2025 AFLW Squad Preview: Part 4

Hawthorn

2024 finish: 2nd – 2025 prediction: 6th

📈 2024 Recap & 2025 Outlook

Hawthorn soared into finals for the first time, driven by game-breaking defenders and elite aerial pressure. It will be tough to replicate their 2024 season but the hawks should be making finals again this year.

🏆 Fantasy Studs

Emily Bates remains one of the more unpredictable yet explosive fantasy midfielders in the competition. She has the ability to post monster scores well above 130 and has even pushed towards 150 on her best days thanks to her clearance dominance and tackle pressure. At Hawthorn, she averaged over 21 disposals and seven tackles per game in 2024 and showed flashes of brilliance, including a 34-disposal outing in Round 8. However, consistency has been an issue. Bates can go missing in quieter team performances, making her a high-risk, high-reward option. For coaches chasing upside, she is hard to ignore.

Tilly Lucas-Rodd was a standout performer in Hawthorn’s backline throughout 2024, averaging over 20 disposals per game while consistently ranking among the league leaders for kicks and intercepts. Their ability to read the game, control tempo, and deliver precise ball movement from defense makes them one of the most reliable fantasy scorers in the competition. With consistent role security and a proven ceiling, they are one of the few must-have defenders in Gameday Squad for 2025. Lucas-Rodd offers a rare combination of volume, leadership, and stability that anchors any fantasy backline with confidence.

💎 Breakout Watch

Lucy Wales took a major step forward in 2024 as Hawthorn’s number one ruck, featuring in all 13 matches and finishing third in the league for total hitouts. She averaged close to 26 hitouts, over 11 disposals and nearly five tackles per game, showing strong mobility and defensive pressure around stoppages. With another full pre-season under her belt and improved chemistry with Hawthorn’s young midfield group, Wales looks primed for a true breakout year. Her combination of size, athleticism and growing game sense makes her a strong candidate to push into the top tier of fantasy rucks in 2025.

🔄 New Faces, Draftees and Departures (As per AFLW website)

Ins: Najwa Allen (Adelaide), Keely Coyne (delisted free agent, Western Bulldogs), Grace Baba, Rebecca Clottey, Lavinia Cox, Daisy Flockart, Elli Symonds (draft)


Outs: Charlotte Baskaran (St Kilda), Mattea Breed (Collingwood), Lou Stephenson (Western Bulldogs), Bridget Deed, Casey Dumont, Sophie Locke, Tahlia Fellows (delisted)

🗓️ Fixture Analysis

First 3 games: Brisbane (Away), Carlton (Home), Western Bulldogs (Away)

Teams not played: GWS, Melbourne, Richmond, Sydney, West Coast

💭 Final Thoughts

Lucas Rodd will likely be one of the most reliable defenders in the game for the 2025 season. After stacking your available salary cap into the midfield, they should be the next player you look to upgrade. 

Melbourne

2024 finish: 9th – 2025 prediction: 5th

📈 2024 Recap & 2025 Outlook

Melbourne hovered in finals contention but fell short. With a strong ladder position, the pressure is on to convert talent into deep finals runs.

🏆 Fantasy Studs

Kate Hore has long been a damaging forward with the ability to hit the scoreboard and rack up fantasy points through tackles and marks inside 50. In Gameday Squad for 2025, she has shifted from forward to midfield classification, which unfortunately takes a hit to her fantasy value. While she remains an influential player for Melbourne, her role in real life still includes time spent forward of center. Her pre season clash suggests she is still a viable option to select in your midfield, it just might be a week to week decision rather than a set and forget.

Eliza McNamara took a major step forward in 2024 as Melbourne’s wing and midfield engine, posting a career-best average of 22 disposals, 5.5 tackles and 6.9 intercepts per game across ten matches. Known for her elite endurance and footy intelligence, she added contested strength to her game and routinely delivered high meters gained totals. With natural running power and excellent decision-making, McNamara proved she can set pace and pressure in any contest. Fully fit and fresh from an impactful pre season, she represents a high-upside midfield option capable of delivering consistent fantasy output, especially if provided a full midfield role for the Dees in 2025.

