EVERY year there is speculation over which young talent will be taken at the top end of the draft as exciting young names follow in the footsteps of former No.1 picks such as Ellie McKenzie, Montana Ham, and Charlie Rowbottom.
But clubs often strike gold deeper down the draft.
Looking back at past drafts, we've plucked out your club's best bang-for-buck draft selection. Maybe they're a late selection who has bloomed into an All-Australian talent, or is an exciting prospect who somehow slipped down the order.
The AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft will be livestreamed on womens.afl and the AFL Women's App on Tuesday, April 4.
Chelsea Biddell, pick No.102 in 2019 (No.8 in South Australia)
Drafted as a key forward back in 2019, Chelsea Biddell played every game up forward in her debut season before falling back in the ranks and fighting for a place in the team. After 10 games in two seasons, Biddell identified a gap down back that had emerged at the Crows and reinvented herself as an intercepting key defender to much success.
A crucial part of Adelaide's premiership backline in season six, Biddell played every game in 2022, leading the side for intercepts in season seven and ultimately named All-Australian to close out the year.
Kate Lutkins, pick No.79 in 2016 (No.10 in Queensland)
Synonymous with Brisbane's long-term success, Kate Lutkins had to wait until pick No.79 in the inaugural draft to join the Lions. Playing every possible game until unfortunately rupturing her ACL in round one of season six, Lutkins was an ever-present, composed leader of a strong and stable backline. Across her seven seasons she has been named All-Australian three times and took out Brisbane's best and fairest count in 2018.
Winning the Best on Ground medal for her impressive performance in Brisbane's maiden Grand Final win in 2021, she regularly steps up on the biggest of stages. Lutkins still holds the AFLW record for most intercepts in a game, with 22 in the Lions' 2018 Grand Final loss, and has also recorded the equal-second most with 17 in a home and away game that same year.
Vaomua Laloifi, pick No.52 in 2019 (No.29 in Victoria)
A strong VFLW performer for both Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs, Mua Laloifi was projected to go in the top 20 ahead of the 2019 draft. Sliding to pick No.52, much to Carlton's gain, Laloifi has been a reliable intercepting presence in the club's most stable line.
Laloifi averages 6.8 intercepts across her career, peaking at 7.4 in season seven, thanks to her ability to read the play up the field and agility. Meanwhile, her courage often results in desperate goal-saving moments where she is known to physically come off second best. But her competitive nature means that impacting the play is more important than any pain she might feel.
Ruby Schleicher, pick No.137 in 2016 (No.70 in Victoria)
A teenager plucked out of Western Australia, Ruby Schleicher had a slow, sputtering start to her AFLW career, punctuated by an injury-plagued 2020 season, but once she found her feet the whole industry took notice. Her on-field development was mirrored off-field, named as a co-vice-captain at Collingwood last season thanks to her impact around the club.
Showing off her power and intelligence as a rebounding defender, Schleicher earned back-to-back All-Australian honours in seasons five and six and led the competition for intercepts in 2021.
Steph Wales, pick No.32 in 2022 (No.17 in Victoria)
Alongside twin Lucy, Steph Wales was overlooked for the Under-18 pathway programs, including national carnival games, so instead plied her trade at local club Oakleigh Dragons before having a crack in the VFLW with the Casey Demons.
Often rucks take longer to develop than most other players, but Wales hit the ground running, playing every game as the Bombers' number one ruck, averaging 13.3 hitouts and three clearances, while also bagging three goals in a strong round three performance against West Coast.
FROM 2017 TO NOW Where are your club’s inaugural players?
Emma O'Driscoll, pick No.51 in 2019 (No.6 in Western Australia)
Fremantle's fourth selection in the 2019 draft, taken after Mim Strom, Roxy Roux and Ann McMahon, Emma O'Driscoll has cemented herself as the future of the Dockers' backline.
Competitive and tough in defensive one-on-ones, O'Driscoll also plays with a really attacking intent coming out of the back half. With persistent injuries preventing Janelle Cuthbertson from consistently taking to the field, O'Driscoll has really taken on a leadership role in that backline alongside vice-captain Ange Stannett, while also regularly tasked with the most dangerous key forward the opposition offers.
Amy McDonald, pick No.80 in 2019 (No.46 in Victoria*)
Stunning the competition with a breakthrough 2021 season, Amy McDonald is an unlikely contested beast who forms the engine room of Geelong's midfield. As a result, she took out the Cats' last three Best and Fairest awards and was named All-Australian in season seven.
McDonald averaged 24.8 disposals last season to lead the competition, while also sitting atop the AFLW for average contested possessions (15.1) and second for clearances (6.8). Working well with fellow All-Australian Georgie Prespakis, the strength of Geelong's midfield has largely been built off the back of McDonald's development.
*There were three Victorian pools in 2018 and 2019 drafts, Victoria-wide, Metro and Country. Geelong was the only team with access to those who nominated Country, but for the sake of clarity, we are classifying all Victorian draftees in one pool.
Daisy D'Arcy, pick No.60 in 2020 (No.9 in Queensland)
Excelling at rugby, soccer and footy growing up, Daisy D'Arcy's choice to pursue the latter was rewarded at the 2020 draft, where she was taken with the second-last selection of the night.
After making her debut in round one, 2021, D'Arcy has played every game since, largely as a small defender offering some dash and rebound out of the back half, while maintaining a strong defensive presence. Thanks to her steady development and consistent opportunity, D'Arcy earned a Rising Star nomination in round two last season, and finished third in Gold Coast's Best and Fairest count that season.
