WITH limited salary cap space to pick the top AFLW Fantasy players, selecting the best rookie-priced players can be crucial to a successful season.

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Importantly, what should be considered a "rookie price player"? For the Free Kick team, we've needed to take an approach that is different for the different positions.

For the defenders, midfielders and rucks, it is $350,000. However, for the forwards, where there are barely any options below $300,000, we have flexed that number up, somewhere closer to $400,000.

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Defenders

Zoe Wakfer (West Coast, $280,000)
Practice match stats: 90 Fantasy points, 22 disposals, eight marks, two tackles, 15 intercept possessions, 75% ToG

West Coast has delivered plenty of rookie success stories for Fantasy coaches in recent years, and 2026 looks like it will be no exception. If the practice game was anything to go by, Wakfer has taken big steps in the off-season in her development as an intercepting key defender. She took eight marks on the day, and collected an impressive 15 intercept possessions to form an impassable combination with fellow defender Georgie Cleaver. With Charlotte Thomas moving up the field this season, Wakfer has the opportunity to stamp herself as a key part of the West Coast defensive line up. Ordinarily, the concern would be the propensity of Wakfer to play a lockdown role - a notably poor role for Fantasy - but with Cleaver always taking the primary key forward, Wakfer should have enough opportunity to peel off and play her own game as needed.

Evie Cowcher (Geelong, $250,000)
Practice match stats: 46 Fantasy points, 16 disposals, three marks, nine intercept possessions, five rebound 50s, 74% ToG

One of Mick Stinear's first tasks as the new coach at Geelong was to fix a leaky defensive unit, and it looks like Geelong has brought in a handy player with its first pick of the national draft. Cowcher is a terrific intercept defender and great aerial ability, who looked at home in her practice game against Brisbane. Cowcher led the Cats for intercept possessions and rebound 50s, while also collecting 16 disposals on her way to 46 Fantasy points. She may be a slow burn compared to a few of the others on this list, but Cowcher has great role security and will only grow in confidence as the season rolls on. She is worth backing in to start the season among a thin pool of rookie defenders.

Violet Patterson (Collingwood, $296,000)
Practice match stats: 65 Fantasy points, 12 disposals, five marks, five tackles, 90% ToG

Playing most of last season on the wing, the switch to half-back during the practice match against the Eagles came as a bit of a surprise. But Patterson looked at home in the role, as her speed and aggressiveness made her a natural defender. She managed to lay five tackles throughout the game, while also spreading hard to take five uncontested marks as the Pies transitioned out of defence. It remains a little unclear where Collingwood will prefer to play Patterson this season, but there is certainly upside in the fact that coach Sam Wright is trying to find new ways to leverage the talents of this hard running athlete. Notably, Patterson went at 66.7 per cent disposal efficiency, which was among the best for Collingwood's under-pressure defenders.

Charlotte Brewer (Collingwood, $200,000)
Practice match stats: 74 Fantasy points, 20 disposals, two marks, six tackles, 100% ToG

It is hard to find anyone in the AFLW who plays every single minute of a match. It is even rarer for one of those players to be a rookie. That is what Brewer did in the Pies' practice match vs the Eagles. Her solid Fantasy score, experience in the Collingwood VFLW program, and with the dearth of basement-priced options in defence, make this Collingwood winger an extremely intriguing option to start in your side this season. 

Also consider: Natasha Entwistle (West Coast, $200,000), Mikaylah Antony (Hawthorn, $200,000), Olivia Crane (Port Adelaide, $200,000), Georgia Stubs (Richmond, $200,000)

Midfielders

Sunny Lappin (Gold Coast, $285,000)
Practice match stats: 62 Fantasy points, 18 disposals, three marks, two tackles, two clearances, 69% ToG

Lappin ticks all the boxes for an AFLW Fantasy rookie. High draft pick? Tick! She was drafted at pick No.4 of the 2025 draft, so the Suns have made the draft investment in her success. Junior scoring pedigree? TICK! On her rise from projected second-round pick to top-five option, Lappin averaged 96 ppg on 25 disposals and nearly five marks and five tackles. Role? Tick! She had the role in the practice match, playing the entire game as an inside midfielder.

