AFLW West Coast Womens Discussion

[Byron_Clanger]

Did i hear that correctly? A massive West Coast supporter?

That's wild hearing a Vic Metro player saying her team is the Eagles . I had that video on in the background and had to double take when I heard that, like what? Lol.

 

[AlphaSheep]

Looking over every other team's off-season, I reckon we still might struggle to get out of the bottom four next year.

Number one priority next season will be to get games into Rentsch and Kavanagh in the middle, because our midfleld is weak by AFLW standards, and the more games they get early, the faster they'll improve. But they're kids, it will be a struggle in their rookie year, makes it real tough to win when you're losing all the stoppages.

Then the forward line is a bunch of kids too, great potential for the future, but unlikely to win that many games next year.

BUT, bottom four puts us in contention for one of the big draft picks next year. Everyone seems to be nominating for the national draft, the AFLW may even make it compulsory next year.

The big four are India Rasheed from SA -- Roger Rasheed's kid, an Ella Roberts-type who people are raving about.
Havana Harris from Queensland, who's super tall and fast.
Ash Centra from Vic, who's a gun outside mid who's a level above just about everyone.
And our own Zippy Fish from WA.

Obviously we'd take Zippy over everyone, if she wanted to stay. Add Zippy to the current midfield, and we're running for a premiership in... three more years? Four?

 

[Kegs15]

Number one priority next season will be to get games into Rentsch and Kavanagh in the middle, because our midfleld is weak by AFLW standards, and the more games they get early, the faster they'll improve. But they're kids, it will be a struggle in their rookie year, makes it real tough to win when you're losing all the stoppages.

Absolutely agree - would want to keep giving Roberts exposure in there as well + maybe experimenting with Thomas pinch hitting.

I liked our drafting overall but would hope we don't see midfield setups of just Swanson, Drennan, Hosking, Sergeant etc. Good to have solid bodies as babysitters but for the sake of balance need a few of those names to rotate off half back IMO.

 

[Monocle]

Looking over every other team's off-season, I reckon we still might struggle to get out of the bottom four next year.

You have hit the nail on the head, yes we have improved, but then again, so has every other team.
Our challenge is not just to get better, rather its how do we start bridging the vast gap between us and the better teams.

Cant help but be envious with the massive leg up Port have had this draft period, they will shoot up the ladder quicker tha any other side outside this years final eight.

The big four are India Rasheed from SA -- Roger Rasheed's kid, an Ella Roberts-type who people are raving about.
Havana Harris from Queensland, who's super tall and fast.
Ash Centra from Vic, who's a gun outside mid who's a level above just about everyone.
And our own Zippy Fish from WA.

Obviously we'd take Zippy over everyone, if she wanted to stay. Add Zippy to the current midfield, and we're running for a premiership in... three more years? Four?

And what a star studded top four prospects they are.

India Rasheed, good call on the Ella Roberts likeness, a left footed Ella, she has elite foot skills and is already 174 cm.

Havana Harris 182 cm , a gift for Gold Coast as she has been training with their Academy since she was 12.
She will have a decision to make shortly does she go to the Paris Olympics as she is he current age group national high jump champ.
At her height and with her massive leap she will be a handful to counter.
She is an all round sports person and so far has excelled at everything.
Mother was a marathon runner and Dad a basketballer, both represented QLD.

Ash Centra, hard not to be impressed with her sublime foot skills, at the risk of being chastised for this comment, she kick a football and hits targets as good as any of the under age elite male mids.
Country girls Vic Country so will be interesting to see if she nominates National or just Vic draft pool.

Zippy Fish, her exploits we are all versed in her attributes being a speedy running machine.
She has said that she will nominate for the National Draft Poll, so the only way we get her is with an early pick.

 

[Biggie]

Ash Centra is an absolute gun. Watching her live at last years state champs was a gift.

Rate her extremely high.

 

[UseR2006]

Zippy Fish, her exploits we are all versed in her attributes being a speedy running machine.
She has said that she will nominate for the National Draft Poll, so the only way we get her is with an early pick.

Well, we all know Zippy met Harley, so a nice reunion at the club next year

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

Our emerging midfield of Lewis, Rowley, Kavanagh and Rentsch are starting to look the right mix. Very young and the likes of Sergent, Swanson, Drennan and Goranova will need to be the harder bodies to support them. Spot on needing to get games into them but we also need a coach that understands the magnetism of the AFLW stoppages. Hence the Daisy selection is so important.

As much as possible I would like to keep Ella in the forward line. We have Hooker and Western that can play the flanks and with a mix of Franklin, Roux, Cleaver and co as bigger targets. Moving Hooker to a half forward may well be the change that can keep her going as she turns 33 next season. Importantly we need to not get sucked in to sacrificing a forward to go to the stoppage and leaving us a player down in the forward line.

Two of the most frustrating aspects to the last season was the inability of some of our mids in hitting targets and the other one of simple marks in the forward line leading to turnovers and getting hurt on the rebound. Kavanagh joins the likes of Thomas and Rowley that have far better accuracy by disposal. Johnson should be a big improvement in passing inside 50.