Georgia Garnett, pick No.90 in 2019 (No.6 in New South Wales)
As the Giants' sixth pick of nine in the 2019 draft, it has taken some time to Georgia Garnett to really break out, but a shift to the forward line in season seven showed just how much of a steal she really was.
Garnett averaged 6.4 marks per game throughout season seven, the most across the competition for the season and second most in AFLW history, offering a new target in attack to spread the load. She kicked six goals for the season and ultimately finished second in the club's Best and Fairest, behind Alyce Parker.
Lucy Wales, pick No.22 in 2022 (No.11 in Victoria)
Treading the same pathway to AFLW as twin sister Steph, Lucy Wales was drafted out of the Casey Demons and immediately stepped into the number one ruck role at Hawthorn, excelling over the course of the season.
Wales earned a rising star nomination in round seven for her 17-hitout, 10-disposal performance in the rain as the Hawks beat Port Adelaide. Able to impact not just in the air, averaging 16.8 hitouts and 1.4 marks, but also on the ground, averaging 4.4 tackles and 2.4 clearances.
Shelley Heath, pick No.44 in 2018 (No.31 in Victoria)
Melbourne's final selection in the 2019 draft, small defender Shelley Heath joined the club after Tyla Hanks, Maddy Brancatisano and Jordann Hickey. Heath was tested out in some different positions early in her career, including up on the wing, but her combination of competitiveness, strength and speed made her the ideal lockdown defender, a position in which she has thrived.
Named in the All-Australian squad in season six, and a premiership player in season seven, Heath offers the Demons flexibility within games, able to move into the midfield and nullify dangerous opponents when necessary, while also able to play an outside running role if needed.
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Jasmine Ferguson, pick No.51 in 2021 (No.30 in Victoria)
Just two seasons in, Jasmine Ferguson's addition to North Melbourne has solidified the structure of the side's backline, most likely for the long term.
As a key defender who is often responsible for nullifying a direct opponent, Ferguson offers security for the Roos' host of rebounding defenders, regularly protecting the last line with Sarah Wright. In season seven Ferguson averaged 4.1 intercepts and 3.4 one percenters, while over the course of 2022 she used the ball at an average 72.9 per cent efficiency.
Amelie Borg, pick No.61 in 2022 (No.7 in South Australia)
Port Adelaide's second last selection at its inaugural draft was key defender Amelie Borg, the seventh pick within the South Australian talent pool. Good friends with the club's first pick, Hannah Ewings, Borg had a quieter but similarly important role in the Power's first campaign.
Averaging 3.3 intercepts, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 one percenters, the teenager served as the side's sole tall defender which meant she was regularly battling against more experienced forwards with cleaner delivery, but fought well no matter what he was facing.
Eilish Sheerin, pick No.58 in 2022 (No.33 in Victoria)
Former Greater Western Sydney train-on player Eilish Sheerin hit the AFLW with a bang in season seven, named All-Australian and kickstarting a rebounding Richmond defensive style.
Sheerin set a new AFLW record for most intercepts on debut when she registered 17 against Geelong and sat fourth in the competition for average metres gained last season with 368.3 per game. As Richmond's second-last pick in the draft, her immediate impact was crucial to Richmond's push toward its maiden finals series, which saw her finish second in the club's Best and Fairest count, behind Monique Conti.
Hannah Stuart, pick No.63 in 2022 (No.36 in Victoria)
Graduating from St Kilda's VFLW affiliate side the Southern Saints, Hannah Stuart earned her AFLW debut in round one and played every game of the season.
Stuart was a consistent contributor for the Saints all season, averaging 12.8 disposals, 4.3 tackles and 2.2 clearances playing largely through the middle, with her breakout performance coming in a heartbreaking loss to Collingwood in round six. Winning 25 disposals, laying five tackles and kicking two goals in the near-upset, Stuart was rewarded with the maximum 10 coaches votes.
Cynthia Hamilton, pick No.11 in 2022 (No.3 in New South Wales)
Cynthia Hamilton was selected with Sydney's third selection in its inaugural season.
The top choice talent within the NSW talent pool, Hamilton's aggression at the contest and skill with the ball was evident in her debut season. Although showing strength through the midfield thanks to her willingness to apply a hard tackle, her impact when playing in the forward half certainly stole the show. Clean, smart and ready to take responsibility in front of goal, Hamilton's impact was highly regarded internally, taking out Sydney's first Best and Fairest count.
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Sarah Lakay, pick No.40 in 2021 (No.7 in Western Australia)
The Eagles' second-last selection in the 2021 draft has proven to be a masterstroke, particularly with the hindsight of ruck Parris Laurie's sudden retirement ahead of season seven.
Lakay really emerged last season, playing all 10 games and finding a balance between competing strongly in the ruck and impacting around the ground. This saw her average 24.9 hitouts, 4.1 tackles and 2.4 one percenters throughout the season. She also earned a Rising Star nomination in round five for her 42 hitouts, the second-most in competition history.
Kirsty Lamb, pick No.138 in 2016 (No. 71 in Victoria)
The poster child of late draft selections emerging as bargains once at the top level, Kirsty Lamb was the Bulldogs' second-last pick in their inaugural list build, but has since become a genuine heart and soul player at the club.
A premiership player, All-Australian and club Best and Fairest winner, Lamb is part of a formidable midfield duo alongside Ellie Blackburn, offering a one-two punch. She offers strength and resilience, while also having a knack of marking anything that comes her way, making her a handy linking player down the ground.
