Essendon has secured talented youngsters Grace Belloni, Holly Ridewood, Taya Chambers and Sophie Strong with their four selections in the 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft.
The Bombers used pick No.9 (courtesy of an earlier trade with St Kilda) to bring in inside midfielder Belloni, long touted as one of the standouts in a stacked talent pool this year.
At 174cm tall, Belloni transitioned from a key forward prospect to become a full-time midfielder with the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League, averaging 20 disposals per game and establishing herself as one of the most consistent players in her class.
Her goalkicking capability has also showed no signs of slowing with her role change, having booted seven goals from three games with Vic Metro in the National Championships.
With their second pick (No.12 overall), the Dons secured Northern Knights Captain Ridewood, a winger/midfielder with notable leadership qualities and a strong leg.
Not afraid to get her hands dirty, Ridewood is still capable of flourishing as an outside player, with her top-notch athletic traits adding versatility to her game.
Averaging 21 disposals per game with the Knights, the 174cm Ridewood also impressed in her three matches with Vic Metro, where she registered averages of 14 touches and nearly four tackles per game.
Overcoming injury concerns in her early years as a footballer after taking up the game in 2020, Ridewood will add an exciting layer of flexibility to the young list.
Chambers was welcomed to the NEC Hangar with pick No.30 from East Fremantle, bringing explosiveness to the squad’s tall defensive stocks.
The WAFL product has shown an ability to float between roles as both a lockdown and rebounding defender in the last few seasons, even as a 15-year-old playing against top-agers back in 2022.
Coming across with big-game experience from multiple WAFL Grand Finals in her bottom-age seasons as well as six games representing the West in the National Championships, the move interstate shapes as a promising one for the teenager.
With pick No.35, Sophie Strong of the Allies and Tasmania Devils found out she’d become a Don.
Often regarded as a high-end talent in this year’s pool off the back of a terrific 2023 campaign, Strong was limited to just two games at Talent League level this year due to multiple ankle injuries.
In those glimpses, Strong’s talent has been evident, with her tenacious pressure and pace making her a danger for opposition defences.
Despite the lack of exposure in her top-age season, the Dons rated what they saw from 2023, where the 166cm Strong impressed from her 10 matches with the Devils.