Chloe Bown (Adelaide, $280,000)
Practice match stats: 83 Fantasy points, 19 disposals, four marks, two tackles, two goals, 65% ToG

Without labouring the point, Bown has all the same ticks as Sunny Lappin on the rookie checklist. Her scoring as a junior is better than Lappin's, but she will be playing in a more experienced side in 2025 with more competition for spots. She hasn't put a foot wrong in the pre-season however, and excelled in the practice match vs the Saints.

Lily Quigley (Gold Coast, $200,000)
Practice match stats: 82 Fantasy points, 17 disposals, five marks, two goals, three clearances, 71% ToG

Quigley made history in May as the first player to be drafted in the AFLW's inaugural pre-season draft. She has an elite turn of pace, and showed just how dangerous she could be against the Blues in their practice game. Quigley was everywhere along the wing, collecting 17 disposals and finding plenty of space, going on to kick two of the Suns' three goals on the day. The Suns have been adding more dynamic play into their ball movement recently - Niamh McLaughlin's move into the midfield mix a prime example - so you can bet Rhyce Shaw is excited by what he has uncovered here. At basement price, Quigley has plenty of money to make in 2026 and is a handy pick to fill out your midfield bench.

Also consider: Mia Anderson (Fremantle, $200,000), Mia Russo (West Coast, $205,000), Imogen Brown (Sydney, $200,000), Lauren Clifton (Melbourne, $200,000), Jordyn Allen (Melbourne, $225,000), Sophie Eaton (Port Adelaide, $220,000), Ava Usher (Gold Coast, $270,000), Juliet Kelly (Adelaide, $200,000), Kiera Yerbury (GWS, $290,000), Maggie Johnstone (Essendon, $255,000), Marlo Graham (Brisbane, $200,000)

Rucks

Georja Davies (Gold Coast, $260,000)
Practice match stats: 86 Fantasy points, 16 disposals, seven marks, six tackles, 85% ToG

The Gold Coast's amazing draft haul from last season continues to deliver with another handy rookie in our ruck lines. Davies looked at home in a defensive post at the Suns, collecting seven marks and 16 disposals against the Blues. Her height gives her added flexibility on field as well, moving into the ruck at times to keep her in the contest. Rhyce Shaw has experimented with the gameplan over the past year, and the added kick-mark game at the Suns is a handy boon for Davies' early scoring potential. Tall defenders can be somewhat inconsistent in their scoring, but those who ignored Havana Harris last season for similar reasons were left wanting once she started tearing it up early in 2025. Sometimes you have to trust the scoring and hope for a pop score early to start the quick cash flow.

Jacinta Hose (Melbourne, $200,000)
Practice match stats: 50 Fantasy points, 12 disposals, three tackles, nine hitouts, 76% ToG

The return of Jacinta Hose is one of the better feelgood stories in the AFLW this year, recovering from two ACL injuries and a major back surgery in recent years. The Demons are quite bullish on the 20-year-old, particularly her leap and how she can impact under the new ruck rules. As such, the ruck role appears to be hers to start the season, even accounting for the injured Lauren Pearce. She will have support from fellow talls Tayla Harris, Georgia Gall and Mia Austin as she manages the ruck load but her 76 per cent time on ground in the practice match was a promising start. Facing down the indomitable Matilda Scholz in her first game back, Hose battled valiantly to help the Dees break even in the midfield across the day and collect 12 disposals on her way to 50 Fantasy points. Given her average opponent will be a little more forgiving, that is a very handy floor from which Hose can build her scores and develop her game as the season wears on.