 

[Biggie]

 

[Biggie]

 

[squashface]

Don’t think Hooker offers too much on field anymore and in that sense I would have retired her but can also see her value off field.

 

[AlphaSheep]

Ash Centra is an absolute gun. Watching her live at last years state champs was a gift.

Rate her extremely high.

Yep, she's on a different level to most. I've never seen an average-sized player cradle the ball one-handed like she does.

As much as possible I would like to keep Ella in the forward line. We have Hooker and Western that can play the flanks and with a mix of Franklin, Roux, Cleaver and co as bigger targets. Moving Hooker to a half forward may well be the change that can keep her going as she turns 33 next season. Importantly we need to not get sucked in to sacrificing a forward to go to the stoppage and leaving us a player down in the forward line.

Yeah, I used to think we'd have to play Ella a lot in the midfield to avoid getting spanked next year, now I think we'd do better to give those minutes to Rentsch and Kavanah, and just take the negatives. Hooker in the forward line makes sense too, because the forward line is super young too, and need another veteran to stiffen them up.

 

[Eaglemaniac]

Fantastic. She’s such a great person.

 

[Livin1989]

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Someone with a sub please?

 

[Keys]

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Here you go

It was a lean year on the AFLW draft front for Western Australia with just four prospects selected but a local star is in contention to be the coveted number one draft pick next year.
East Fremantle premiership star and Lou Knitter medallist Zippy Fish, Vic Country forward/mid Ash Centra and Queensland ruck/forward Havana Harris are the three most highly touted talents heading into 2024, with the trio set to jostle for the honour of being the first selected.

While it’s unclear what form the draft will take after a national pool was introduced this year, the early talk is that Fish is considering nominating nationally.

WAFC Female Talent Manager and Coaching Specialist Trent Cooper said that the midfielder is “definitely” in contention to be the first name read out this time next year.

“The general thought is that there’s three,” Cooper said. “Ash Centra is an unbelievably smooth mover with silky skills. She’s highly touted.

“Havana Harris is a strong, athletic, metres-gained player very much in the Brisbane mould.

“Everyone talks about Zippy Fish and what’s been pleasing is that her training standards have been elite. Her GPS numbers have been consistently in the top two or three in the metrics we’re looking for. We know she’s got the skillset and her work rate is backing that up.

“They’re the three that clubs are talking about so it’ll be interesting to see how the year unfolds.”

It’s shaping as a bumper draft crop for WA with South Fremantle’s Molly O’Hehir and Claremont’s Claudia Wright also included in the AFLW National Academy.

“Molly isn’t far behind her (Zippy) at all,” Cooper said. “She’s a raw talent. She’s just growing into her body but I think she’s going to be a really good athlete and footy player. She’s already an All-Australian but I think she can go to another level.

“Claudia had an interrupted year and we worked hard to get her up for the futures game which got her into the National Academy. She’s still been limited in her training but we think she can have a strong season.

“They’re the three standing out but there are others like Taya Chambers, Natasha Entwistle and Noa McNaughton. And every year, we hope for those players like Ella Slocombe or Reuben Ginbey who come from nowhere.”

Just four Western Australians were selected at this year’s AFLW draft, including mature age former Docker Matilda Sergeant. Kaitlyn Srhoj was the first sandgroper picked, heading to GWS at pick three. While Ella Slocombe (pick 26) and Georgie Cleaver (pick 39) also had their dreams realised, landing at North Melbourne and West Coast respectively.

Cooper admits he would’ve liked to have seen more local players given an opportunity.

“The three that we thought would go did go,” he said. “There were a few like (Mylee) Leitch and (Liliana) Grassenis that we thought clubs could look at to fill a particular need. (Anjelique) Raison was the one who I think was unlucky and could definitely force her way onto an AFLW list.

“To get Kaitlyn (Srhoj) at pick three was huge. Georgie (Cleaver) would’ve gone top 10 but obviously West Coast didn’t need to use a pick that high. Ella (Slocombe) slid to an unbelievable level. North Melbourne couldn’t believe they got her when they did and they think she can add a lot to their team straight away.

“Havana Harris is a strong, athletic, metres-gained player very much in the Brisbane mould.

“Everyone talks about Zippy Fish and what’s been pleasing is that her training standards have been elite. Her GPS numbers have been consistently in the top two or three in the metrics we’re looking for. We know she’s got the skillset and her work rate is backing that up.

“They’re the three that clubs are talking about so it’ll be interesting to see how the year unfolds.”

It’s shaping as a bumper draft crop for WA with South Fremantle’s Molly O’Hehir and Claremont’s Claudia Wright also included in the AFLW National Academy.

“Molly isn’t far behind her (Zippy) at all,” Cooper said. “She’s a raw talent. She’s just growing into her body but I think she’s going to be a really good athlete and footy player. She’s already an All-Australian but I think she can go to another level.

