Draft Diaries is back for a third year, introducing Bond University's young gun Ava Usher and rising Dandenong Stingrays star Mizuki Brothwell to the wider footy world. Both players are eligible for the Telstra AFLW Draft in December, with Usher tied to Gold Coast through its club academy. 

This is Brothwell's second check-in for the year, and you can catch up on part one here.

THE FINAL year of junior footy is the perfect chance to maximise your chance of being drafted.

For Mizuki Brothwell – who only picked up the sport in 2023 – that has come with a mid-season trial in the midfield.

Normally a rebound defender, which is a role the former netballer plays for both Vic Country and the AFLW Academy, Brothwell has been thrown into the guts for Coates Talent League side Dandenong Stingrays in recent matches.

"Since my last check-in, I've been playing footy for the 'Rays, we're a couple of games down. We started the season pretty well, got a few wins under our belt, lost just the one game so far. Going pretty well playing off half-back, got chucked into the mid for a bit, which was new, but loved the challenge, it was pretty fun," Brothwell said.

"The midfield, there was way more pressure. It was a good challenge, and I think it helped me gain a few more skills, like tackling and getting rid of the ball faster.

"In my defensive game, I've got a lot of feedback of the things I need to work on, like my kicking on the run, and going for every contest and either spoiling, bringing the ball to ground, or marking it. The coaches have helped me out a lot with that, telling me what to work on each week. Left foot kicking is also something I can add to my game."

Brothwell played local footy in 2023 for Balnarring (her first ever season), then representative with the Stingrays as a bottom-ager last year, and has completely jumped in the deep end in 2025, with Stingrays, Vic Country and the AFLW Academy.

"All the games, the Academy and Rays – I just love playing footy, it's not a biggie for me, just loving it each week. I hate it when we have a bye, because we can't play and I just watch, and it's like 'get me out there', but I love it. It's so fun, and each week when you play a game, you're learning new things and getting better," she said.

"The workload is way more than all my past years playing footy, definitely. But it's good – [having] started off pre-season working hard, my body is coping with it quite well at the moment, so hopefully it stays that way."

Twin sister Nalu was brought into the Academy squad for its game last month as injury cover, giving the two an opportunity to play together at the very highest level, albeit at opposite ends of the field.

"Playing for the Academy with Nalu was so surreal. She was so surprised when she got the call-up, and I was so proud of her. I was excited to get into it and invite her into the group," Brothwell said.

"All the girls were so supportive of her, and we meshed really quickly. It was so fun playing with a new bunch of girls, connecting more and having a great game. 

"Our parents were so proud, and also our grandparents, they were so proud of us, and they were just happy we weren't playing against each other.

"We haven't really played on each other. In the Futures (under-17s) game at the end of last year, we were on opposite teams, but we didn't line up on each other, because the girls said they'd take her so I didn't have to."

With the Telstra AFLW Draft just six months away, Brothwell's dream of playing AFLW is becoming more of a realistic option.

"After the game with the Academy (in June), we went to Marvel Stadium and we did some interviews," she said.

"It was a lot of speaking to different clubs, going in and pretty much talking about yourself and what you bring to a team, and what they can offer you. It was good, just getting to know each other. 

"The interviews definitely make it feel a lot more real. Speaking about what you could do at their club, what we could bring, it's definitely way more surreal when you're being interviewed.

"The goal is to just play really well, keep playing consistently and play my role and keep improving. I'm not too fussed about the draft yet – I'm nervous it's getting closer, but just making sure I'm doing what I can to be in the best position I can."