TOP DRAFT hopefuls Isabel Huntington, Monique Conti and Chloe Molloy headline a list of 47 players invited to the first NAB AFL Women's Draft Combine.
The combine will be held at Etihad Stadium on October 3-4, ahead of the NAB AFLW Draft on October 18.
Huntington, who kicked five goals for Vic Metro in the final of last year's youth girls' national championships, is coming off knee reconstruction surgery some 12 months ago.
Conti has been combining football with top-level basketball, having represented Australia at the under-17 world championships.
The 19-year-old Molloy, who plays for Diamond Creek, was the equal-leading goalkicker in the VFL Women's competition.
Invitees have not been restricted by age, with 16 above the age of 18.
Most notably, Sophie Abbatangelo, a former ice-hockey player, has been invited to the combine at the age of 27 after just one season as a small forward for Diamond Creek in the VFLW.
Renee Cowan is another who has switched sports, crossing from soccer to play as a medium-sized defender for premiership side Yeronga South Brisbane in the QWAFL. She will turn 28 just before the draft.
Another to look out for is Northern Territory bolter Jasmyn Hewett, who starred in her first NTFL season for St Mary's (held during the summer months of 2016-17).
The 24-year-old is an athletic ruck who is more than capable of holding her own in the forward line. Hewett can comfortably kick goals from 50 metres, a rare feat in the women's game.
Players have to nominate a particular state to be drafted to, meaning their state of origin can be a good indication of what team a player will line up for. Players can be drafted outside their home state, but only if they choose to.
With four AFLW teams, Victoria has the most representatives in the combine with 21 players. Comparatively, Queensland, with just the one AFLW side, has the second-highest total (seven players).
Four Tasmanians who were invited to the combine – Daria Bannister, Loveth Ochayi, Georgia Hill and Courtney Webb – will be forced to nominate outside of their home state, as Tasmania does not have a side.
Two players who were on AFLW lists this year as injury replacement signings, Tahni Nestor (Carlton) and Georgia Walker (Collingwood), will also be at the combine. They were not offered AFLW contracts for 2018, and are able be drafted by other sides.
Players were nominated for the combine by AFLW clubs and state bodies.
Invited players:
NEW SOUTH WALES
Chloe Arndt, East Coast Eagles
Ellie Dalgarno-Fixter, Riverina Lions
Nicky Steel, Mosman Swans
Haneen Zreika, Auburn Giants
QUEENSLAND
Ruby Blair, Coolangatta
Arianna Clarke, Coolangatta
Kalinda Howarth, Coolangatta
Emma Pittman, University of Queensland
Gabby Collingwood, University of Queensland
Jessica Henning, University of Queensland
Renee Cowan, Yeronga South Brisbane
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Brianna Walling, Morphettville Park/Glenelg
Eloise Jones, Morphettville Park/Glenelg
Jessica Allan, Salisbury/Glenelg
Ruth Wallace, Adelaide Uni/Norwood
Kate Bartlett, Peel Thunderbirds
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Calista Boyd, Wanderers
Jasmyn Hewett, St Mary's
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Sonia Dorizzi, South Fremantle
Tayla McAuliffe, Swan Districts
Rachel Ashley, Perth Angels
Ashton Hill, West Perth
VICTORIA
Georgia Walker, Seaford
Jenna Bruton, St Kilda Sharks
Maddy Guerin, Fitzroy JFC/Northern Knights
Olivia Flanagan, Box Hill/Eastern Ranges
Olivia Vesely, Glen Iris/Sandringham Dragons
Sophie Abbatangelo, Diamond Creek
Ashleigh Riddell, Diamond Creek
Tiahna Cochrane, Bendigo Thunder
Sophie Alexander, Eastern Devils
Tahni Nestor, Eastern Devils
Reni Hicks, Diamond Creek
Iilish Ross, Wodonga/Murray Bushrangers
Monique Conti, Melbourne Uni/Calder Cannons
Georgia Gee, Beaconsfield/Dandenong Stingrays
Georgia Gourlay, Cranbourne/Dandenong Stingrays
Darcy Guttridge, Cranbourne/Gippsland Power
Isabel Huntington, Melbourne Uni/Sandringham Dragons
Bridie Kennedy, Cranbourne/Dandenong Stingrays
Chloe Molloy, Diamond Creek/Calder Cannons
Eden Zanker, Woorineen/Bendigo Pioneers
Georgia Ricardo, St Bede's Mentone/Sandringham Dragons
TASMANIA
Daria Bannister, Launceston
Loveth Ochayi, Launceston
Georgia Hill, Launceston
Courtney Webb, Kingborough Tigers
The first round of the NAB AFLW Draft is as follows:
1. Western Bulldogs
2. Fremantle
3. Collingwood
4. Western Bulldogs
5. Greater Western Sydney
6. Melbourne
7. Brisbane Lions
8. Adelaide Crows
