	1	0	1	5.0	5.0	10.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	45
2025	Western Australia Girls	36	40	76	7	33	41	20	12	15	4	2	4	9.0	10.0	19.0	1.8	5.0	0.5	73
Total	-	41	45	86	8	41	43	21	16	17	5	2	5	8.2	9.0	17.2	1.6	4.2	0.4	118