Next-gen stars to ignite AFLW season 10<\/a><\/p>\nJenna Bruton, Ash Riddell and Jasmine Garner of the Kangaroos celebrate with the 2024 premiership cup. Picture: Dylan Burns\/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
The majority of tipsters also believe the two South Australian clubs \u2014 the Crows and the Power \u2014 would make the finals in 2025.<\/p>\n
Both Adelaide (three-time premiers) and Port Adelaide reached the preliminary final stage last season, only to go down to the Lions and Kangaroos respectively.<\/p>\n
After consecutive bottom-four finishes, the Power were the big improvers last season under coach Lauren Arnell, who\u2019ll again lead a young, exciting Port list.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe (Arnell) is really introspective, she drives high standards and she\u2019s got a brilliant football mind,\u201d Kurdas said. \u201cShe has certain expectations and standards that give players really good structure.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think younger players really lap up what Lauren\u2019s got to offer and she\u2019s an incredible teacher of young people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Geelong and Sydney were both widely tipped to jump back into the top eight after missing out on finals last season.<\/p>\n
At the other end of the ladder, three pundits tipped the GWS Giants to finish on the bottom of the ladder \u2014 although the \u2018wooden spoon race\u2019 seems wide open this year.<\/p>\n
Yet Kurdas can see the Giants climbing up the ladder this year if they can improve their work at the coalface.<\/p>\n
AFLW launches season 10 at Marvel | 00:56<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like the big improvers out of last year\u2019s bottom 10 are the Swans, Geelong and, potentially, the Giants,\u201d Kurdas said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the Giants can play contested ball like we now know they can, I would say we\u2019d see a lift from them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen there\u2019s Sydney and Geelong. I feel like Geelong finishing 10th last year, it just felt wrong \u2026 Keep in mind they were the only team to take points off of North Melbourne last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
After years of being snubbed by umpires, four pundits are backing North Melbourne superstar Jasmine Garner to break through and claim her first AFLW best and fairest award. Garner, who was named best-afield in last year\u2019s grand final triumph for her 35-disposal, 10-clearance performance, has been named captain of North Melbourne for its premiership defence after flag-winning skipper Emma Kearney stepped down.<\/p>\n
As for this year\u2019s Rising Star, it\u2019s a race between three top-five picks from last year: Collingwood\u2019s Ash Centra (Pick 1), Gold Coast\u2019s Havana Harris (Pick 2) and Sydney\u2019s Zippy Fish (Pick 5).<\/p>\n
The top 6 of the 2024 AFLW draft: Poppy Scholz of the Blues, Sara Howley of the Giants, Havana Harris of the Suns, Ash Centra of the Magpies, Molly O’Hehir of the Demons and Zippy Fish of the Swans. Picture: Quinn Rooney\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Kurdas described Centra as \u201ca beautiful footballer\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe reminds me of a cross between a Jenna Bruton and a Kirby Bentley \u2014 she can dance a little bit like Kirby and she has all the time in the world like Jenna,\u201d Kurdas said.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s played a lot of country footy with the boys growing up, but the challenge now is as the No.1 draft pick, what\u2019s the expectation?<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom all reports she\u2019s an incredibly humble person and had worker, which will hold her in good stead. But there\u2019s a lot of expectation that goes with Collingwood and going to the lowest-finishing team, so what\u2019s going to be the pressure on her being the \u2018saviour\u2019 of the club? How does she manage that and how does the club manage the narrative around that?\u201d<\/p>\n
FINAL TALLIES (11 experts surveyed)<\/p>\n
To play finals <\/p>\n
11 (of 11) \u2014 Brisbane Lions, North Melbourne, Hawthorn<\/p>\n
10 \u2014 Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
9 \u2014 Port Adelaide<\/p>\n
8 \u2014 Geelong Cats, Sydney Swans<\/p>\n
6 \u2014 Fremantle<\/p>\n
5 \u2014 Melbourne, Richmond<\/p>\n
2 \u2014 West Coast Eagles<\/p>\n
1 \u2014 Carlton, St Kilda<\/p>\n
Premiers<\/p>\n
5 (of 11) \u2014 North Melbourne<\/p>\n
3 \u2014 Brisbane Lions, Hawthorn<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon<\/p>\n
