We're three rounds into the AFLW season, and there's already a lot to discuss and plenty of surprises. Fremantle have emerged as one of two unbeaten sides in the competition, whilst teams such as Brisbane and GWS have struggled in the opening weeks. I won't even begin to scratch the surface with the whole conference nonsense – I think I don't need to explain what a cock-up that is right now.
But let's focus on the more positive things here. Today I have highlighted eight players who have started season 2019 very strong that they should be considered for their first AFLW All-Australian selection come the end of the year, provided nothing horrible happens to them from here.
Maddy Prespakis It's probably the most obvious of the eight, so I'll get this one out of the way. After just three games in the league, Maddy Prespakis has announced herself as a star of the league. Her game against GWS on the weekend was absolutely stunning, racking up 21 disposals and kicking three goals, proving that she is more than just an accumulator in the middle, having kicked a goal the previous weekend against Adelaide.
Her averages are astonishing as well, averaging 18.3 disposals (Top 10 in the league), six clearances (Top three in the league), 2.3 tackles and 2.3 marks per game in three games this season. With Nina Morrison going down with that knee injury, Prespakis is the hot favourite for the Rising Star right, and I would wager if she kept playing the way she did against the Giants, she'll be a lock in the All-Australian spot as well. Anne Hatchard Not many players have had an impressive start the way Adelaide's Anne Hatchard has. It'll be fair to say that she wasn't exactly a household name in her first two seasons, having averaged six disposals per game in their premiership year and 7.5 disposals per game last year. This year though, she's amongst the competition's leading disposal winners, playing more of a midfield role, whilst playing back up to Jess Foley.
Being amongst the Crows' best in all three games in 2019, Hatchard is averaging 23 disposals per game, which is equal-second in the league, along with 4.7 clearances per game (equal-ninth), four marks per game and 5.3 tackles per game. She is unquestionably one of the game's most improved player's so far this year – whether or not she can maintain this red-hot form towards the end of the season, time will tell.
Ally Anderson
After a breakout 2018 year in which she averaged 18 disposals in a very good Brisbane team, it shouldn't shock anyone to find out that Ally Anderson is continuing to improve. There's a few reasons why this is so – the departures of a few Brisbane players and having a further 12 months to work on her craft are perhaps the two key reasons to why she's having another big year and although she was a bit stiff not to win an All-Australian spot last year, she surely has to be in considerations this year.
So far in the three games that Brisbane has played in 2019, Anderson is averaging 23 disposals per game – which is equal-second in the league – along with 5.7 clearances, 5.3 tackles and 3.7 marks per game. All of those numbers are up on her averages in 2018 and her impact around the ground is very noticeable.
Lauren Pearce
The battle for the number one ruck in the AFLW is set to be an interesting sub-plot in 2019. Right now GWS' Erin McKinnon is leading all women in hitouts, but there are a few that are challenging right now. Melbourne's Lauren Pearce is perhaps the closest challenger of about three or four. Not only is she second to McKinnon in hitouts, but she is the number one ruck in a number of other areas.
Pearce is averaging 22.7 hitouts per game, which are solid numbers, but it's her follow-up efforts that have been the thing that's impressed me the most. She is also averaging 16 disposals, nine contested possessions and six clearances per game, which is the most of any ruck in the league right now. Her performance on the weekend against Brisbane was outstanding, both in ruck contests and in her second and third efforts – she will be one to look out for in the next month.
Ashley Sharp
In amongst trying to find reasons to why Fremantle have started the year so strong, a couple come to mind. The first reason being the obvious change in game-style that coach Trent Cooper brings – he wants fast-paced footy, and it's worked, the Dockers are playing scintillating football at the present time. The second is the improvement from a number of the Dockers who have been on the list for a season or two now.
Ashley Sharp is amongst them, and her form over the first few weeks show that she is so close to bursting out with a big bag of goals. Her pace has burned a handful of opposition defenders this season and is one of seven players sitting a goal behind current leaders Stevie-Lee Thompson and Jess Wuetschner in the leading goal-kicker awards after three games this season.
Jenna Bruton
The former premiership Bulldog Jenna Bruton is enjoying a career year in just her second season in the AFLW. After a solid first season at the Bulldogs, she has boosted her numbers as more of a permanent midfielder in 2019. Not only is she finding the ball more, she's just as tough as anyone in congestion and although she hasn't kicked a goal in North colours this year, she is a more than capable goal-kicker.
In 2019, Bruton is averaging 19.3 disposals – currently sixth in the league – 6.3 tackles per game – which is equal eighth in the league – and 4.7 inside 50s per game – which is equal second in the league – as well as 2.7 clearances and 3.3 marks per game. Alongside Emma Kearney and Jamie Stanton, North's midfield brigade are cruising along quite nicely.
Lauren Spark
I wanted to have a Bulldog on this list, and whilst Katie Brennan hasn't been an All-Australian yet, we all know how talented she is. One person who I don't think has got as much recognition outside the walls of Whitten Oval is Lauren Spark. Last year, she shut down one of the dangerous forwards of the game in Sabrina Frederick-Traub not once, but twice and so far this year, she's showing so much more than being just a lock-down defender.
Her ability to read the play in defence is superb and because of that, she is able to take intercept marks with ease. She set the AFLW record with 11 marks against Adelaide in round one, and since then has been very solid in defence, she is still averaging seven marks per game and is also averaging 10.7 disposals, 1.7 contested marks (equal third in the league) and 2.3 rebound 50s per game.
Ash Brazill
Having played two games for Collingwood in 2018, Ash Brazill has made massive strides in her game so far this year, playing primarily as a key defender. Whilst the Pies' season so far has been nothing shy of miserly, Brazill's development is at least one of a few positives to come out of a Collingwood side that has been ravaged by either injury or departures. I'll even go as far as to say without her impact in defence, Collingwood probably would've copped worse defeats.
Her stats line in 2019 will read that she has averaging 17.3 disposals per game, which is equal 14th in the league. She also averages five rebound 50s per game, which is equal first alongside team mate Stacey Livingstone. Furthermore, she averages three marks, 1.3 contested marks and three tackles per game.