Review AFLW Hawthorn Rankings

[Davo-27]

I thought I would do a Ranking List of our AFLW Team, it's an opinion thread and I encourage others to comment or make their own list of where they think each player ranks within our list...

1. Emily Bates - 28 169cm, our captain and current b&f winner, averaged over 20 disposals last year to be clearly our best in 2023 and starting 2024
2. Eliza West - 27 162cm, quality player from Melb and started the season with 29d, tough contested ball winner
3. Aine McDonagh - 26 182cm, quality KPF, kicks goals, competes in the air, good instincts
4. Mattea Breed - 23 174cm, good speed, endurance, toughness and has star potential
5. Aileen Gilroy - 31 174cm, I have liked her counter attacking since our first season, long kicking no nonsense, tough mid/wing
6. Tilly Lucas-Rodd - 28 163cm, she has been top quality for us since our first season
7. Jenna Richardson - 22 170cm, defender who is good in the air and in general contest
8. Mackenzie Eardley - 20 183cm, KPD who plays fb for us allowing Everist to play the intercepting chb
9. Jasmine Fleming - 19 165cm, hard running mid, winning a fair bit of poss
10. Lucy Wales - 21 184cm, has been competitive for us for 3 seasons now in the ruck, giving us first use and a marking target
11. Greta Bodey - 29 171cm, quality small forward from the successful Brisbane factory
12. Emily Everist - 20 179cm, combination of marking and skilful kicking and tall enough to play KPD
13. Casey Sheriff - 26 175cm, seems very flexible playing many roles, nice kick at goal
14. Kaitlyn Ashmore - 32 173cm, hard running winger with a heart of gold
15. Tamara Smith - 24 160cm, tough mid playing in def, hard tackling player
16. Ainslie Kemp - 27 170cm, competitive def who blankets her opponent
17. Laura Stone - 18 169cm, looks to be competitive and tough, playing defense atm
18. Jess Vukic - 19 180cm, backup ruck/forw, KPP height, she looked competitive in her debut
19. Charlotte Baskaran - 19 165cm, gets involved in the tackling and poss chains
20. Bridie Hipwell - 20 174cm, lacks a little composure, but has talent, atm she's "almost" there
21. Kristy Stratton - 29 165cm, small forward
22. Mikayla Williamson - 19 174cm, speedy runner, needs to work on ball handling and kicking depth
23. Hayley McLaughlin - 18 164cm, another winger, was close to getting a run in rd 1
24. Laura Elliot - 19 172cm, medium defender
25. Tahlia Fellows - 24 167cm, speed and fearless running, her 2nd season nowhere near as impactful as her 1st
26. Louise Stephenson - 29 178cm, KPD backup
27. Sophie Locke - 23 165cm, small forward backup
28. Sophie Butterworth - 18 181cm, KPF in training
29. Bridget Deed - 21 168cm, midfield backup
30. Casey Dumont - 32 182cm, backup KPF

 

[dixyland]

If Stratts is our 27th best player, we have a pretty bloody good list. She was fantastic last season.

 

[Davo-27]

If Stratts is our 27th best player, we have a pretty bloody good list. She was fantastic last season.

I think I need to raise her a few spots, my bad

 

[dixyland]

I think I need to raise her a few spots, my bad

Not at all, a list like that is something that is hard to do.

 

[pomahawk]

Good post. Based on exposed AFLW experience and form, I reckon Sherriff is a bit low, and Everist a big high (pun intended).

 

[Davo-27]

Good post. Based on exposed AFLW experience and form, I reckon Sherriff is a bit low, and Everist a big high (pun intended).

I was considering putting Sheriff a handful of spots higher, Everist I have high hopes for her, she reminded me of Sicily last game and that can be a potent role.

 

[Davo-27]

I thought I would do a Ranking List of our AFLW Team, it's an opinion thread and I encourage others to comment or make their own list of where they think each player ranks within our list...