3 (of 11) \u2014 GWS Giants<\/p>\n
2 \u2014 Collingwood, Gold Coast Suns, West Coast Eagles<\/p>\n
1 \u2014 St Kilda, Western Bulldogs<\/p>\n
AFLW best and fairest<\/p>\n
4 (of 11) \u2014 Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
2 \u2014 Emily Bates (Hawthorn), Ash Riddell (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
1 \u2014 Kate Hore (Melbourne), Ella Roberts (West Coast Eagles), Matilda Scholz (Port Adelaide)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker<\/p>\n
3 (of 11) \u2014 Aisling Moloney (Geelong Cats)<\/p>\n
2 \u2014 Taylor Smith (Brisbane Lions)<\/p>\n
1 \u2014 Aileen Gilroy (Hawthorn), Caitlin Gould (Adelaide Crows), Aine McDonagh (Hawthorn), Alice O\u2019Loughlin (North Melbourne), Danielle Ponter (Adelaide Crows), Kate Shierlaw (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Rising Star<\/p>\n
5 (of 11) \u2014 Havana Harris (Gold Coast Suns)<\/p>\n
4 \u2014 Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)<\/p>\n
2 \u2014 Ash Centra (Collingwood)<\/p>\n
Molloy reveals mental toll of ACL injury | 03:01<\/p>\n
FOX FOOTY CRYSTAL BALL: EXPERTS\u2019 FULL 2025 AFLW PREDICTIONS<\/p>\n
SARAH BURT<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. North Melbourne <\/p>\n
2. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
3. Adelaide Crows <\/p>\n
4. Geelong Cats<\/p>\n
5. Port Adelaide <\/p>\n
6. Hawthorn <\/p>\n
7. Sydney Swans<\/p>\n
8. Melbourne<\/p>\n
Premiers: North Melbourne<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: West Coast Eagles<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Alice O\u2019Loughlin (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Ash Centra (Collingwood)<\/p>\n
STEPH CLARKSON<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. North Melbourne<\/p>\n
2. Hawthorn<\/p>\n
3. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
4. Sydney Swans<\/p>\n
5. Geelong Cats<\/p>\n
6. Carlton<\/p>\n
7. Port Adelaide<\/p>\n
8. Richmond<\/p>\n
Premiers: North Melbourne<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: St Kilda<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Caitlin Gould (Adelaide Crows)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Havana Harris (Gold Coast Suns)<\/p>\n
HANNAH DAVIES<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. North Melbourne<\/p>\n
2. Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
3. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
4. Hawthorn<\/p>\n
5. Fremantle<\/p>\n
6. Geelong Cats<\/p>\n
7. St Kilda<\/p>\n
8. West Coast Eagles<\/p>\n
Premiers: Hawthorn<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: GWS Giants<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Emily Bates (Hawthorn)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Taylor Smith (Brisbane Lions)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Havana Harris (Gold Coast Suns)<\/p>\n
DANIEL HARFORD<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
2. North Melbourne<\/p>\n
3. Hawthorn<\/p>\n
4. Geelong Cats<\/p>\n
5. Melbourne<\/p>\n
6. Port Adelaide<\/p>\n
7. Sydney Swans<\/p>\n
8. Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
Premiers: Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: Gold Coast Suns<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Ash Riddell (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Aileen Gilroy (Hawthorn)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)<\/p>\n
CHYLOE KURDAS<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. North Melbourne<\/p>\n
2. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
3. Hawthorn<\/p>\n
4. Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
5. Geelong Cats<\/p>\n
6. Port Adelaide<\/p>\n
7. Fremantle <\/p>\n
8. Sydney Swans<\/p>\n
Premiers: North Melbourne<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: Collingwood <\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Emily Bates (Hawthorn)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Kate Shierlaw (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Havana Harris (Gold Coast Suns)<\/p>\n
WILL SCHOFIELD<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
2. North Melbourne<\/p>\n
3. Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
4. Hawthorn<\/p>\n
5. Port Adelaide<\/p>\n
6. Richmond<\/p>\n
7. West Coast Eagles<\/p>\n
8. Fremantle<\/p>\n
Premiers: Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: Gold Coast Suns<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Ella Roberts (West Coast Eagles)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Taylor Smith (Brisbane Lions)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)<\/p>\n
KELLI UNDERWOOD<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. Brisbane Lions <\/p>\n
