Jade McLay in action at the 2025 Telstra AFLW Draft Combine, and Scarlett Johnson. Images: Asanka Ratnayake & Graham Denholm
AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan has revealed his top 30 prospects for the 2025 Telstra AFLW Draft, including 10 girls from Victoria.
The 2025 Telstra AFLW Draft will be held at Marvel Stadium on Monday, December 15. The Draft will be broadcast live nationally on Fox Footy and Kayo from 7:00pm AEDT.
Sheehan’s top 30 prospects features players who are in their Draft year (born in 2007). The list does not include players who have previously been listed by an AFLW club or those who graduated from Talent Pathways programs prior to the 2025 season.
Players are listed in alphabetical order and not ranked.
Please click here to view the current order for the 2025 Telstra AFLW Draft.
Below are the 10 Victorians named in Kevin Sheehan's Top 30, please click here for the full list.
Jordyn Allen
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Eastern Ranges
Community Club: Heathmont
Date of Birth: 12/11/2007
Height: 165cm
Weapons: Taking the game on and penetrating kicking
AFLW player comparison: Madison Newman (Adelaide Crows)
Player ranking points (U18 National Champs): 82 points per game
A defender who was a prominent and consistent player in the Eastern Ranges’ Coates Talent League premiership team this year. Allen averaged 18.5 disposals and 3.4 tackles per game to earn Team of the Year, with her run and carry and kicking features of her game. Played all four matches for Victoria Metro at the National Championships, averaging 15.8 disposals, as well as representing the AFL Marsh National Academy in representative fixtures earlier in the year.
Chloe Baker-West
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Calder Cannons
Community Club: Strathmore
Date of Birth: 02/02/2007
Height: 163cm
Weapons: Stoppage work and footy IQ
AFLW player comparison: Shineah Goody (Port Adelaide)
Player ranking points (Coates Talent League): 191 points per game
A midfielder/defender who had a great year for the Calder Cannons, Baker-West earned Coates Talent League Team of the Year honours after averaging 33.1 disposals, 7.3 clearances and 4.8 tackles in nine matches. Unfortunately, she missed this year’s National Championships after being concussed in the opening minutes of Victoria Metro’s first game. Very strong in the contest and a smart user of the ball, she has been a dominant player throughout her junior career, winning Victoria Metro’s MVP award and All Australian honours at the U16 National Championships in 2023.
Josie Bamford
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Eastern Ranges
Community Club: Ferntree Gully
Date of Birth: 03/06/2007
Height: 183cm
Weapons: Overhead marking and mobility
AFLW player comparison: Matilda Scholz (Port Adelaide)
Player ranking points (U18 National Champs): 120 points per game
A ruck/forward who is extremely mobile and very competitive by nature, Bamford is also a decisive decision-maker who uses the ball effectively. Shared her time on ball and up forward for Victoria Metro at the National Championships and really developed as the carnival unfolded, being amongst her side’s best against both the Allies and Victoria Country. Averaged 12.5 disposals 14.5 hitouts and 4.2 tackles across the Champs to earn All Australian honours. A premiership star with the Eastern Ranges, she also won selection in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year. Showed good speed for a tall player at the Draft Combine, with her 3.28 seconds for the 20m sprint ranked in the top ten.
Chloe Bown
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Oakleigh Chargers
Community Club: Kew Comets
Date of Birth: 20/12/2007
Height: 173cm
Weapons: Game sense, clean hands and endurance
AFLW player comparison: Georgie Prespakis (Geelong Cats)
Player ranking points (U18 National Champs): 136.6 points per game
Classy midfielder who wins the ball at clearances with her clean hands and courage and gathers the loose ball with her footy nous and IQ. Bown also has amazing vision and quick hands to clear congestion. She had an outstanding 2025 season, winning awards and honours at all levels she played. At the National Championships for Victoria Metro she averaged 27.5 disposals (15.8 contested), 5.8 clearances and 5.5 tackles to be named her team’s MVP while also winning the Championships’ best and fairest player award, as well as being named All Australian captain. Was just as dominant at club level for the Oakleigh Chargers, where she averaged 29.2 disposals in 13 matches to win the Coates Talent League’s best and fairest medal as well as being named captain of the Team of the Year. As a member of the Marsh AFL National Academy she added to her medal collection by winning the Australia U18 team’s best player award in the win over the U23 All Stars in April. Showed her elite endurance during the 2km time trial at the Draft Combine, with her time of 7:33 seconds ranked fourth overall.
