One of the best parts of a fresh AFLW season is the opportunity to see individual players take control in games, or break through for a career-best season.
Some will do so in their debut season, recently drafted or rookie listed, others in brand new colours, on return from injury, or in a new position.
Here is every club’s player to watch this year.
Adelaide: Chelsea Biddell
Chelsea Biddell has been vital at the back for the Crows, but she could be needed at both ends of the ground this season. (Getty Images: Mark Metcalfe)
Age – 26
Career games – 48
Initially selected as a key forward with pick 102 in the 2019 draft, Chelsea Biddell struggled to make her mark as part of a stacked Adelaide attack. A shift to defence worked wonders, resulting in back-to-back All-Australian selections over the last two years. This year, however, it is at forward that the Crows look a little thin, while down back the emergence of Zoe Prowse and fitness of Sarah Allan has solidified the line.
As a result, there is the potential for Biddell to spend time at both ends of the ground throughout the season, offering coach Matthew Clarke the ability to be unpredictable to the opposition each week.
Brisbane: Belle Dawes
Age – 23
Career games – 56
Carlton: Maddy Guerin
Age – 24
Career games – 21
Demon-turned-Blue Maddy Guerin has had an unfortunate run with injury to start her AFLW career. Two ACL injuries have prevented fans from seeing just how talented the midfielder is, but now she is strong and ready to attack the season head-on.
To ensure she was ready to go, Guerin opted to play some SANFLW footy early this year, before returning to Victoria to play a large portion of the VFLW season. What she showed in those games was a powerful impact on the midfield and forward lines akin to Greater Western Sydney’s Zarlie Goldsworthy, and may just be the hybrid player Carlton desperately needs this year.
Collingwood: Ruby Schleicher
Ruby Schleicher missed a lot of last season to injury, but the Magpies are set to benefit from her leadership this season. (Getty Images: AFL Photos/Dylan Burns)
Age – 26
Career games – 53
Two-time All-Australian Ruby Schleicher had shocking luck with injury last year, able to play just two of a possible 10 games.
All you need to know about the upcoming AFLW season
This year, however, she is primed to return to her best footy coming off Collingwood’s half back line.
Under new head coach Sam Wright, and with a new game plan, Schleicher’s commanding attacking run will be crucial to the side’s bounce back into finals.
But it is not only her prowess with the footy that is so important to the Pies.
The leadership Schleicher will offer as Collingwood looks to inject several new players across the field is invaluable.
Essendon: Emily Gough
Age – 18
Career games – 0
Pick number 20 from December’s draft, hailing from East Malvern, Emily Gough has been likened to a mix between Bonnie Toogood and Sophie Alexander. Gough is essentially a 180cm tall utility, who can be reliably used across all lines.
In attack, she is a sound pair of hands in the air and a neat set shot, and in defence, she can shut down opponents with similar attributes, meanwhile, when injected through the middle her physicality can match it with the likes of Charlie Rowbottom and Montana Ham.
Fremantle: Ebony Antonio
Fremantle will hope that a fit and firing Ebony Antonio can get back to her All-Australian best. (Getty Images: Janelle St Pierre)
Age – 32
Career games – 57
Another household name who has struggled through injury in recent years, Ebony Antonio is primed and ready to go in 2024. Knee surgery to fix a problem incurred in the 2022 (S7) preseason finally has Antonio fit and firing.
She is an underrated cog in the Fremantle machine, offering an important link between the midfield and forward line, while also able to hit the scoreboard herself. It is important to remember that in Antonio’s last fully fit season, she was named in the All-Australian squad, was Fremantle’s equal-leading goalkicker, and took out the Goal of the Year award.
Geelong: Jackie Parry
Age – 28
Career games – 46
Two-time Geelong leading goalkicker Chloe Scheer has been ruled out of the early part of the season with a toe injury, adding responsibility squarely on Jackie Parry’s shoulders. Coming off her best ever season which resulted in 16 goals and 21 contested marks, it is now Parry’s time to lead the forward line.
She is a reliable marking target inside 50 and has gone to work on her set shot routine, so can be the steady hand with Irish duo Aishling Moloney and Kate Kenny buzzing around her.
Gold Coast: Jamie Stanton
Jamie Stanton of the Suns in action during the 2023 AFLW Round 01 match between the Carlton Blues and the Gold Coast SUNS at Princes Park on September 02, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Getty Images: AFL Photos/Michael Willson)
Age – 28
Career games – 59
Jamie Stanton is an inaugural AFLW player at her third club, but she has undoubtedly made the biggest mark on Gold Coast. This year will be her second playing as a pure small forward, and, as a highly intelligent, skilful player she is the ideal small to sit at the feet of Jac Dupuy and Tara Bohanna.
