FOTU, BAZELEY, McNAUGHTON, MORGAN

Credit to Peter Williams (Rookie Me)

BACK for another year, Rookie Me Central’s 24 to Watch in 2024 returns and this year, the focus is on underage players, being those who are yet to have an AFLW Draft chance.

For the list of 2024, it will range between players who are predominantly 2006 (top-age) and 2007-born talents likely to take the WAFL Women’s by storm or set themselves up for the future.

Note: The list is the opinion of the author and was difficult to restrict to just 24 names.

Alira Fotu

Fotu is yet to taste senior level football, and it is understandable with the South Bunbury prospect still quite raw and only managing the six Rogers Cup games in 2023. Last season would have been the first year she was technically able to play seniors, but instead averaged two goals a game for South Fremantle at junior level.

Her consistency when on-field is undoubted, coming into the side in Round 12 and kicking three goals against Perth, the first of four games that feature multiple majors. She kicked at least one in each of her games, and stretching back to 2022, Fotu has managed a goal in 10 of her last 11 matches. Throughout her 18-game Rogers Cup, Fotu kicked three bags of four goals and a further three hauls of three majors.

Focusing in on her Rogers Cup Grand Final performance, Fotu was one of her side’s best, applying all the traits that suggest she could develop into a really exciting prospect. Among her best attributes are her outstanding vertical leap, nice athleticism and clean hands at ground level for a 178cm player.

Fotu projects as a forward who can also spend time through the middle and use her size to full advantage. She is creative inside 50 and can set up her teammates, and though her composure is an area she can further develop, there is little doubt she has the tools to take her game to another level as a bottom-ager in 2024 and hopefully can feature at senior level.

Jasmine Bazeley

Coming in as the first top-ager in our countdown, South Fremantle 17-year-old Jasmine Bazeley is next up in our 24 to Watch in 2024. Getting a good taste of League action last season, Bazeley was able to run out for the Bulldogs in their grand final defeat to West Perth at Rogers Cup level, being one of the better players for the red and whites on the day.

Bazeley is an interesting prospect who ended up playing five games at WAFL Women’s level, and showing promising signs for the future. Though not included in the West Australian State Academy last season, she was added to the Summer squad after a consistent year through Rogers Cup, and her stint at League level. Her season was capped off by sharing the Bulldogs’ Rogers Cup Best and Fairest award.

Unlike the others so far on this list, Bazeley is a 2006-born player so a top-ager in 2024. She would hope to crack into the senior side early and play the bulk of her matches there in order to remain in draft contention. She has some nice traits, and though she found it tougher to have time and space and senior level, can use her left foot to advantage, and provide some run.

Bazeley loves to take the game on and get the ball forward, and with her five-game experience at senior level in 2023, the then bottom-ager will have learnt plenty for the year ahead. Given South Fremantle will again be a contender for the WAFL Women’s flag, spots will be competitive, but Bazeley has a nice balance of offensive and defensive traits to hold her in good stead.

At senior level, Bazeley averaged 9.0 disposals, 1.2 marks 1.0 inside 50s and impressively, 6.2 tackles. She showed she is willing to get her hands dirty, and use her speed and determination to advantage. In the preliminary final loss to Claremont, Bazeley laid a whopping 12 tackles, but also had a 17-disposal game against Subiaco in Round 15 showing she can find the ball.

Looking ahead to 2024, Bazeley looms as a future midfielder in the making who can play off a wing or on the inside because of her eye-catching traits. If she can establish herself in the League side and use her gifts to advantage, it will go a long way in her top-age season.

Noa McNaughton

South Fremantle pocket rocket Noa McNaughton managed to play out a strong season off the back of an injury-interrupted 2022. Playing 14 games at WAFL Women’s level, and then all three games for the Sandgropers at the national carnival, McNaughton averaged a goal a game across the competitions.

McNaughton has an array of traits that catch the eye when playing inside 50. The South Fremantle small forward is clever and agile, able to get into the right spots and do a lot of damage on the scoreboard. In 2023, McNaughton kicked 16 goals in 14 games from 9.9 disposals, while also laying the 2.4 tackles for the year.

Providing immense pressure at ground level, McNaughton knows where the big sticks are, and once goalside is hard to stop. She can kick some incredible goals from various angles and even graduated to midfield minutes last season. In 2024, McNaughton will likely still predominantly play as a forward, but has the potential to push up into the midfield.

While having the nous around the ball and in front of goal, improving her one-touch ability at ground level will be an area she can take her game to another level, as well as her defensive elements. But when it comes to offensive abilities, McNaughton is as damaging as anyone else inside the forward 50. She is not afraid to take grass, and even when under pressure, she finds space for herself to dispose of the ball cleanly.

Now a top-ager, McNaughton is ready to take her game to another level. While she is currently out with a toe injury, she will be still looking to make an impression early in the season for the Bulldogs, and then the Sandgropers side.

Renee Morgan

From the moment Morgan stepped up from Rogers Cup level to the WAFL Women’s, it was evident the South Fremantle midfielder would have no issues adapting. She racked up 23 disposals on debut and provided plenty of defensive pressure to far more experienced and stronger opponents. Able to win the ball on the inside and outside, Morgan has a lot of weapons from which to hurt the opposition.

Morgan ended up averaging 18.8 disposals, 3.5 marks and 7.5 tackles across her six WAFL Women’s games, before returning to the Rogers Cup to run out for the Bulldogs’ grand final side. Though her team ultimately went down, Morgan still showed her class as one of her side’s best afield, and was able to enjoy more time and space than at senior level.

At national level, Morgan picked up 20 disposals, six clearances and three inside 50s as a well as a goal in 60-point win over Vic Country at Arden Street, before finishing off her Under 16 Championships with a 15-disposal, three-mark, four-tackle and four-rebound 50 performance largely coming out of defence.

The major element of Morgan’s game is her ball use off either side and is more than capable of stepping around opponents with ease. She can get forward and hit the scoreboard, but is so strong through the middle that she can win it at the coalface or get to the outside and have an impact there. The fact she is a balanced played between her skill and pressure makes her such a valuable talent for the future.