Influx of AFLW talent set to make WAFLW 2025 season the strongest yet

The WAFLW has had an influx of AFLW-calibre talent for this season, and the eyes of every list manager in the country are fixed on the competition this season. The State’s top women’s league kicks off this weekend and has welcomed a fleet of former AFLW players. Former Sydney player Lisa Steane and ex-Bulldog Bailey Hunt are on a list of 13 former players lining up for WA clubs. And Fremantle have also pledged to use the competition to get match practice into some of their fringe players, which could include their fresh draftees, this season. Women’s State leagues across the country are set for their most important season yet. The AFLW’s new national draft means clubs can pick players from other States, increasing eyeballs on each league, including the WAFLW. Claremont premiership coach Jack Schwarze told The West Australian interest in his players from interstate recruiters has grown significantly this season. “I’ve just seen the growth in managers and list recruiters from the AFL clubs over east, a few years ago I’d have maybe one call me, and now I’m having emails asking for vision and multiple calls me asking me about players,” he said. “So there’s a lot more eyes on it, which is awesome because we’ve got so much talent that they need to be watching.” Fremantle coach Lisa Webb is keen to get use the competition to develop some of her young players and will be pushing to have them play as part of their development. “We’ve got a fantastic cross-coder in Tilly Banfield, someone like her who gets to come into a WAFLW system with someone like Lisa Stanley who has come from Sydney, it’s going to be a really good example of what she can do,” she said. “WAFLW is only getting stronger and stronger and we’re really keen to get some of our young players out there into different teams and see what they can do.” Webb sees the competition as an important pathway for players who are hoping to take the leap to AFLW and said the club would be keeping a close eye on games across the season. “From a club perspective we will have coaches and people within our program and recruiters at games seeing the development,” she said. The Eagles say they are taking a different approach and will not be exposing their listed players to the State league. But West Coast coach Daisy Pearce said players that have previously spent time playing at the top level will be a significant boost to the competition. “These players have so many great attributes, not just because of what they can do on the field but from a leadership perspective and supporting from a coaching and cultural point of view as well,” she said. “It helps to make the competition better when players do go back and play and many of them are still really hungry for another opportunity, as they should be, because they’ve got a lot of talent and attributes that hopefully will get them back on an AFLW list “We’re going to rely on internal training, not because we don’t see value in them playing WAFLW, but we’ve just brought over a brand new head of high performance, Sam Batterton, who’s come across from over east.” Perth will play their first senior women’s game in club history on Saturday against Peel Thunder in Mandurah. Every game is available to watch on Streamer.