Stanton proved last year just how dangerous she can be in the role, kicking six goals in round two against the Eagles, and it’s not unreasonable to expect another bag or two out of her this year.
Greater Western Sydney: Eilish O’Dowd
Age – 26
Career games – 0
A super athletic, 180cm tall ruck, Irishwoman Eilish O’Dowd will put her hand up as one of the recruits of the season this year.
Hawthorn: Hayley McLaughlin
Age – 18
Career games – 0
Hayley McLaughlin was one of Hawthorn’s three priority signings ahead of last year’s draft – a concession afforded to the four most recent expansion sides. She is a wing/forward option who looks seriously dangerous close to goal, while also offering some serious forward pressure.
She will set the standard for defensive efforts inside 50, which will allow Hawthorn to play a much-desired front half game. On top of it all, she is an elite kick on both feet.
Melbourne: Grace Beasley
Grace Beasley’s strength in the middle will be a solid addition to the Demons’ midfield. (Getty Images: AFL Photos/Josh Chadwick)
Age – 24
Career games – 0
As part of plenty of change over the offseason for Melbourne, the addition of Grace Beasley to the midfield group is certainly one of their best moves. Beasley played junior footy at East Malvern before spending some time playing basketball at Arizona State University in the USA.
North Melbourne: Taylah Gatt
Age – 20
Career games – 26
As a winger, Taylah Gatt is a really important part of North Melbourne’s system – one that made it all the way to the Grand Final last year. She played every game in the club’s 2023 campaign, averaging 11 disposals and 3.9 tackles in the process.
Gatt gained a stack of confidence that season, and comes into 2024 as one of the best, albeit underrated young players in the AFLW. She is highly disciplined and skilful, beautifully balancing out the Roos’ contested ball winners with her positioning and outside run.
Port Adelaide: Shineah Goody
Age – 18
Career games – 0
Another of the off-season’s priority signings, Shineah Goody might just be the best of them all. At just 18 years old, she is mature beyond her years, and adds a sense of calm and composure on the footy field.
Goody is highly skilled, highly disciplined, and highly versatile. She can be injected across any line, but expect to see her largely through the midfield and across the half back line for the Power this year. After starring against Melbourne in last week’s practice match, Goody will no doubt have a significant impact on Port Adelaide’s fortunes this year.
Richmond: Ellie McKenzie
Age – 21
Career games – 27
As a former number one draft pick, a lot of pressure sits on Ellie McKenzie’s shoulders, and the only thing that has held her back across her AFLW season to date has been injury. Last season she played just one game before a fractured fibula struck her down and kept her on the sidelines for the remainder of the year.
Now, she is ready to go, and she is so valuable to the balance of Richmond’s midfield. McKenzie will slot right in alongside reigning AFLW best and fairest winner Monique Conti and will be sure to put her high marking ability and run and carry on show.
St Kilda: Jesse Wardlaw
Age – 24
Career games – 59
Jesse Wardlaw is a former All-Australian and premiership forward, but last year was needed through the ruck for new club St Kilda. Now, with the recruitment of two rucks in Rene Caris and Emmelie Fiedler, Wardlaw can once again make the forward line her home.
Preseason form has her looking ominous sitting inside 50, with five goals against West Coast in their official practice match. If the Saints can generate enough opportunity for Wardlaw, she has the potential to leap back into All-Australian calculations.
Sydney: Montana Ham
The Swans will hope to use Montana Ham’s physical presence in attack and going through the middle in the new season. (Getty Images: AFL Photos/Matt King)
Age – 20
Career games – 16
Coming into her third season of AFLW, this is the most settled, and fittest that former number one draft pick Montana Ham has been. In 2022 Ham was travelling between Melbourne and Sydney while completing her VCE studies, and last year had to contend with a growth-related injury.
The bonus of that was officially reaching 180cm tall, and she is now physically imposing and ready to be an important presence both up forward and through the midfield for Sydney.
West Coast: Jess Rentsch
Age – 18
Career games – 0
West Coast has already confirmed that last year’s number two draft pick Jess Rentsch will make her debut in round one after an impressive first preseason. She is well known for being a barometer in her junior clubs, and has the potential to bring that energy up to AFLW level.
Rentsch is a reliable half back option who can neatly intercept the ball and defend an opponent, but also offer her strong running capacity on the rebound to begin attacking launches.
Western Bulldogs: Jess Fitzgerald
Age – 22
Career games – 40
The number two selection from the 2020 draft, Jess Fitzgerald seemed to plateau in form in recent years. Known as a midfielder, she was struggling to have consistent impact alongside the likes of Ellie Blackburn and Isabelle Pritchard.