1. Emily Bates - 28 169cm, our captain and current b&f winner, averaged over 20 disposals last year to be clearly our best in 2023 and starting 2024
2. Eliza West - 27 162cm, quality player from Melb and started the season with 29d, tough contested ball winner
3. Aine McDonagh - 26 182cm, quality KPF, kicks goals, competes in the air, good instincts
4. Mattea Breed - 23 174cm, good speed, endurance, toughness and has star potential
5. Aileen Gilroy - 31 174cm, I have liked her counter attacking since our first season, long kicking no nonsense, tough mid/wing
6. Tilly Lucas-Rodd - 28 163cm, she has been top quality for us since our first season
7. Jenna Richardson - 22 170cm, defender who is good in the air and in general contest
8. Mackenzie Eardley - 20 183cm, KPD who plays fb for us allowing Everist to play the intercepting chb
9. Jasmine Fleming - 19 165cm, hard running mid, winning a fair bit of poss
10. Lucy Wales - 21 184cm, has been competitive for us for 3 seasons now in the ruck, giving us first use and a marking target
11. Greta Bodey - 29 171cm, quality small forward from the successful Brisbane factory
12. Emily Everist - 20 179cm, combination of marking and skilful kicking and tall enough to play KPD
13. Casey Sheriff - 26 175cm, seems very flexible playing many roles, nice kick at goal
14. Kaitlyn Ashmore - 32 173cm, hard running winger with a heart of gold
15. Tamara Smith - 24 160cm, tough mid playing in def, hard tackling player
16. Ainslie Kemp - 27 170cm, competitive def who blankets her opponent
17. Laura Stone - 18 169cm, looks to be competitive and tough, playing defense atm
18. Jess Vukic - 19 180cm, backup ruck/forw, KPP height, she looked competitive in her debut
19. Charlotte Baskaran - 19 165cm, gets involved in the tackling and poss chains
20. Bridie Hipwell - 20 174cm, lacks a little composure, but has talent, atm she's "almost" there
21. Kristy Stratton - 29 165cm, small forward
22. Mikayla Williamson - 19 174cm, speedy runner, needs to work on ball handling and kicking depth
23. Hayley McLaughlin - 18 164cm, another winger, was close to getting a run in rd 1
24. Laura Elliot - 19 172cm, medium defender
25. Tahlia Fellows - 24 167cm, speed and fearless running, her 2nd season nowhere near as impactful as her 1st
26. Louise Stephenson - 29 178cm, KPD backup
27. Sophie Locke - 23 165cm, small forward backup
28. Sophie Butterworth - 18 181cm, KPF in training
29. Bridget Deed - 21 168cm, midfield backup
30. Casey Dumont - 32 182cm, backup KPF

i made a few changes to get a bit more of an accurate list

we're in a lucky position to have a lot of depth in the team compared to our first 2 seasons and depth of quality usually equals finals footy(we have between 21-24 good AFLW players), the squad seems fit and we're playing better link footy with disposal, also pretty accurate at goal, top of the ladder atm with a big game against 1 of the historically top sides in Adelaide this week, should be a good test of how we are travelling.

 

[Liam AFLW nuff]

I would have Breed a few spots lower just on limited exposed form, but it's a good conversation of short term form vs proven ability (someone like Sherriff for example)

I like Everist as a shut down defender, probably our best match up for Aine Tighe when we take on the Dockers

 

[Aristarchus]

Yeah I think it scews too much towards a 2 game sample size rather than overall. Like, is it meant to be a week to week power ranking or the "best" players based on whatever metric you rank? It's all opinion of course. Just an exercise I think is rather hard to do proper justice.

With that said and without re-doing it all completely: I'd have Breed and Aine much lower, Bodey higher. Ashmore higher, Everist lower. Vukic lower, Stratton way higher given what she did last year to help our forward line and was no slouch in midfield either.

 

[Davo-27]

I usually do the men's talent scouting and I thought I would try my hand at ranking our list, some like Sheriff I'm unsure where to rank, but most I'm aware of their game style, I think Breed has All Australian potential if things go well for her, strong defensively, quick, determined, competitive, good work rate, big impact on plays, Aine is already one of the best tall forwards in the comp imo, if our mids had better i50s she'd dominate imo, Ashmore is a little soft in the contest which holds her back from being one of the best, Stratton could be higher, I can't remember much of last season, Bodey can be very goal focussed and misses team mates, this is an issue at times, Vukic looks very good early for a tall, provides a contest and solid as backup ruck.

