With the completion of the AFLW’s official expansion signing and trade periods, club lists are now being finalised in the lead-up to the next draft, the date of which has yet to be announced but is likely to be held in mid-October. While this club-by-club analysis focuses on players, each club also traded draft picks, with the finalised draft order included below.
Adelaide Crows
In: Renee Forth (GWS)
Out (expansion): N/A
Out (trade): Talia Radan (Melbourne)
Delisted: Sophie Armistead, Georgia Bevan, Abbey Holmes, Rachael Killian, Calista Boyd (rookie), Becchara Palmer (rookie), Brianna Walling (rookie)
It has been quite a stable trade and expansion period for the Crows, who have been able to retain most of their 2017 premiership side in a big win for the club. Talia Radan reportedly left for more opportunities at the Demons, which she may well get with Mel Hickey gone. Renee Forth has plenty of upside if she can return to her best – she was a marquee signing for the Giants in 2017, but lost 18 months to football after an ACL injury.
Brisbane Lions
In: Lauren Arnell (Carlton)
Out (expansion): Kaitlyn Ashmore, Brittany Gibson, Tahlia Randall, Jamie Stanton (North Melbourne)
Out (trade): Nicole Hilderbrand (Collingwood)
Delisted: Renee Cowan, Kalinda Howarth, Molly Ritson. Jessy Keefe and Ruby Blair were initially de-listed but have since re-signed.
The Lions were always likely to lose four players to the expansion clubs, and of those Brittany Gibson and Kaitlyn Ashmore will likely hurt the most. Gibson, a steal at pick 141 in the inaugural draft, was inside the top 30 for disposals in 2018, and also had three goals in a season of low-scoring contests. She, however, hails from Tasmania, and the Kangaroos have an alliance with the island state.
Likewise, former priority pick Ashmore is a Melbourne University football alumni, and will re-join team-mates including Emma Kearney and Mo Hope at their affiliated club, the Kangaroos. Like Gibson, Ashmore also kicked three goals for the Lions in season two, and was a popular team-mate.
Astute recruiting welcomes Lauren Arnell, the former Blues captain who had fallen out of favour with the Carlton coaching panel in 2018. At 31, Arnell is a veteran of the competition, but pick 40 was unders for someone with renowned leadership skills. She is also an ambassador of the game and respected media personality –and will help raise the profile of the Queensland side.
Carlton
In: Amelia Barden (Collingwood)
Out (expansion): Kate Gillespie-Jones, Danielle Hardiman (North Melbourne)
Out (trade): Maddie Gay (Melbourne)
Delisted: Madeline Keryk, Laura Attard, Kate Shierlaw, Sarah Last, Tiahna Cochrane (rookie), Katie-Jayne Grieve (rookie)
The Blues hadn’t finalised their list at time of writing, but have announced their delistings. Kate Shierlaw was selected as rookie in 2017 as a possible key forward option, but with Tayla Harris’s arrival the odds were against her to survive. Madeline Keryk is a surprise given how highly she was rated internally in her first year – appointed joint vice-captain at just 21.
Things could have been much worse for the Blues, however, with reports previously suggesting that captain Brianna Davey wanted a trade out of the club. They will be delighted to have kept her, as well as stars in Darcy Vescio and big-name signing Harris. Amelia Barden crosses from Collingwood to follow former assistant Daniel Harford, newly-appointed coach of the Blues. In 2018 she ranked fifth for tackles with 47, and will bring pressure and excellent stoppage work.
Collingwood
In: Nicole Hilderbrand (Brisbane)
Out (expansion): Jess Duffin, Jasmine Garner, Mo Hope, Emma King (North Melbourne)
Out (trade): Millie Barden (Carlton), Christina Bernadi (GWS)
Delisted: Caitlyn Edwards, Meg Hutchins, Tara Morgan, Lauren Tesoriero, Bree White (retired)
It’s hard to describe this as anything but a disaster period for the club. Jasmine Garner outperformed marquee Hope as a forward, and was fourth in the competition in season two for marks, while she kicked five goals (equal with Harris and Vescio by way of comparison).