“Claudia had an interrupted year and we worked hard to get her up for the futures game which got her into the National Academy. She’s still been limited in her training but we think she can have a strong season.

“They’re the three standing out but there are others like Taya Chambers, Natasha Entwistle and Noa McNaughton. And every year, we hope for those players like Ella Slocombe or Reuben Ginbey who come from nowhere.”

Just four Western Australians were selected at this year’s AFLW draft, including mature age former Docker Matilda Sergeant. Kaitlyn Srhoj was the first sandgroper picked, heading to GWS at pick three. While Ella Slocombe (pick 26) and Georgie Cleaver (pick 39) also had their dreams realised, landing at North Melbourne and West Coast respectively.

Cooper admits he would’ve liked to have seen more local players given an opportunity.

“The three that we thought would go did go,” he said. “There were a few like (Mylee) Leitch and (Liliana) Grassenis that we thought clubs could look at to fill a particular need. (Anjelique) Raison was the one who I think was unlucky and could definitely force her way onto an AFLW list.

“To get Kaitlyn (Srhoj) at pick three was huge. Georgie (Cleaver) would’ve gone top 10 but obviously West Coast didn’t need to use a pick that high. Ella (Slocombe) slid to an unbelievable level. North Melbourne couldn’t believe they got her when they did and they think she can add a lot to their team straight away.

“Even though it was a national draft, the top 15 picks went all over place but then the bottom 40 picks, I think 75 per cent of them stayed in their home state. Clubs might still be a bit reluctant to pay the relocation fee for players who may be towards the bottom end of their draft lists.

“Some clubs also don’t have recruiting structures that were ready for a national draft which is not fault of their own, some of them being so new. But the engagement of some clubs with us was really good and other clubs, we were just giving information to them and we didn’t get any inquiries the other way.”

Cooper said that the lean draft haul wasn’t unexpected and that the WAFC has already started making changes to strengthen the female talent pathway moving forward, including conducting a full pre-season with state squad members before releasing them back to their clubs.

“We identified some of our shortcomings before the draft and they’re things we’ve already taken steps to improve,” Cooper said. “We’re not reacting to anything from the draft because nothing surprised us. We’ve been preemptive with what we’ve been doing.”

“The WAFC has also already spoken to interstate clubs about what can be done to give WA talents the best chance of being drafted in the future.

The athleticism and running power is definitely one,” Cooper said. “I think the slowest 2km time trial of anyone drafted was 9:03. That’s a big change from where it used to be.

“Performances in the National Championships are also really important for our girls. Recruiters are obviously watching a lot of Coates League and there might not be as many eyes on our competitions but the National Championships is the only time the girls can be compared.

“We only won one game at the National Championships so I think if we perform better in the carnival, we’ll get a lot more eyes on girls beyond the carnival which can translate into bigger draft numbers.”

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

Don’t think Hooker offers too much on field anymore and in that sense I would have retired her but can also see her value off field.

I’m sensing the wave of euphoria and positivity from squashface has me thinking you might now be the captain of the cheer squad

 

[AlphaSheep]

Good list of the huge depth coming in next year's draft. Listed from WA; Zippy Fish, Molly O'Hehir, Claudia Wright and Noa McNaughton. Missing but could have been included -- Taya Chambers (was coming off an ACL injury), Natasha Entwistle (is recently emerging, still under the radar) and Jorja Haines (did her collarbone early last season).

And there's a bunch of others who could do an Ella Slocombe and break out next year.

24 in 2024: AFLW Draft Prospects to Watch

Our annual 24 AFLW Draft prospects to watch for 2024 list is in, with a stacked list of talent for next year in what looms as a super draft.

central.rookieme.com

 

[Livin1989]

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Hosking twins have touched down in Perth.

 

[FKASC]

Listed from WA; Zippy Fish, Molly O'Hehir, Claudia Wright and Noa McNaughton.

Well we are one of the minnow sides, so makes sense that we draft her

 

[jatz14]

Well we are one of the minnow sides, so makes sense that we draft her

Would prefer a small that can get and use the ball rather than a tall who cannot.

On moto g(6) plus using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[FKASC]

Would prefer a small that can get and use the ball rather than a tall who cannot.

On moto g(6) plus using BigFooty.com mobile app

Was more a reference to her name than the way she plays! Minnow?

 

[jatz14]

Was more a reference to her name than the way she plays! Minnow?

Don't worry, I'm slow, but I get there eventually.

 

[Livin1989]

 

[Biggie]

 

[Livin1989]

 

[Livin1989]

The buzz is real. Still kinda pinching myself that we actually landed Daisy.... The genuine excitement is so evident in all the girls.

I really hope the AFL pulls it's finger out and gives the league more games, having a longer season will bridge the gap between the best and worst in the league more than any other factor (IMO). I don't expect to get to a point where all teams play each other once immediately but surely an extra 2 rounds per season til we reach parity with the Men's isn't unreasonable or unattainable

When we had "2" seasons in one year we saw huge changes in development in some of the younger girls on the list.