 

[Aristarchus]

I think we need to see more from Breed over a season before claiming she's that good, and if a ranking is being done on potential and where see a player reaching than Fleming should be top 2. She's most likely player on our list to win the league BnF award.

 

[Davo-27]

I will do another ranking at the end of season, a few players will move a few spots, but I don't mind the rankings atm, although Williamson has impressed a bit more than I expected and Elliot should be in the starting 21.

 

[Davo-27]

I thought I would do an updated ranking of the list based a bit more on stats as well as impact and talent. (After 7 games)

1. Eliza West, 27 162cm - up 1 spot, playing well in all conditions, on track for a b&f
2. Emily Bates, 28 169cm - down 1 spot, playing well also, but West is just ahead at this stage
3. Aine McDonagh, 26 182cm - same ranking, kicked 10.7 which is top 10 in the league with 8 goal assists which is top tier
4. Tilly Lucas-Rodd, 28 163cm - up 2 spots, averaging 21 disposals and 331m gained from defence
5. Aileen Gilroy, 31 175cm - same ranking, her penetrating long kicks and her runs provide much needed impact, kicking 7.6
6. Lucy Wales, 21 184cm - up 4 spots, she has been huge in the ruck, averaging 2.9 cl and 28.4 ho with 6.6 to adv
7. Mattea Breed, 23 174cm - down 3 spots, strong impactful mid, under 15 disposals drops her down 3 spots
8. Jasmine Fleming, 19 165cm - up 1 spot, winning a good amount of footy, adds run from the contest/stoppage
9. Greta Bodey, 29 171cm - up 2 spots, she had a huge 6 goal game to bring her to 9.7 for the season, great small forw
10. Emily Everist, 20 179cm - up 2 spots, playing fb and doing well, plenty of smothers and rebound/transition
11. Tamara Smith, 24 160cm - up 4 spots, tough small defender, improved kicking from defence and always a good tackler, quick
12. Jenna Richardson, 22 170cm - down 5 spots, really good player, others just playing a bit better and getting more involved
13. Ainslie Kemp, 27 170cm - up 3 spots, good aerially, good defender on medium to tall opponents, 205m gained, good rebound
14. Casey Sheriff, 26 175cm - down 1 spot, all round talent, kicked 3 goals in 2 games while playing mostly def/mid
15. Mackenzie Eardley, 20 183cm, down 7 spots, I think defensively she gets lost a bit, but is showing promise as a forward 2.5 acc an issue
16. Mikayla Williamson, 19 174cm - up 6 spots, she has run hard and winning a lot of impactful poss also kicking 2 goals
17. Kaitlyn Ashmore, 32 173cm - down 3 spots, helps defense and provides run and link up
18. Laura Elliot, 19 172cm - up 6 spots, she doesn't win much footy, but she has high impact moments in defense
19. Laura Stone, 18 169cm - down 2 spots, playing defense and now forward with 3.1 to her name, developing quickly
20. Jess Vukic, 19 180cm - down 2 spots, playing back up ruck and forw, 7.6 ho 2.2 to adv, kicked the sealer last game
21. Bridie Hipwell, 20 174cm - down 1 spot, 2 goals in 5 games, under 2 marks a game
22. Charlotte Baskaran, 19 165cm - down 3 spots, good tackler, needs to win the ball more
23. Kristy Stratton, 29 165cm - down 2 spots, can play, but some of her turnovers are costly, 1 goal in 3 games
24. Louise Stephenson, 29 178cm - up 2 spots, 1 goal in 2 games, good mark, not the greatest kick of the footy
25. Sophie Butterworth, 18 181cm - up 3 spots, even as an unknown I think potential is there
26. Sophie Locke, 23 165cm - up 1 spot, she's a bit slow but can be crafty, got a free kick goal
27. Hayley McLaughlin, 18 164cm - down 4 spots, a bit out of her depth this year, developing
28. Tahlia Fellows, 24 167cm - down 3 spots, her speed and run is missing from our debut season, she's a bit lost In a forw pocket
29. Bridget Deed, 21 168cm - same, not much to say
30. Casey Dumont, 32 182cm - same, not much to say

our depth this year is really good and its 1 reason we are performing so much better this year.