The AFLW All-Australian and Rising Star panels have been announced
General Manager of the AFLW Emma Moore speaks on stage during the 2025 NAB AFL Women’s Season Launch at CIEL. Picture: AFL Photos
THE AFL is pleased to announce inaugural AFLW player and the Brisbane Lions’ 2017 leading goalkicker, Kate McCarthy, has joined the AFLW All Australian panel ahead of the 2025 NAB AFLW Premiership Season.
McCarthy, who was named in the 2017 AFLW All Australian Team, played 42 games across seven seasons with the Lions, St Kilda and Hawthorn and now plays a key role in the media bringing the stories of the competition to life.
Esteemed AFL Media reporter Michael Whiting, who has been covering the game for more than 15 years, has also joined the panel to provide his expert insights along with AFL Executive General Manager of Football Performance, Greg Swann.
McCarthy, Whiting and Swann join Andrew Dillon (Chair), Laura Kane, Erin Phillips, Megan Waters, Gemma Bastiani, Katie Loynes, Jason Bennett and Eliza Reilly on the 11-member committee.
With the new trio joining the panel, the AFL would like to thank three former members who are retiring from their role on the AFLW All Australian panel – Kelli Underwood, Sarah Black and Narelle Smith.
As a Fox Footy commentator who has been broadcasting since the league began, Underwood has served nine seasons on the panel while Black – who has also covered the competition since its inception – retires after six seasons alongside women’s footy pioneer, Smith (four seasons).
The AFLW All Australian panel selects the All Australian squad and team, votes on the 2025 Medibank AFLW Mark of the Year, the 2025 NAB AFLW Goal of the Year and selects the Telstra AFLW Rising Star.
General Manager of AFLW Emma Moore, who will sit in as an observer, welcomed McCarthy and Whiting to the AFLW All Australian panel and thanked the three retiring members.
“On behalf of the AFL, I’d like to sincerely thank Kelli, Sarah and Narelle for their outstanding service on the AFLW All Australian panel over a number of years – their dedication, knowledge and passion for the game is inspiring,” Moore said.
“As a former AFLW footballer who played nearly 50 games in the competition and won an All-Australian blazer herself, it’s wonderful to have Kate join the panel ahead of this milestone season. Reflecting on the nine seasons and as the league grows, adding retired AFLW players to the panel will continue to help shape the game and its legacy.
“Michael has an incredible experience covering footy in his role at AFL Media and has been up close to the action of the AFLW in Queensland since the inception of the Lions and Suns teams. He’ll bring another perspective and difference experience.
“All of our new panel members bring a tremendous amount of insight and expertise and we look forward to seeing the players put on a show this season – no doubt it will be a tough year to judge the competition’s best across All Australian, the Medibank AFLW Mark of the Year, NAB AFLW Goal of the Year and the Telstra AFLW Rising Star.”
The AFL has also confirmed the weekly Telstra AFLW Rising Star selection panel for the 2025 NAB AFLW Premiership Season.
Laura Kane, Erin Phillips, Gemma Bastiani, Kevin Sheehan and Lou Caluzzi will nominate one player each week for the 2025 Telstra AFLW Rising Star award.
At the conclusion of the 2025 NAB AFLW Season, the AFLW All Australian panel will vote on the five best-performed nominees based on their performance throughout the season.
2025 Telstra AFLW Rising Star Eligibility
The player must be under 21 years of age as of 1 January 2025 and played 10 or fewer games before Round 1 of the 2025 NAB AFLW Season.
Must not be a previous winner of the Telstra AFLW Rising Star award.
For each round during the NAB AFLW Home and Away season, the Telstra AFLW Rising Star Nomination Panel will select one eligible player as the Telstra AFLW Rising Star nominee for that round (Rising Star Nominees).
When several players are judged to have played at a reasonably similar level, performances across the season are then taken into account.
The priority is to have the best-performed 12 players nominated by the end of the season for consideration for the overall award. Therefore, in later weeks, year-to-date performances will be allocated increasing weight relative to performances in the round.
The AFLW All Australian panel will then select the Telstra AFLW Rising Star Award winner from the group of Rising Star nominees in accordance with the AFL Regulations.
The AFLW All Australian Panel:
Andrew Dillon, AFL CEO (Chair)
Laura Kane, AFL Executive General Manger of Football Operations
Greg Swann, AFL Executive General Manger of Football Performance
Gemma Bastiani, AFLW Expert (AFL.com.au)
Jason Bennett, Channel Seven Commentator
Katie Loynes, Former AFLW Carlton Captain
Kate McCarthy, Former player and Channel Seven
Erin Phillips OAM, Former player (Adelaide/Port Adelaide) and AFL Performance Lead
Eliza Reilly, Media (CODE)
Megan Waters, Media (Fox Footy)
Michael Whiting, AFL Media (AFL.com.au)
The 2025 Telstra AFLW Rising Star Panel:
Laura Kane, AFL Executive General Manager of Football Operations
Erin Phillips OAM, dual AFLW Best and Fairest
Gemma Bastiani, AFLW Expert
Kevin Sheehan, AFL Talent AmbassadorÂ
Lou Caluzzi, AFL Player Movement & Projects Manager