Future stars to feature during opening round of 2023 NAB AFLW Season

Four West Australians have been named by the AFL in a squad of 44 players for this weekend’s 2023 AFLW Futures match.

A selection of the best under-17 female footballers from across the country will take part in the match, which will be played in Melbourne this Saturday from 8.30am Perth time.

The match will be played prior to the 2023 NAB AFLW Round 1 clash between Hawthorn and Essendon.

The 44-player squad will be split into two teams to be named after Melbourne premiership forward Tayla Harris and WA’s Collingwood dual All-Australian defender Ruby Schleicher.

Both Harris and Schleicher are graduates of the AFL’s Talent Pathway programs who have gone on to become stars of the AFLW.

South Fremantle pair Noa McNaughton and Molly O’Hehir have been named in the Team Harris side, while East Fremantle duo Zipporah Fish and Natasha Entwistle will represent Team Schleicher.

All players selected in the AFLW Futures match are born in 2006 and will be eligible for selection in next year’s NAB AFLW Draft following the 2024 season.

The AFLW Futures match provides next year’s draft prospects an opportunity to be part of a high-performance environment and showcase their talent as they push for selection for the 2024 AFL Academy Girls program.

Players were nominated by state talent programs, national selectors and AFLW clubs, with all states and territories represented in the 44-player squad.

Among those selected to play in the 2023 AFLW Futures squad are:

• 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Girls best and fairest Havana Harris. The athletic Queensland ruck and forward dominated this year’s U18 Girls Championships as a bottom-age player, averaging 18.3 disposals (9.3 contested), three marks and 17 hitouts per match.

• Seven members of 2023 AFL National Championships U18 Girls All-Australian team, including Victoria Country MVP Ashley Centra, Zipporah Fish, Havana Harris, Sara Howley, Emma McDonald, Molly O’Hehir and Jemma Whitington-Charity.

• Northern Territory Academy forward Emma Stark, who last year became the youngest field umpire to officiate at the highest level of the AFL when she presided over the NAB AFLW Round 1 match between Essendon and Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium at 16 years of age.

AFL National Academy Manager Tarkyn Lockyer said: “We are thrilled to have many of the most promising young female players in the country come together to take part in the AFLW Futures program.

“The inaugural AFLW Futures match last year was a great success and featured a host of players who are likely to be selected in the upcoming AFLW Draft.

“Saturday’s match at Kinetic Stadium will be a fantastic showcase of the next generation of exciting talent coming through the football ranks and it is great to have the match feature as part of the opening round of the 2023 NAB AFLW season.”

The AFLW Futures squad will come together on Friday, September 1 for a training session at the Swinburne Centre before attending the opening match of the 2023 NAB AFLW Season between Melbourne and Collingwood at IKON Park.

Northern Knights assistant Laura Frazer has been appointed head coach of Team Schleicher and will be assisted by former West Coast Eagles player Alicia Janz, Monique Clift and Craig Black.

Team Harris will be coached by Gippsland Power’s Nathan Boyd, with North Adelaide forward Kelly Barltrop, Ash Close and Whitney Kennedy to serve as assistants.

HOW TO WATCH: The 2023 AFLW Futures match will be broadcast live and free at www.afl.com.au/aflw and on the AFLW app.

Continue below for the list of players selected for the 2023 AFLW Futures match.

TEAM HARRIS

#

NAME

SURNAME

STATE

STATE LEAGUE CLUB

COMMUNITY CLUB

1

Zimra

Hussain

QLD

Brisbane Lions Academy

Wilston Grange

2

Tatyana

Perry

NT

Northern Territory Academy

Palmerston

5

Jasmine

Evans

SA

Central District

Salisbury

6

Lou-Lou

Field

VIC M

Western Jets

Flemington

7

Emma

Juneja

NSW/ACT

Sydney Swans Academy

East Sydney

8

Sophie

McKay

VIC M

Sandringham Dragons

Prahran

9

Noa

McNaughton

WA

South Fremantle

South Coogee

10

Coby

Morgan

SA

Norwood

Modbury

11

Molly

O’Hehir

WA

South Fremantle

South Coogee

12

Ella

Parker

NSW/ACT

Sydney Swans Academy

UTS Bats

16

Georgie

Brisbane

VIC M

Eastern Ranges

Blackburn

17

Ashley

Centra

VIC C

Gippsland Power

Sale City

18

Tamika

Rourke

NSW/ACT

GWS Giants Academy/
Murray Bushrangers

Narrandera

19

Claire

Mahony

VIC C

GWV Rebels

Lake Wendouree

20

Nyalli

Milne

QLD

Gold Coast Suns Academy

Burleigh

21

Sarah

Poustie

VIC M

Oakleigh Chargers

Old Scotch

22

Claudia

Wright

WA

Claremont

Claremont

24

Lucy

Boyd

SA

West Adelaide

Blackwood

25

Kyla

Forbes

VIC M

Calder Cannons

Aberfeldie

26

Havana

Harris

QLD

Gold Coast Suns Academy

Burleigh

27

Millie

Lang

VIC C

GWV Rebels

Redan

28

Elli

Symonds

VIC C

Dandenong Stingrays

Frankston Dolphins

TEAM SCHLEICHER

#

NAME

SURNAME

STATE

STATE LEAGUE CLUB

COMMUNITY CLUB

1

Zipporah

Fish

WA

East Fremantle

Rockingham

2

Violet

Patterson

SA

Glenelg

Plympton

3

Emma

Stark

NT

Northern Territory Academy

St Mary’s

5

Natasha

Entwistle

WA

East Fremantle

Canning Vale

6

Sierra

Grieves

VIC M

Western Jets

Yarraville Seddon

7

Zoe

Hargreaves

VIC M

Northern Knights

Fitzroy

8

Meg

Harrison

TAS

Tasmania Devils

Kingborough

9

Ashley

Patton

NSW/ACT

GWS Giants Academy

Tuggeranong

10

Jemma

Reynolds

VIC C

Dandenong Stingrays

Langwarrin

11

Tara

Harrington

QLD

Gold Coast Suns Academy

Bond University

12

Amber

Wunungmurra

NT

Northern Territory Academy

Southern Districts

16

Grace

Baba

VIC M

Eastern Ranges

Mooroolbark

17

Lilly

Baker

QLD

Brisbane Lions Academy

Maroochydore

18

Zoe

Besanko

VIC C

Dandenong Stingrays

Frankston Dolphins

19

Sara

Howley

VIC C

Geelong Falcons

Newtown & Chilwell

20

Lucy

Thompson

TAS

Tasmania Devils

Ulverstone

21

Charlotte

Riggs

SA

Central District

Angle Vale

22

Heidi

Talbot

QLD

Gold Coast Suns Academy

North Cairns

23

Mackenzie

Williams

TAS

Tasmania Devils

North Hobart

24

Sienna

Tallariti

VIC M

Oakleigh Chargers

Whitehorse Pioneers

25

Emma

McDonald

VIC M

Oakleigh Chargers

Ashburton

26

Jemma

Whitington-
Charity

SA

Woodville-West Torrens

Henley