Mizuki Brothwell
State: Victoria Country
State League Club: Dandenong Stingrays
Community Club: Balnarring
Date of Birth: 22/10/2007
Height: 175cm
Weapons: Athleticism and power
AFLW player comparison: Lucy Cronin (Collingwood)
Player ranking points (U18 National Champs): 90.4 points per game
An athletic defender, Brothwell has a good balance on when to attack and when to defend. Is prepared to take the game on from the back half with her dash, which she showed consistently during the National Championships for Victoria Country, averaging 16.3 disposals, 2.8 marks and 3.8 rebound 50s to win All Australian honours. Produced similar numbers for the Dandenong Stingrays at club level, with her intercepting ability a feature, averaging 16.9 disposals and 2.6 marks per game to finish third in their best and fairest award and earning Coates Talent League Team of the Year selection. Her twin sister Nalu is also a Draft prospect given the promise she showed with the Dandenong Stingrays and Victoria Country. Both were members of the Marsh AFL National Academy.
Scarlett Johnson
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Northern Knights
Community Club: Eltham
Date of Birth: 26/11/2007
Height: 175cm
Weapons: Overhead marking and footy IQ
AFLW player comparison: Jess Rentsch (West Coast Eagles)
Player ranking points (U18 National Champs): 99.8 points per game
Winger/defender whose intercept marking is a real strength of her game, Johnson runs all day, getting from contest to contest where she competes fiercely. Was a consistently good performer for Victoria Metro at the National Championships, averaging 19.5 disposals (8.5 contested), 4.5 marks and 2.5 tackles to win All Australian honours. Was dominant for the Northern Knights at club level, averaging 25.8 disposals, 6.2 marks and five tackles in winning their best and fairest award and Coates Talent League Team of the Year selection. Showed her athleticism at the Draft Combine with a top ten finish in the 20m sprint with a time of 3.29 seconds.
Maggie Johnstone
State: Victoria Country
State League Club: GWV Rebels
Community Club: South Warrnambool
Date of Birth: 06/06/2007
Height: 171cm
Weapons: Step through traffic and kicking penetration
AFLW player comparison: Kaitlyn Srhoj (GWS Giants)
Player ranking points (U18 National Champs): 105.7 points per game
Midfielder with a touch of class with her lateral movement and ball use, Johnstone starred in Victoria Country’s win over the Allies at the National Championships and was also among her team’s best against South Australia. She averaged 15.3 disposals, 2.8 clearances and three tackles across the Championships to earn All Australian honours. A creative type, she was a very consistent performer for the GWV Rebels at club level, averaging 21 disposals (11 contested) and 4.4 tackles to win her team’s best and fairest award and also be selected in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year.
Jade McLay
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Calder Cannons
Community Club: Diamond Creek Women’s
Date of Birth: 01/02/2007
Height: 178cm
Weapons: Contested ball-winning ability and penetrating kick
AFLW player comparison: Charlie Rowbottom (Gold Coast Suns)
Player ranking points (Coates Talent League): 147 points per game
A versatile and powerful player, McLay suffered a season-ending shoulder injury playing for the Australia as part of the Marsh AFL National Academy early in the year but already had built an impressive profile with her underaged career to date. This year was her third season for the Calder Cannons, where she was named captain after being a standout with her ball-winning ability, strength in the contest and ball use whichever position she played. Averaged 17.5 disposals in 19 matches over the previous two seasons and was also a prominent player for Victoria Metro at the U16 National Championships in 2023, averaging 17.5 disposals. A booming kick, she started the 2025 season on fire with 31 disposals against the Western Jets then 20 disposals against the Northern Knights, becoming a stoppage star and great extractor of the ball in congestion as well as being an aggressive tackler.
Tayla McMillan
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Eastern Ranges
Community Club: Wantirna South
Date of Birth: 25/05/2007
Height: 162cm
Weapons: Clean hands and game sense
AFLW player comparison: Tyla Hanks (Melbourne)
Player ranking points (U18 National Champs): 119.2 points per game
Small midfielder/forward with speed and excellent fundamental skills, including clean hands and a neat step through traffic. McMillan was a consistent performer throughout the National Championships, averaging 20 disposals (11.5 contested), 5.2 clearances and 4.8 tackles to set elite standards for Victoria Metro. Was rewarded with All Australian honours after previously winning that accolade at under 16s level in 2023. Topped off a super Draft year by winning the best on ground medal in the Eastern Ranges’ Coates Talent League Grand Final win over the Dandenong Stingrays. Was selected in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year and was a member of the Marsh AFL National Academy.
Zara Neuwirth
State: Victoria Metro
State League Club: Oakleigh Chargers
Community Club: Kew Comets
Date of Birth: 06/02/2007
Height: 183cm
Weapons: One-on-one defending and composure
AFLW player comparison: Zoe Prowse (Essendon)
Player ranking points (U18 National Champs): 72.9 points per game
A composed tall defender, Neuwirth competes fiercely. Excels in one-on-one contests and makes great decisions on when to mark or spoil. Always matches up on the opposition’s most dangerous tall forward and is rarely beaten. Throughout the National Championships she used the ball well on the way out of defence and was never flustered. Averaged 12.5 disposals, three tackles and four rebound 50s to be one of Victoria Metro’s most consistent players and was rewarded with All Australian honours. Also had an excellent year with the Oakleigh Chargers across 13 matches and was selected in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year.