2. Hawthorn<\/p>\n
3. North Melbourne<\/p>\n
4. Sydney Swans<\/p>\n
5. Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
6. Port Adelaide<\/p>\n
7. Richmond<\/p>\n
8. Geelong Cats <\/p>\n
Premiers: Hawthorn<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: GWS Giants<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Matilda Scholz (Port Adelaide)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Aine McDonagh (Hawthorn)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)<\/p>\n
MEGAN WATERS<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. North Melbourne<\/p>\n
2. Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
3. Hawthorn<\/p>\n
4. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
5. Richmond<\/p>\n
6. Fremantle<\/p>\n
7. Melbourne<\/p>\n
8. Sydney Swans<\/p>\n
Premiers: North Melbourne<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: GWS Giants<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Aisling Moloney (Geelong Cats)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)<\/p>\n
BEN WATERWORTH<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. North Melbourne<\/p>\n
2. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
3. Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
4. Port Adelaide<\/p>\n
5. Hawthorn<\/p>\n
6. Geelong Cats<\/p>\n
7. Sydney Swans<\/p>\n
8. Fremantle<\/p>\n
Premiers: Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: Collingwood<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Ash Riddell (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Danielle Ponter (Adelaide Crows)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Havana Harris (Gold Coast Suns)<\/p>\n
JESS WEBSTER<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. North Melbourne<\/p>\n
2. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
3. Hawthorn <\/p>\n
4. Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
5. Fremantle<\/p>\n
6. Port Adelaide <\/p>\n
7. Melbourne <\/p>\n
8. Sydney Swans<\/p>\n
Premiers: Hawthorn<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: Western Bulldogs<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Kate Hore (Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Aisling Moloney (Geelong Cats)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Havana Harris (Gold Coast Suns)<\/p>\n
LAUREN WOOD<\/p>\n
Top 8<\/p>\n
1. North Melbourne <\/p>\n
2. Adelaide Crows<\/p>\n
3. Brisbane Lions<\/p>\n
4. Hawthorn<\/p>\n
5. Geelong Cats<\/p>\n
6. Richmond<\/p>\n
7. Port Adelaide<\/p>\n
8. Melbourne<\/p>\n
Premiers: North Melbourne<\/p>\n
Wooden Spoon: West Coast Eagles<\/p>\n
AFLW Best and Fairest: Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne)<\/p>\n
Leading goalkicker: Aisling Moloney (Geelong Cats)<\/p>\n
Rising Star: Ash Centra (Collingwood)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Happy Christmas, AFLW fans. Round 1 of season seven has arrived \u2014 and the hot pre-season takes and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66455,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[9126,638,64,63,689,55,639,3423,52779,52786,3237,52774,50272,4876,52777,52769,52785,52781,52776,52767,52763,52782,13659,2105,2485,9130,52780,52766,52778,45595,52775,52770,52771,647,52772,677,6082,52783,25564,52768,52764,701,52765,52773,1124,85,1122,7200,38567,660,7067,698,11103,38435,52784],"class_list":["post-66454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-adelaide-crows","tag-afl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-ben-waterworth","tag-bold-expert-verdict","tag-brilliant-football-mind","tag-brisbane-lions","tag-caitlin-gould","tag-coast-eagles","tag-commentary-team","tag-consecutive-bottom-four-finishes","tag-crystal-ball","tag-crystal-ball-tips","tag-crystal-balls","tag-ella-roberts","tag-emma-kearney","tag-footy-pioneer","tag-fox-footy-crystal","tag-geelong-cats","tag-getty-images-inc","tag-gold-coast","tag-gold-coast-suns","tag-havana-harris","tag-jasmine-garner","tag-jess-webster","tag-kate-hore","tag-launches-season","tag-lauren-arnell","tag-leading-goalkicker","tag-melbourne","tag-mental-toll","tag-oceania","tag-port-adelaide","tag-preliminary-final-stage","tag-premiership-cup","tag-premiership-defence","tag-premiership-winner","tag-queensland","tag-reigning-premiers","tag-snubbed-star","tag-south-australia","tag-sports","tag-st-kilda","tag-sydney-swans","tag-taylor-smith","tag-victoria","tag-west-coast-eagles","tag-western-bulldogs","tag-wooden-spoon","tag-wooden-spoon-race","tag-zippy-fish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66454"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66454\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}