Stars of the future: 10 draft prospects to watch in 2025

A HOST of players found their new home for the 2025 NAB AFLW season on Monday night.

As they celebrate and prepare to get to work, attention now shifts to the next crop of exciting potential draftees.

The group coming out of Gold Coast's Academy is particularly exciting, but the top end talent for the 2025 Telstra AFLW Draft is truly spread across the country.

Midfielder
163cm
2/2/07
Strathmore/Calder Cannons/Victoria Metro

Although hampered by injury this year, clubs won't be deterred when it comes to ball magnet Baker-West. Catching the eye after racking up 49 disposals in a Coates Talent League game last year, she offers neat handballs out of the contest to set up teammates. She is just as adept in congestion as she is when out in space, and also has the capacity to go forward and play as a small if needed. Growing up a fan of the Western Bulldogs, they are just one club who would be keen to get their hands on Baker-West at the end of 2025.

Key Forward
178cm
3/1/07
Southport/SUNS Academy/Queensland

In a strong batch of key position prospects, Baron is arguably the best. She plays with a fearlessness, with eye-catching skill in the air. Her forward craft is already at a high standard, balancing her capacity to lead up at the ball carrier, and strength in aerial contests, with a neat kick for goal. This year she won the QAFLW's mark of the year award for a high-flying effort for Southport, while also playing a vital role in the club's first ever QAFLW premiership, and balancing duties for the SUNS Academy and Queensland in the U18 Championships. Baron will be a priority for Gold Coast at next year's draft.

Midfielder
167cm
2/1/07
Lauderdale/Tasmania Devils/Allies

Bowering strikes a wonderful balance between ball winning and defensive pressure as a midfielder. Hailing from Tasmania and looking up to recently drafted players from the Apple Isle in Brooke Barwick and Georgia Clark, she is a ball magnet around the footy, notably racking up 47 disposals against the Calder Cannons in the Coates Talent League earlier this year. Bowering is also willing to do the hard stuff, working defensively to create space for teammates, and when needed, she can sit forward and become a dangerous conduit to goal.

Forward/midfielder
174cm
20/12/07
Kew Comets/Oakleigh Chargers/Victoria Metro

A poised player, Bown knows how to stand up on the big stage. Able to roll through both the midfield and forward line, her capacity both with and without the ball is impressive. She kicked 18 goals from 15 Coates Talent League games this year, while playing a starring role in the Oakleigh Chargers' second consecutive premiership, recording 24 disposals and 10 tackles, as well as five inside 50s. A sneaky chance to go in the top five at next year's Telstra AFLW Draft, Bown is one that recruiters around the country are particularly excited about.

Defender
173cm
3/8/07
Pinjarra/Peel Thunder/Western Australia

Cowcher has been named as Western Australia's best player in each of its last two U18 Championships campaigns, ahead of players like Zippy Fish and Molly O'Hehir. As an intercepting defender, she keeps a calm head behind play even under immense pressure, and typically rebounds the ball out with a sense of class. Her ability to read the play as it moves down the field and make quick decisions to impact is evident. She is strong in the air, but just as confident at ground level, and does a neat job of setting up teammates higher up the field.

Ruck/forward
183cm
17/1/07
Southport/SUNS Academy/Queensland

The youngest Davies sister behind Giselle (Sydney), Fleur (Greater Western Sydney), and Darcie (Gold Coast), Georja has had to bide her time to reach her draft year. As a highly skilled tall, Davies is equally talented in the air as she is on the ground. She showed that throughout the 2024 U18 Championships where she held up the No.1 ruck role, leaving Havana Harris the space to play more as a midfield/forward option. Throughout the campaign she averaged 23 disposals and 16 hitouts as one of Queensland's best performers. Davies was also a crucial part of Southport's maiden QAFLW flag this year.

Forward/wing
173cm
27/7/07
Plympton/Glenelg/South Australia

With a desirable combination of height and athleticism, South Australian Mackereth can play as an aerial forward target, or as a dangerous runner on the wing, while she has also been thrown on the ball at times in her junior years. She showed her strength this year against big bodies in the SANFLW, playing 13 games for Glenelg and kicking 14 goals, and in the U18 Championships proved her capacity to take a game by the scruff of the neck, with four goals in South Australia's win over Western Australia back in August.

Midfielder
165cm
11/8/07
Burleigh/SUNS Academy/Queensland

Usher is a powerful runner through the midfield, with the confidence to take the game on, take a bounce, and propel the ball inside 50. A likely favourite for the No.1 pick in 2025, she missed all of this year with an ACL injury that she is on the tail end of rehabilitating. Her combination of strength and attack on the footy often sees opponents bounce off her, creating space for Usher in the process. As part of Gold Coast's Academy program, she is another who the Suns' will be keen to get through the door, and will arguably be their main target from a strong batch of Academy products.

Forward
170cm
23/11/07
Southport/SUNS Academy/Queensland

With an impressive goal sense and capacity to snap the footy from anywhere inside 50, Welsh turned some heads at the first Marsh AFLW Academy training camp. The lesser-discussed Academy product out of Gold Coast, her skill shouldn't be ignored in the coming year, as someone who can make something out of nothing, but is also a highly reliable set shot. Welsh kicked two goals in each of Queensland's three U18 Championships games this year, while averaging 11.3 disposals as a strong presence in the side's front half, playing as a bottom-ager.

Key Forward
180cm
2/9/07
Mt Hawthorn Cardinals/Subiaco/Western Australia

Wolmarans is a big-bodied key forward target who can offer a chop out through the ruck if needed. There is still a rawness to her, but her combination of height and athleticism can't be ignored. On top of it all, she has a booming boot, and just needs to tighten up her technique in front of goal to make the most of her opportunities. Her time in the national Academy will help refine her craft as she works toward being one of the best key position prospects in the 2025 draft crop.