The 2023 AFLW season begins on September 1 and – with all 18 AFL clubs with a women’s side for just the second time – there’s plenty of fresh talent ready to make their mark.
Reigning premiers Melbourne will enter the season with an unchanged list, aside from retired skipper Daisy Pearce, while other sides like St Kilda have endured a big shake-up in the off-season.
Speaking to 7NEWS.com.au on Monday, Hawthorn captain Tilly Lucas-Rodd provided insight into who has impressed ahead of the side’s second ever AFLW season.
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“There’s been two big improvers for me – one being Bridie Hipwell,” Lucas-Rodd said.
“Coming from last year, she almost looks like a different athlete, she’s put on a bit of size, and she’s a taller girl, you don’t realise, but she’s matured into her body quite well.
“Up in Cairns in the praccies, she kicked six or seven goals, so she was electric up there and everyone else was fumbling the ball because of the heat and humidity, and she was just like sticky mitts.
“We say she’s the nicest forward in the comp, so we’re trying to get a bit of that grunt out of her … Bec (head coach Bec Goddard) made her do some weird thing where she read mean comments, it was real bizarre.”
The skipper says another young player that’s impressed is second-year player Charlotte Baskaran.
“She’s been really exciting to watch, and she’s learnt what her strengths are and how to use those at AFLW level,” Lucas-Rodd said.
“I think that was a big thing for her coming from NAB League, you’re the best player in NAB League but how do you transition that to AFLW? And I think she’s starting to see now where her strengths can be used.”
St Kilda captain Hannah Priest is looking forward to seeing what is hopefully a triumphant return from midfielder Tyanna Smith who has relentlessly worked to overcome an ACL injury.
“She’s missed out on two seasons, so she’s had plenty of time to rehab appropriately and then to be fit and fine and complete a whole pre-season,” Priest said.
“Working with her in the midfield has been so exciting. She’s young, she’s fit, and she’s just really excited to play some consistent football.
“Although she was a part of the team, she was itching to get out there – she was nearly ready to go at the end of last season, so she’s waited a long time, and I’d really like to see her have one of the best seasons.”
Melbourne captain Kate Hore was full of positivity about the opportunities being extended to young players at the Demons, particularly in collaborating with the men’s program.
“We want to look at it as one club, two teams. It’s actually been really good for us, we’ve spent a lot of time out at Casey this pre-season because we haven’t been able to use AAMI Park due to the Women’s World Cup, so we’ve had a lot more crossover with our men’s program than probably ever before,” Hore said.
“I think it’s just nice to have that authentic connection with the guys and for our leadership groups to be able to meet and chat about different learnings because it’s men’s and women’s sport, but the challenges are exactly the same.
“It’s the little things, I saw in the gym a couple of days ago, Tahlia Gillard learning off Stephen May, how cool is that?
“A 19-year-old developing key defender talking to one of the best defenders in the game and being able to learn off him, that was pretty cool.”
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