{"id":208925,"date":"2026-02-19T11:32:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T01:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=208925"},"modified":"2026-02-19T11:32:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T01:32:13","slug":"2026-aflw-draft-qa-summer-ajduk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2026\/02\/19\/2026-aflw-draft-qa-summer-ajduk\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 AFLW Draft Q&A: Summer Ajduk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A BREAKOUT season in her debut year for Swan Districts’ WAFL Women’s side, Summer Ajduk<\/a> forced her way back into the state program and could be a notable eye-catcher for the Black Ducks. Ajduk has taken each opportunity as it has come, and will be a key link between midfield and attack in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We spoke to Ajduk at the recent West Australian Preseason Testing Day about her football journey, game, inspirations and goals for the upcoming season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Summer, tell us a little bit about your footy journey?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong>\u00a0“In Year 3 I started playing footy, I was really inspired by my uncle Steven Armstrong<\/em><\/strong> who played for Eagles and Melbourne. I just played with the boys throughout a couple of years and then I got to Year 7 and played for Kalamunda Tigers. Really loved that with the girls, and then got asked in the development program for Swans, started playing Rogers for a year or so. Then I was fortunate enough to debut for Swans League in 2025 as a 16-year-old. I played state school girls at 15s at Ballarat, that was a really good experience, and then was selected for 16s in 2024. Then in 18s now, so I just really enjoy playing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: You seemed to have a breakout year last year for Swans, what was that like?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong> “I was very grateful and fortunate for that. It was good to have the girls and a lot of the coaches around me. It was such a weird experience and we got to play in the grand final too.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What do you think the catalyst was for developing so much from the 16s year to your bottom-age year?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong> “It was a bit challenging having to switch from girls my age then to girls who are much older than me, but it was great.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What’s your favourite position to play?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong> “I really enjoy inside mid, but I like to be versatile. I do like half-forward too, anywhere really.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What do you see as some of the strengths in your game?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong> “My speed and breaking out. I think just running and grabbing the ball and kicking it forward.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What are you looking to improve on at the moment?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong> “More of my groundballs and maybe contested, getting a bit stronger.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Which AFLW club do you support?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong> “Eagles.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Which player do you look up to at the top level?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong>\u00a0“Ella Roberts<\/strong>. She’s really outgoing and a hard-working player, she inspires a lot of young girls.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Which person has had the most influence on your individual career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong> “Probably my parents, my mum and dad. But also my uncles and my pop. But more my parents, my dad’s very supportive and my mum doesn’t want to miss a game and I love that.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What goals do you set for yourself this year?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SA:<\/strong> “To have a good 18s program, and just to give my best to everything and give it 100 per cent and hopefully get drafted.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mentions<\/span><\/span><\/div>