Today is the day for the AFL National Women's Draft which makes it the important day to date since the women's competition was announced.

The Draft will follow a ‘snaking order’ after the first round (the first round will proceed as follows):

1. GWS Giants
2. Brisbane Lions
3. Carlton
4. Fremantle
5. Western Bulldogs
6. Collingwood
7. Adelaide
8. Melbourne

Melbourne has the following selections:-

8, 9, 24, 25, 40, 41, 56, 57, 72, 73, 88, 89, 104, 105, 120, 121, 136, 137, 152

Draft starts at 1pm AEDT. It's a big day for a heap of girls and their families. It's a humble beginning and the wages are minimal, the season is small and the standard might be patchy for a couple of years but the dream is about to become a reality. In 10 years we won't recognise the standard. Hope Melbourne drafts well and from a personal angle, hope I see a few familiar names finally have their dreams realized today.

kinda don't get the draft for the interstate teams - its a state based thing so GWS get NSW/ACT players, Brisbane get QLD players, adelaide SA and FReo get WA players. The only ones who need a draft are the victorian girls to be split up between the 4 vic clubs. all the non selected girls become free agents and can go to the club/state of choice if there are still spots available

How was the draft order determined?

pulled out of a hat

31 minutes ago, jako13 said:

kinda don't get the draft for the interstate teams - its a state based thing so GWS get NSW/ACT players, Brisbane get QLD players, adelaide SA and FReo get WA players. The only ones who need a draft are the victorian girls to be split up between the 4 vic clubs. all the non selected girls become free agents and can go to the club/state of choice if there are still spots available

Not quite that simple. Brisbane Lions, for example, will draft 4 or 5 girls from interstate.

We've drafted Lily Mithen - a great MFC name from the 50s & 60s.

Wonder if she's related?

Coverage on the AFL website of the draft is appalling. How hard is to tell us a bit about the players, such as what position they play and how old they are.

37 minutes ago, poita said:

Coverage on the AFL website of the draft is appalling. How hard is to tell us a bit about the players, such as what position they play and how old they are.

I was thinking the same thing. Figured I'd just wait until tomorrow to see the run downs club by club.

The Draft has been done and dusted with somewhat less fanfare than the men's counterpart but here is the news:-

Giants select pacy Barr with top pick in inaugural AFL Womens Draft

NAB AFL Women's Draft selections

Melbourne's selections

8 Elise O'Dea DAREBIN FALCONS    
9 Deanna Berry MELBOURNE UNI 
24 Richelle Cranston GEELONG     
25 Lauren Pearce DAREBIN FALCONS    
40 Alyssa Mifsud VU WESTERN SPURS
41 Shelley Scott VU WESTERN SPURS 
56 Katherine Smith EASTERN DEVILS     
57 Emma Humphries BURNIE DOCKERS 
72 Stephanie De Bortoli DIAMOND CREEK 
73 Lily Mithen NORTH GEELONG 
88 Ainslie Kemp VU WESTERN SPURS    
89 Mia Rae-Clifford ST KILDA  
104 Brooke Howells DAREBIN    
105 Jessica Anderson MELBOURNE UNI
120 Maddie Boyd NORTH GEELONG    
121 Peppa Randall EASTERN DEVILS
134 Sarah Lampard VU WESTERN SPURS
136 Jasmine Greirson CRANBOURNE    
145 Sarah Jolly GIPPSLAND GALAXY 

Find it interesting how young and raw/inexperienced some of the players drafted were, quite a few I think from the womens equivalent of the under 18 champtionships - definitely drafted from the point of view that the competition is here for the long term and interesting to see how the clubs approached starting teams from scratch through a draft. WJ I think Mithen more chance of being related to Anthony Mithen unfortunately.

I don't know any of the names, but I'll be following this where I can next year. Look forward to getting to know all the players. Will be good to have another Demons team to hang my hat on if the mens team is playing garbage.

Wow! Firstly a Cordner and then a Mithen! Old timers will remember those two names.Our womens team has picked up two big names of the MFC. 

Welcome to the Melbourne Footy Club ladies! I hope to see you holding the inaugural womens AFL trophy in 2017! Sadly I'm in London now, I'll be very interested to see how the AFL manages the competition when it comes to venues and TV coverage, but I urge all Demon fans to get behind the team and get out to some games. 

Hopefully the Demon Army will be as loud and passionate as they are for the men.

A few years ago Demonland sponsored Jasmine Garner. Glad to see she got picked up...unfortunately it was to the Pies! Hoping for a cracking league.

On 12/10/2016 at 3:43 PM, Whispering_Jack said:

We've drafted Lily Mithen - a great MFC name from the 50s & 60s.

Wonder if she's related?

Answering my own question and it's a definite yes!

Mithen name lives on at Melbourne