Christina Bernadi, meanwhile, had a breakout season, culminating in an All-Australian selection. A memorable 16 possessions and three goals against Brisbane was a highlight in the penultimate round of the season. Presumably the Pies had no intention of losing her, which is perhaps why she became part of an extremely complicated five-way deal on the final day of the trade period.
Likewise, Emma King was a Collingwood marquee and ranked fourth for hit-outs as one of the premier rucks of the competition. Jess Duffin was ranked elite in season one, and is also a professional cricketer in the mould of Emma Kearney.
In sum, the Pies have effectively lost their entire first-choice forward line and their ruck. They’ve also recently lost their third women’s football operations manager in three years in Matthew James.
Fremantle
In: N/A
Out (trade): N/A
Out (expansion): N/A
Delisted: Stacey Barr, Kirby Bentley, Lara Filocamo, Tiah Haynes, Amy Lavell, Emily McGuire, Jodie White, Jade De Melo (rookie), Beatrice Devlyn (rookie), Lisa Webb (rookie).
The Dockers narrowly averted a disaster on the final day of trade period when it looked like Dana Hooker would head east to reigning premiers the Bulldogs. Hooker was All-Australian in 2018, and ranked inside the top 10 this year for disposals. Her story, as a single mother who had a baby daughter just a few months before being drafted, is seriously inspiring stuff.
Media reports claim the Dogs had little of “value” to offer the Dockers for Hooker, which highlights a key teething problem for the competition. As it stands, players nominate the state they would like to be drafted to, which is for the best given most are still working full-time and aren’t approaching anything like a professional wage. But, given the bulk of talent located in Victoria, interstate clubs can be short-changed when draft picks and their order are effectively meaningless.
It is surprising to see Lara Filocamo delisted after two excellent seasons, while Indigenous talent Emily McGuire kicked two goals in a stunning debut.
Geelong
In: Cassie Blakeway, Maddie Boyd, Richelle Cranston, Kate Darby, Renee Garing, Rebecca Goring, Mel Hickey, Erin Hoare, Jordan Ivey, Phoebe McWilliams, Danielle Orr, Anna Teague
The Cats’ trade and expansion period has largely been overshadowed by the Kangaroos’, although time will tell which approach proves the more shrewd. While North Melbourne have opted to poach talent from existing AFLW clubs, Geelong have signed a raft of players from their VFLW side, and have picked experienced players to fill gaps. The acquisition of Melbourne vice-captain Melissa Hickey is a coup, given she will bring both experience and family legacy: she is the granddaughter of Geelong legend Reg Hickey’s cousin, and will wear Reg’s famous No 18.
Geelong have also benefitted from being awarded two compensation selections – pick No 1 and No 2. This was explained by the AFL as a means to level the playing field with Geelong completing less signings than North Melbourne (13 to 17).
GWS Giants
In: Christina Bernadi (Collingwood)
Out (expansion): Phoebe McWilliams, Maddie Boyd (Geelong)
Out (trade): Renee Forth (Adelaide)
Delisted: Melissa Freckelton, Bec Privitelli, Alex Saundry, Pippa Smyth, Renee Tomkins, Haneen Zreika (rookie)
The Giants will be disappointed to lose the talented Phoebe McWilliams, but have done well to otherwise avoid an exodus down south to the expansion clubs. Signing All-Australian Bernadi, however, should more than compensate that loss after her breakout season for Collingwood. Renee Forth was originally a marquee selection but spent 18 months recovering from an ACL injury before struggling to find top form in season two.
Melbourne
In: Maddie Gay (Carlton), Talia Radan (Adelaide)
Out (expansion): Richelle Cranston, Melissa Hickey, Erin Hoare, Anna Teague (Geelong)
Out (trade): Jasmine Grierson, Emma Humphries (North Melbourne)
Delisted: Lauren Duryea, Alyssa Mifsud, Maddie Shevlin (rookie)
It’s surprising to see Alyssa Mifsud on the list of delistings: she led the Demons’ goalkicking in season one, but could add only one more major in season two. Still, with Richelle Cranston’s departure – particularly after a much-improved second season – the Dees look short on goal-kicking options. Vice-captain Hickey’s departure hurts their leadership stocks, but Talia Radan and Maddie Gay should offer more midfield depth, with Gay making her way to her preferred destination at the last possible minute.
