Zipporah Fish in action during the Marsh U18 Girls AFL National Development Championships match between Western Australia and South Australia at Thebarton Oval on August 24, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

Draft Diaries is back, this year following Vic Metro's Sophie McKay and Western Australia's Zippy Fish in their final season of junior footy. Both are eligible for the Telstra AFLW Draft at the end of the year, ahead of the 2025 season, with McKay a potential father-daughter signing at Carlton.

This is the third check-in with Fish, with one to come from draft night itself. Catch up on part one here, and part two here.

ZIPPY Fish has finished playing football for the year, and for now, it's a waiting game ahead of the Telstra AFLW Draft in December.

East Fremantle finished runners-up in the WAFLW behind Claremont, while it was a tough under-18s national carnival for Western Australia, finishing winless from its three matches.

"The last time we checked in – which was in the middle of the year – we ended off our WAFLW season, bit unlucky, we lost by a goal there in the Grand Final," Fish said.

"We ended that off and then went into the national champs. We didn't do too good this year, but yeah, we definitely had a lot of fun with a new bunch of girls.

"We played three games this year (against Queensland, Vic Country and South Australia), they were really good.

"The intensity definitely lifts in the under-18 champs because everyone's at a higher level than Coates League or WAFLW or SANFLW, we're all there to get better and challenge each other."

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Draft Diaries: ‘Not too fussed’: Zippy Fish unfazed by Draft pressure

Draft prospect Zippy Fish discusses attending the National Combine ahead of the Draft later in the year

At just 18, Fish came second in the WAFLW best and fairest, one vote behind Jayme Harken, who was subsequently added to West Coast's list as an injury replacement player.

Fellow draft prospects Lily Paterson and Molly O'Hehir also finished in the top four. 

"My footy goals at the start of the year were probably just to show what I could do on the footy field, but nothing too major was set," Fish said.

"So, to come out with a best and fairest (with East Fremantle) and to come second in the overall one was pretty cool."

After the conclusion of her football seasons, Fish turned her eyes to the AFLW Combine.

Given her athletic traits are a major part of her game, Fish was expected to perform well, particularly in the agility and speed tests.

Speaking just before the physical testing in the Combine – which gives the clubs some last-minute data which may help when creating their draft orders – Fish said she had given her body a few weeks' rest before ramping up her training again. 

It worked – she finished first in agility, second in the 20m sprint, fifth in the 2km time trial, equal-fifth in the running vertical jump, and sixth in the standing vertical jump, despite standing at just 160cm.

Zippy Fish during the AFLW National Draft Combine at Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 4, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

"We finished playing footy on the 24th of August, that was our last champs game. Then I kind of just had a break for about two weeks, I hadn't really had a break in two years, I was all 'footy-ed' out," Fish said.

"I then started running again (ahead of the Combine), mainly just some long runs and a bit of fartlek [a blend of endurance and speed training] stuff to keep the fitness and endurance up for the 2km and all the testing.

"[The Combine] is definitely a bit nerve-racking, knowing you've got to show what you can do to the clubs, and they're all watching. But I'm also here to see the girls one more time before the end of the year and draft time, just making every moment last."