Picture credit: Jon Gellweiler

Bunbury talent Ruby Mahony went from strength to strength in 2023, picking up where she left off in 2022 to become a prolific ball-winner for Swan Districts and earned the Black Ducks' McSherry Medal, going one better than her runner-up club best and fairest the year before. Also a WAFL Women's Team of the Year representative and best on ground in the SWFL Grand Final, Mahony has signed on with Essendon VFLW in a bid to reach the next level.

Mahony's main improvement is in her kicking, with just about everything out done at a high level. From her production numbers to defensive pressure and sheer consistency, the Swan Districts and Bunbury star has not done much wrong over the past two seasons. While a VFLW contact means she is more of a future draft prospect, Mahony could impress at training or also have caught the eye of another AFLW club.

Given her representation success and the fact she has come a long way over the last couple of years, Mahony has put herself in the potential draft framer. At 24, she still has plenty of years ahead of her, and with the move from Bunbury to Tullamarine, it shows she willing to go all-in on the chance to make the elite level. On numbers alone, she has shown she can match it with some of the best in her state.

STRENGTHS:

- Production
- Consistency
- Work rate
- Defensive pressure
- Big game player

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Kicking
- Scoreboard impact