North Melbourne
In: Kaitlyn Ashmore, Daria Bannister, Jenna Bruton, Jess Duffin, Jasmine Garner, Brittany Gibson, Katherine Gillespie-Jones, Jasmine Grierson, Danielle Hardiman, Mo Hope, Emma Humphries, Emma Kearney, Elisha King, Georgia Nanscawen, Tahlia Randall, Ash Riddell, Maddison Smith, Jamie Stanton, Sophie Abbatangelo
The Kangaroos have had an outstanding expansion signing period, with a list the envy of the competition in only their first year. So impressive was their recruiting that Lions coach Craig Starcevich even claimed it wasn’t in the “spirit” of AFLW. Their signings are headlined by best and fairest Emma Kearney, a dual All-Australian and key cog in the Bulldogs’ midfield. Just don’t ask the Bulldogs what they got for losing her. She’s joined by a bevy of ready-made stars in Hope, Emma King, Ashmore and premiership player Jenna Bruton as just some of the sought-after list.
Western Bulldogs
In: Belinda Smith (Fremantle)
Out (expansion): Daria Bannister, Jenna Bruton, Emma Kearney (North Melbourne), Aasta O’Connor (Geelong)
Out (trade): N/A
Delisted: Jess Anderson, Rachel Ashley, Laura Bailey, Kim Ebb
The Bulldogs will be desperately disappointed to lose Kearney, but she was integral to their 2018 premiership and was always upfront about her longstanding connection with Melbourne University, with whom the Kangaroos are aligned. Still, it is a travesty they were awarded a third-round pick for losing the competition’s best player as well as two premiership players.
Daria Bannister is a Tasmanian local, which may explain why the Kangaroos appealed, but she was also rated highly by the club, who took her at pick 19 after a standout Under-18 carnival. Aasta O’Connor has long been with the club, including as captain during the exhibition series period, and her leadership will be missed. Bruton is likewise a premiership player who they wanted to keep.
The Dogs pursued Dana Hooker late from Fremantle, but were unable to provide the Dockers with adequate compensation to clinch her. But they have re-signed 22 players from their premiership-winning season after a focus on list retention.
AFLW draft order 2018
First round: 1 Geelong, 2 Geelong, 3 Carlton, 4 Fremantle, 5 Collingwood, 6 Melbourne, 7 Geelong, 8 Adelaide, 9 Brisbane, 10 Western Bulldogs, 11 Collingwood
Second round: 12 Greater Western Sydney, 13 Collingwood, 14 Geelong, 15 Melbourne, 16 Carlton, 17 Fremantle, 18 Collingwood, 19 Collingwood, 20 Geelong, 21 Carlton, 22 Brisbane, 23 Western Bulldogs, 24 Geelong
Third round: 25 North Melbourne, 26 Western Bulldogs, 27 Carlton, 28 Fremantle, 29 Collingwood, 30 Adelaide, 31 Melbourne, 32 Collingwood, 33 Brisbane, 34 Western Bulldogs, 35 Geelong, 36 North Melbourne
Fourth round: 37 Adelaide, 38 Carlton, 39 Fremantle, 40 Carlton, 41 Adelaide
42 Greater Western Sydney, 43 Melbourne, 44 Brisbane, 45 Western Bulldogs, 46 Geelong, 47 Adelaide
Fifth round: 48 Carlton, 49 Fremantle, 50 Collingwood, 51 Melbourne, 52 Greater Western Sydney, 53 North Melbourne, 54 Brisbane, 55 Western Bulldogs, 56 Geelong, 57 North Melbourne
Sixth round: 58 Fremantle, 59 Greater Western Sydney, 60 Brisbane, 61 Geelong, 62 North Melbourne
Seventh round: 63 Fremantle, 64 Greater Western Sydney, 65 Brisbane, 66 Geelong, 67 North Melbourne
Eighth round: 68 Fremantle, 69 Greater Western Sydney, 70 Geelong, 71 North Melbourne
Ninth round: 72 Greater Western Sydney, 73 Geelong, 74 North Melbourne
Tenth round: 75 Greater Western Sydney, 76 Geelong, 77 North Melbourne
Eleventh round: 78 Geelong