Paige Price (Gold Coast, $200,000)
Practice match stats: 45 Fantasy points, 12 disposals, two clearances, eight hitouts, 66% ToG

Sandwiched between Havana Harris up forward and Georja Davies in defence, and with more experienced ruck Darcy Davies only a few weeks away from returning from a hamstring injury, Paige Price certainly has competition for her ruck spot in 2026. However, Price is coming off a fantastic season in the VFLW for the Box Hill Hawks, where she averaged 32.2 hitouts and 89.3 Fantasy points. Price is a fierce competitor who has earned her spot in the team, and can impact well around the ground with her tackling pressure. The main concern is how much time she will spend on the ground - the Gold Coast will certainly want to get Harris around the ball as often as possible and give exposure to their young Academy stars, which may come at the cost of Price's minutes.

Also consider: Josephine Bamford (Collingwood, $200,000), Maddie Quinn Sydney, $215,000), Jasmeen Yanschek (GWS, $200,000), Maisy Evans (GWS, $200,000)

Forwards

Lauren Young (Port Adelaide, $389,000)
Practice match stats: 87 Fantasy points, 18 disposals, nine marks, three tackles, five score involvements, 78% ToG

Young is the real reason we are breaking the salary cap rules on forward rookies in this article, because this three-gamer is one of the most important players to consider this season. After a rough run with injury, this talented youngster has finally had an injury-free pre-season and looks ready to showcase the incredible talent we saw in her junior footy career. For those that need reminding from last year's rookie bible, Young was the SANFLW's Best & Fairest Award Winner at just 15 years old, as well as the South Australian MVP and All-Australian in the Under-19 National Championships. In the practice match against Melbourne, Young played a high half-forward role that allowed her to become a key outlet for the Power. Using her height and strength, Young took nine marks on her way to 87 Fantasy points and was involved in plenty of forward scoring chains. Not only is Young looking like a great money maker this season, she is also presenting as a fairly reliable player to start on field.

Ella Slocombe (West Coast, $328,000)
Practice match stats: 60 Fantasy points, 16 disposals, five tackles, three score involvements, 76% ToG

The only thing more difficult than beating North Melbourne in the AFLW, is breaking into the best 21. Slocombe only managed to do so once in her first two seasons on the list, but looks primed to be given a spot on the wing for the Eagles. With such a well-rounded transition game pushed by Daisy Pearce, wings consistently score in the 50s, which is more than enough for Slocombe to hold a spot in our forward lines. 

Mia Austin (Melbourne, $362,000)
Practice match stats: 94 Fantasy points, nine disposals, three marks, 11 tackles, seven hitouts, 80% ToG

Austin struggled for regular games at Carlton last season among a busy forward mix, but her arrival at the Demons seemed perfect timing following the departure of superstar forward Eden Zanker. Moreover, Austin wasted no time in making an impression early at the Demons, bringing the pressure to the Power with 11 tackles in their practice game. Alongside seven hitouts, Austin played a handy role as a lead-up forward and back-up ruck - a role she will have to fight hard for throughout the 2026 season. Her scoring ceiling in the role is enormous, with her 94 Fantasy points suggesting she could be incredible value this year. But upon the return of Tayla Harris and Georgia Gall to the side in Melbourne's final match simulation of the pre-season, Austin's role was relegated back to just a forward. How much the Demons want to play their best forward in Tayla Harris in the middle this year will be an interesting question, and influence Austin's potential as a money maker. Austin is certainly a strong candidate to consider in the forward line though, and monitor as the season progresses.

Also consider: Keeley Skepper (West Coast, $357,000), Mischa Barwin (Collingwood, $200,000), Imogen Trengove (Collingwood, $265,000), Jovie Skewes-Clinton (West Coast, $200,000), Charlotte Riggs (West Coast, $350,000), Lavinia Cox (Hawthorn, $200,000), Amy Gavin Mangan (North Melbourne, $392,000), Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner (North Melbourne, $261,000), Emily Gough (Essendon, $232,000), Emelia Yassir (Richmond, $325,000), Montana Beruldsen (Richmond, $321,000),

Warning!

To the 15 per cent of Fantasy coaches that still have Scarlett Johnson (GWS, DEF, $295,000) in their teams, she has torn her ACL and won't be playing in 2026.

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