NEW MUMS Kiara Bowers and Dana Hooker are back in full training, Tayla Harris' pesky shoulder is approaching full fitness and Georgia Patrikios is flying through training.
A long break between seasons has seen plenty of players recover from their long-term injuries, while a handful are still on modified loads.
How is your AFLW team tracking at the start of pre-season?
Hannah Ewings took last season off (while playing for Port Adelaide) due to personal reasons. She has returned to footy, playing in scratch matches in April. Young flanker Brooke Smith (broken collarbone) has also returned to footy. Eloise Jones (Achilles, September '24) is effectively back in full training with some minor modifications, and is only a handful of weeks away from normal training.
No long-term injuries.
Irish midfielder Erone Fitzpatrick returned to VFLW in April after tearing her ACL in November 2023, suffered a minor hamstring injury in her return game but is now right to go. Brooke Vickers (hamstring, entire 2024 season) and Maddy Hendrie (foot, Oct '24) have also played VFLW this year. Tarni Brown (medical) and skipper Kerryn Peterson (pregnancy) are inactive this season.
Both Kalinda Howarth (ACL) and Nell Morris-Dalton (back) are back in full training after long-term issues. Howarth ruptured her ACL in round two, 2023, and had a somewhat delayed start to her rehab, while Morris-Dalton was ruled out of last season on the eve of round one. Annie Lee (knee) underwent surgery for a cartilage issue in September last year, and has returned to a modified program while progressing through her rehab.
Star ruck Steph Wales ruptured her ACL in October, with Essendon having not yet confirmed her recovery status. Emily Gough (ACL) and Bess Keaney (pregnancy) are inactive this year.
Superstar veteran Kiara Bowers gave birth to son Luca in August, and is now working under a normal training load. She finished equal first in Fremantle's time trial. Ange Stannett (ACL, May '24) is approaching the end of her rehab and has started integrating back into modified training. Áine Tighe (ACL, Sept '24) is on track with her rehab. Ebony Antonio is inactive this year through pregnancy.
Chloe Scheer missed the entirety of 2024 with a toe issue, and is still rehabbing the injury. She is expected to return to main training sessions in the second half of pre-season. Chantel Emonson (pregnancy) and Anna-Rose Kennedy (personal) are inactive this year.
Young winger Sienna McMullen (ACL, Aug '23) returned to footy late last year, taking part in some AFLW scrimmage matches. Daisy D'Arcy (ACL, Oct '24) has been ruled inactive for this year.
Veteran Chloe Dalton missed last year with a back complaint, but her current status is yet to be confirmed. Daisy Walker looks set to finally make her GWS debut this year after rupturing her ACL in July, 2024. Meghan Gaffney (ACL, Nov 24) is inactive this year.
Recruit Keely Coyne (ACL, Oct '23) is ready to go after a year out of the game, and otherwise, Hawthorn has a clean bill of health.
Star forward Tayla Harris (shoulder, Aug '24) has progressed through most of her rehab and returned to playing drills, with a return to play timeline yet to be confirmed. Last year's sparky recruit, Grace Beasley (ACL, Sept '24) is progressing well through her rehab, while Jacinta Hose was drafted at the end of 2023 with an already ruptured ACL, but is now dealing with lower back pain. The young ruck does not yet have a timeline to return. Aimee Mackin (ACL) is inactive this year.
Yet-to-debut speedster Georgia Stubs broke her ankle on the eve of last season and is believed to now be back in full training. Niamh Martin (study) is inactive this year.
The Power have four players on the comeback trail from ACL injuries. Versatile tall Indy Tahau (Sept '23) is close to the end of her rehab and is expected to return to training in the next month, while skipper Janelle Cuthbertson (Sept '24), pre-draft signing Lauren Young (Mar '24) and draftee Jemma Charity (Mar '24) are all approaching the end stage of their rehab, with training returns to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Forward Sarah Hosking (significant hamstring injury, Oct '24) is hitting her strength markers in the gym and progressing in her speed work. She is expected to return to team training in the next few weeks. Montana McKinnon (ACL, Aug '24) is tracking to join main training by the middle of pre-season. Katelyn Cox (ACL, Jul '24) is on a similar timeline and finished equal first in the Tigers' six-minute time trial. Tall Shelby Knoll was selected in the supplemental draft in April '23, tearing her ACL in October that year. Was set to play some SANFLW games with West Adelaide over the off-season but picked up a minor hamstring injury, and is now back in team training. Zoe Hargreaves (ACL) is inactive this year.
Georgia Patrikios (foot, Aug '24) is set to provide a big boost to the Saints, having now returned to full training after missing the entire season. Recruit Nicola Barr had hamstring surgery in September last year, and is on a modified training program. She is expected to be back in full training in a few weeks. Ex-Sun Alana Gee also ruptured her ACL in September, and is not expected to be available to play until mid-season. Emmelie Fiedler (ACL) is inactive this year.
Superstar Chloe Molloy ruptured her ACL in the early weeks of the 2024 season, and is progressing well in her recovery. She will join in team skills in the coming weeks, with timeline for her return to be determined. All-Australian ruck Ally Morphett fractured her foot in September last year, and is back in full training after surgery.
Veteran Dana Hooker gave birth to baby Zara in December, and has returned to WAFLW with Subiaco. ACL duo Annabel Johnson (Aug '24) and Kayley Kavanagh (Apr '24) are both recovering well. Defender Johnson is on track to make her club debut in round one, while 2023 draftee Kavanagh has started pre-season with the main group, and is expected to feature in pre-season matches.
Much-loved defender Mua Laloifi is expected to feature at some point this year, being eight months into her rehab from a torn ACL. Veteran Ellie Blackburn is training strongly after her second foot operation in December, as is Lauren Ahrens, who suffered a foot stress reaction in October last year.