Benjy’s Rookie Radar – AFLW Preseason

Picking the best rookies is the key to a successful fantasy season.

These are the players that make the most cash, and score the most points per dollar.

There are more than 260 rookie-priced players in AFLW Season 7 thanks to four new expansion teams, i.e. players priced at Pick 1 Montana Ham’s $50,300 or less.

If you’re unsure where to start, check out Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Sydney because they’ve got the easiest draws and the most opportunities.

It’s impossible to rank them all before we finally get stats in Round 1, so here are my thoughts on the rookies with the highest ownership.

I also recommend checking out Free Kick’s analysis of each line for The Dub.

Defenders

🍐 Sarah Goodwin ($43,100) 🤷‍♀️

Goodwin was drafted with Port Adelaide’s second pick and has ample experience in the SANFLW.

She only averaged 68.2 in the SANFLW and 73.7 in the U18 Champs but played on the wing in the preseason game and could be a handy scorer.

She’s a solid pick and easy to downgrade after Round 1 but if you’re strapped for cash I’d look at one of the basement options.

🍐 Ange Foley ($50,000) 🙅‍♀️

This is a lot to pay for someone who’ll be locked in defence.

Foley looked good rebounding attacks in the preseason game but only averaged 40 in the AFLW in 2021.

I’d save my money and look elsewhere.

🦢 Bridie Kennedy ($28,700) 🙋‍♀️

AFLW experience – tick.

Centre bounces in the preseason game – tick.

Basement price – tick.

🦢 Molly Eastman ($28,700) 🤷‍♀️

The ball will be spending a lot of time in Sydney’s back 50 and Eastman averaged 64.1 in the VFLW last season.

She also took some kick-ins in the preseason, which could mean a handy +6 or +9 every game.

Eastman is a solid pick but should be D6 at best.

✈ Amber Clarke ($46,700) 🤷‍♀️

Clarke was drafted with Essendon’s first pick and averaged 58 in the U18 Champs and 75.4 in the NAB League.

She attended a few centre bounces and kicked a goal in the preseason game but mostly played off half forward.

Clarke will be a future superstar but I’m dubious about spending so much on a forward in an expansion team.

Midfielders

🦢 Montana Ham ($50,300) 🙋‍♀️

Ham is expensive because she was Pick 1 in the draft but is worth every penny.

She averaged 96.7 in the U18 Champs and 94.9 in the NAB League and looked brilliant at centre bounces in the preseason game.

Ham’s a lock – the only question is M4 or M5?

😇 Hannah Stuart ($28,700) 🙋‍♀️

Stuart averaged 90.2 in the VFLW last season and attended some centre bounces in the preseason game.

She tackled, used the ball well, and should feature in St Kilda’s midfield this season.

There are a few MID options at this basement price but Stuart should be strongly considered.

🦉 Jasmine Fleming ($49,100) 🤷‍♀️

On paper Fleming should be a lock at M5.

A midfielder who can win the ball inside and outside, an expansion team’s first pick in the draft, and an average of 85.5 in the U18 Champs and 98.7 in the NAB League.

The only flag is that she’s almost as expensive as Ham and didn’t accumulate many possessions in the preseason game.

🦢 Paige Sheppard ($28,700) 🙅‍♀️

Sheppard didn’t play in the preseason game so it’s a no from me.

She averaged 93.7 in the VLFW last season but I prefer her as a downgrade target during the season after we see what her role’s like.

🦢 Sofia Hurley ($45,500) 🙅‍♀️

Hurley was Sydney’s second pick at the draft and had monster junior numbers – 92 in the U18 Champs and 112.3 in the NAB League.

She only attended a few centre bounces in the preseason game, however, which means she’s too expensive to start.

Rucks

🦉 Lucy Wales ($28,700) 🤷‍♀️

Wales was drafted with Pick 22 and averaged 73.6 in the VFLW last season.

She split the ruck duties in the preseason game and is R2 at best.

🟠 Fleur Davies ($28,700) 🙋‍♀️

Davies was drafted with Pick 64 and averaged 58 in the U18 Champs.

She was the sole ruck in the preseason game and has strong job security thanks to the lack of rucks at GWS.

Davies’ scoring ability won’t be big but she could be a solid R2.

🦉 Tamara Luke ($29,700) 🙋‍♀️

Luke has AFLW experience and captained Hawthorn’s VFLW last season.

She mostly played up forward in the preseason game and provided support in the ruck.

Luke could be an R1 option, however, thanks to her contested marking ability and the fact she pushes up the ground for possessions.

✈ Jorja Borg ($28,700) 🙅‍♀️

Borg won’t play this season due to a foot injury.

She’s been moved to the inactive list.

🍐 Elizabeth McGrath ($28,700) 🤷‍♀️

McGrath wasn’t the sole ruck in the preseason game and didn’t gather many possessions around the ground.

I prefer the other options but picking her as R2 is fine.

Forwards

🦅 Ella Roberts ($34,700) 🙋‍♀️

Roberts is a future star of the competition and was drafted with WA’s first pick.

She averaged 99.3 in the U18 Champs and 80.5 in the WAFLW.

Roberts played forward for most of the preseason game but she’s so cheap for a player who rivalled Ham in her draft class.

🍐 Hannah Ewings ($47,900) 🤷‍♀️

I almost could’ve copied and pasted my analysis of Goodwin above because Ewings was drafted with Port Adelaide’s first pick and has experience in the SANFLW.

She has better numbers than Goodwin and averaged 84.9 in the SANFLW and 90.7 in the U18 Champs.

But it’s a lot of money for Ewings when she was stuck out on a wing in the preseason game and didn’t win heaps of the ball.

🦢 Aimee Whelan ($28,700) 🙋‍♀️

Whelan only averaged 75.8 in the VFLW last season but attended the bulk of centre bounces in the preseason game.

A basement-priced player with FWD status who attends CBAs is a lock.

🦉 Tegan Cunningham ($46,700) 🙅‍♀️

Cunningham was the main ruck in the preseason game but comes in with a hefty price tag.

She averaged 39.8 in the AFLW in 2021 and I’d look elsewhere.

✈ Paige Scott ($41,900) 🙋‍♀️

Scott was Essendon’s second pick at the draft and averaged 41.7 in the U18 Champs and 68 in the NAB League.

But although she played as a forward as a junior, she attended centre bounces in the preseason game and also played on the wing.

Scott won a lot of possessions and I’d squeeze her in if you can find the cash.

For more content:

• Give Benjy a follow on Twitter at @benjylat
• Listen to AFLW Fantasy Pod and Free Kick for advice
• Check out DFS Australia and The Dub for stats