The last major event on the footballing calendar for 2023 is the AFLW Draft, which will take place on Monday, December 18.
Following on from the Supplementary Draft earlier in the year, this will be an in-person event at Marvel Stadium, with prospective players from across the country hoping to land with a club.
When is it and how can I watch?
The draft will be held on Monday, December 18, with presenters Nat Edwards, Sarah Black and Riley Beveridge hosting the coverage on AFL.com.au and streaming via the AFLW Official App. It all kicks off from 7pm AEDT.
How does it work?
Each club must take a minimum two picks to the draft, and at least two players must be taken via the draft. After that, there is an option to pass on one or two of the club's final selections to sign an undrafted free agent, or someone who nominated for the draft in another state but were not selected. Should a club want to take two players as undrafted free agents, they must take a minimum of four picks to the draft.
What picks does Hawthorn have?
Pick 16 and Pick 45.
Haven't the Hawks already picked up a few players?
Yes! Hawthorn welcomed Laura Stone, Jess Vukic and Hayley McLaughlin to the club via the AFLW Expansion U18 Talent Pathway Pre-Signing Period. This period allowed the Hawks - along with fellow expansion clubs Essendon, Port Adelaide and Sydney - to sign underage players from their academies/ academy zones ahead of the draft. Read more about our pre-signings here.
Who have the Hawks drafted in previous years?
Heading into their inaugural AFLW season, the Hawks selected Jasmine Fleming, Mackenzie Eardley, Bridie Hipwell, Charlotte Baskaran, Lucy Wales, Emily Everist and Laura Elliott. In the Season 8 AFLW supplementary draft, Mattea Breed and Kristy Stratton joined the club.
What is a state-based draft and can players nominate nationally?
Following on from the Supplementary Draft which took place earlier in 2023, nominees are now able to select for a national draft pool, meaning any club can take them no matter where they are based. Roughly 70 per cent of nominees have chosen this option. State-based nominations are still an option given the AFLW home and away season will run for just 11 weeks, so prospective players can choose to nominate within their home state and be considered only by the sides who are located there.
What about father-daughter selections?
Some draft nominees, like Bryde O'Rourke, Meg Robertson and Jemma Rigoni, have the potential to be taken as a father-daughter selection. To be eligible, the prospective player's father must have played at least one VFL/AFL game. Past father-daughter selections include Abbie McKay, Amy Smith and Tarni Brown.
How does father-daughter bidding work?
Live bidding on father-daughter selections and northern Academy nominees will occur for the first time in the AFLW. Clubs with access to these players (i.e. Brisbane's access to nominees from the Lions Academy) will have to match bids from other clubs within the same round. Should they not have the available picks in that round, the original club that selected that player will be able to draft them.
What about the stories behind the potential draftees?
Several potential draftees have been profiled throughout the year on AFL.com.au including top draft prospect Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner, exciting small forward Lila Keck, and dual sport star Georgie Cleaver.
What's the full draft order?
Round 1
1. Western Bulldogs
2. West Coast Eagles
3. GWS Giants
4. Western Bulldogs
5. Melbourne
6. Western Bulldogs
7. Carlton
8. Collingwood
9. Collingwood
10. St Kilda
11. Western Bulldogs
12. Melbourne
13. Richmond
14. West Coast Eagles
15. Sydney Swans
16. Hawthorn
17. Geelong Cats
18. Port Adelaide
19. Essendon
20. Brisbane Lions
21. Brisbane Lions
Round 2
22. Adelaide Crows
23. Melbourne
24. Port Adelaide
25. North Melbourne
26. Adelaide Crows
27. North Melbourne
28. Carlton
29. Collingwood
30. Sydney Swans
31. Brisbane Lions
32. Geelong Cats
33. Adelaide Crows
34. Brisbane Lions
35. Gold Coast Suns
36. Brisbane Lions
37. Essendon
38. West Coast Eagles
39. GWS Giants
40. Melbourne
Round 3
41. Geelong Cats
42. West Coast Eagles
43. Richmond
44. Gold Coast Suns
45. Hawthorn
46. North Melbourne
47. St Kilda
48. Western Bulldogs
49. Fremantle
50. Gold Coast Suns
51. Gold Coast Suns
52. Gold Coast Suns
Round 4
53. GWS Giants
54. Fremantle
55. Melbourne
56. North Melbourne
Round 5
57. Melbourne
