THE LAST AFLW off-season delivered for AFLW Fantasy coaches, with Aishling McCarthy, Eliza West and Maddison Gay all delivering exceptional value throughout the season.  

While the most recent off-season delivered notably fewer player movements (only 29 players reached new clubs during the off-season, down from 40-plus the year before), there are a few names that jump off the page when it comes to picking our Fantasy sides. 

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Examining line by line, we've combed through each new recruit to see which players might reach new heights in 2025.

Defenders

Ella Heads was a popular defender among Fantasy coaches in 2024, overcoming a poor start to the season to finish with seven consecutive 60+ scores. However, despite the near certainty of Heads lining up in teal in round one, her 2025 Fantasy season comes with a "buyer beware" warning in that Port Adelaide plays an incredibly direct style of football that may restrict her prolific mark-kick style of game.

Hawthorn has managed to find two excellent defensive players in Najwa Allen and Keely Coyne, both coming off injury-impacted campaigns in 2024. Allen is a premiership defender likely to slot straight into the Hawks backline. With the Hawks facing a friendly fixture for defenders to start the season – and with a discounted price due to a hamstring injury in 2024 – Allen could get off to a fantastic start in the brown and gold. Coyne may find it tougher to break into the side, but with her excellent decision making and versatility, it won't be too long before she is also debuting in the brown and gold. As more of a distributor, Coyne has the higher Fantasy ceiling and could provide great returns for Fantasy coaches willing to take the risk.

Lulu Pullar is among a host of players fighting to replace Heads' role as distributor of the backline at the Swans. One to track through the pre-season games, but she does present at quite an expensive price – she'd need to have a clear role at half-back or on the wing to be a starting pick. Jasmine Grierson and Ash Van Loon are also looking to cement themselves in that backline mix, though neither are likely to be doing heaps for our Fantasy sides. Both were brought across for their defensive prowess and reliability.

Eleanor Brown is wildly underpriced for a player whose last three seasons saw her average 43.8, 50.7 and 54.8. The former first-round pick should slot straight into the Giants backline and be one of the few fieldable players under $450k in our backlines.

Midfielders

The AFLW world was rocked by the bombshell trade of Eilish Sheerin to North Melbourne in December, and the Fantasy impacts are no less fascinating. How Sheerin fits in alongside Fantasy royalty in Jasmine Garner, Ash Riddell and Mia King is hard to predict. The terrific contested ball-winners could benefit her run and line breaking from stoppage, but could it also limit her possession count with so many players competing for points? Alternatively, will North Melbourne employ her off half-back alongside Emma Kearney and Erika O'Shea, using her pace in the position she started at with Richmond? An enormous amount of unknowns surround Sheerin this pre-season, and many eyes will follow the practice games in the coming weeks.   

Darcy Moloney has finally moved clubs after struggling to break into the star Geelong midfield mix for several seasons. The Swans midfield has already delivered breakout Fantasy seasons from several talented players – Laura Gardiner, Sofia Hurley and Chloe Molloy to name a few. Moloney's numbers weren't massive at the Cats, but with great defensive pressure and a midfield role in the Swans' high scoring Fantasy side, she could yet have a career year if things fall her way. One to watch closely throughout the practice matches!

Nicola Barr and Lily Mithen are both experienced additions to young midfields, likely to roam the wings of their respective clubs. Mithen in particular is likely to have a touch more relevance, with a chance to push into the CBA mix at Gold Coast. Her Fantasy history shows she has the capacity to score highly at times, and is one worth considering at her price. Airlie Runnalls, Grace Kelly and Charlotte Baskaran will also ply their trade along the wing, but have yet to prove the Fantasy ceiling required to pick in our sides. Alana Gee and Lulu Beatty seem unlikely to make inroads into the best 21s early in the season.

Finally, a note to the 3 per cent of coaches that have Mattea Breed in their sides – a lingering knee injury has restricted the former Hawk this pre-season. Long term, Breed's strength in the contest and line-breaking run will form a much-needed addition to the Pies' midfield mix. But it would take a brave Fantasy coach to start her off a limited pre-season.

Rucks

With Steph Wales' ACL injury leaving her unlikely to feature for most of the season, Courtney Murphy has become a central player at the Bombers. While her Fantasy scoring in the past leaves much to be desired, the No.1 ruck role has rarely been hers alone and Murphy will now have a chance to make the position her own. An average of 50 would see her rise $300k in price, making her an easy money-maker for your side.

Liz McGrath will have to fight for her spot at the Eagles, with Sarah Lakay a strong incumbent to replace. But if McGrath manages to take the mantle of No.1 ruck, she has enormous potential. Her last full season at the VFLW level (in 2022) saw her average 73.5 from 14 games, while her brief debut at Port Adelaide saw her score 75 on debut (ironically against the Eagles).

Forwards

The player movements in the forward line offer some of the most interesting value across all lines. Hannah Ewings is a former Telstra AFLW Rising Star winner that is likely to roam the half-forward line of the Crows, while pinch-hitting through the midfield. A star player as a junior who has taken some time off football, Ewings has a Fantasy scoring pedigree few can match and could easily add 20-25 points of value in 2025.

Taylah Levy is another young half-forward who has switched clubs, hoping to break into the tight midfield rotation at the Giants. Her contested ball winning could result in her becoming the stoppage midfielder swapping with Zarlie Goldsworthy throughout the season.

Paige Scott took a unique approach to reach their club of choice, delisting themselves to ensure they found a new home. But we are glad they did as Scott's physical approach seems to far better suit the Richmond contested game style than the controlled Bombers. Few players give away as many frees as Scott, but with a bit more experience, they could be a breakaway Fantasy scorer in 2025. With some of the classiest ball users in the Richmond midfield and some imposing forwards to crumb from, Scott has the talent and ceiling to add 20 points of value onto their current average.

Several key-position forwards moved clubs in the off-season, with Ariana Hetherington, Louise Stephenson and Bella R. Smith keeping their old roles at new clubs. From this group, Tara Bohanna seems most likely to make the most of her new opportunity. With the Blues' dual ruck set-up resulting in one of Jess Good or Breann Harrington [née Moody] sitting forward at all times, Bohanna might be freed up a little to roam higher up the ground against less stiff defensive opposition. Her terrific contested marking always keeps her in the game, but how she gels with the young midfield core at Carlton could determine if this is an exciting opportunity for Fantasy coaches.

Amber Clarke and Imogen Brown should both feature for their clubs in 2025, though don't expect too much from a Fantasy perspective.

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