💎 Breakout Watch

Maeve Chaplin impressed during the recent pre season with a standout display where she gathered 21 disposals across defense against Adelaide, underlining her growing confidence and elite touch coming out of stoppages. In 2024 she elevated her game to a new level, averaging 13.6 disposals and 6.7 intercepts per match while posting a team high disposal efficiency of 78.7 percent. Her season earned her a spot in the 2024 All Australian squad and the club’s coaches award. With pre season momentum and role clarity at Melbourne, Chaplin is primed to break into the elite fantasy defender category in 2025.

🔄 New Faces, Draftees and Departures (As per AFLW website)

Ins: Amelia Dethridge, Maggie Mahony, Molly O'Hehir (draft), Laela Ebert (replacement player, North Adelaide)

Outs: Rhi Watt (retired), Lily Mithen (Gold Coast), Grace Hill, Delany Madigan (delisted), Aimee Mackin (inactive, ACL), Jacinta Hose (inactive, back)

🗓️ Fixture Analysis

First 3 games: Western Bulldogs (Home), St Kilda (Home), Collingwood (Away)

Teams not played: Adelaide, Carlton, GWS, Hawthorn, North Melbourne

💭 Final Thoughts

Don’t panic sell your Katie Hore cards just yet! Although she has shifted out of our forward lines, the numbers will speak for themselves. (Remember Dawson, Gulden and Daicos only recently moved into our midfields in the mens competitions). 

North Melbourne

2024 finish: 1st – 2025 prediction: 1st

📈 2024 Recap & 2025 Outlook

North capped an undefeated home and away season and clinched the club’s first AFLW premiership with sheer dominance. For me, they are the clear favorite to back it up and become the first back-to-back AFLW premiership winners.

🏆 Fantasy Studs

Jasmine Garner had a standout 2024 season, culminating in a Best on Ground performance in the Grand Final with 35 disposals and 13 tackles, leading North Melbourne to their first AFLW premiership. Throughout the season, she averaged 24.6 disposals, 6.1 tackles, and 3.1 clearances per game, showcasing her elite midfield presence. Garner's ability to impact the game both offensively and defensively makes her a must-have in any GameDay Squad lineup. Her consistent high-level performances and leadership on the field solidify her status as one of the top fantasy midfielders for 2025.

Following Garner’s dominance, Ash Riddell is another key fantasy asset for North Melbourne. In 2024, she averaged nearly 30 disposals, 6.7 tackles, and 4.4 clearances per game, consistently producing high scores through ball-winning and defensive pressure. Her ability to accumulate contested possessions and tackles ensures a strong floor and excellent ceiling in fantasy. As a key midfielder heavily involved in stoppages and ball movement, Riddell remains a top pick for fantasy managers looking for consistency and volume in 2025.

💎 Breakout Watch

Bláithín Bogue showcased her potential during the pre-season by kicking three goals in a match, demonstrating her ability to impact the scoreboard. Standing at 176 cm, Bogue's athleticism and strong aerial presence make her a promising forward option. Her Gaelic football background, including being named Player of the Match in the 2022 All-Ireland Junior Ladies' final, indicates a high level of skill and adaptability. If she continues to develop her understanding of the game and secures a spot in the Round 1 lineup, Bogue could become a valuable asset for fantasy managers seeking a high-upside forward option.

🔄 New Faces, Draftees and Departures (As per AFLW website)

Ins: Ariana Hetherington (Fremantle), Eilish Sheerin (Richmond), Amy Gavin Mangan, Claire Mahony (draft), Tessa Boyd (replacement player, North Melbourne VFLW)

Outs: Liz McGrath (West Coast), Lulu Pullar (Sydney), Lucy Burke, Sophie Kavanagh, Zoe Savarirayan (delisted), Niamh Martin (inactive, personal)

🗓️ Fixture Analysis

First 3 games: Geelong (Away), Port Adelaide (Home), Fremantle (Away)

Teams not played: Gold Coast, GWS, Melbourne, West Coast, Western Bulldogs

💭 Final Thoughts

There is talks of Garner spending more time forward this season but that shouldn’t be a concern. Given North Melbourne’s likely dominance, it just means she will be where the ball is and we know she can easily score 3 in a game.