Senior Coach Trent Cooper has reflected on a strong haul for Fremantle in Wednesday night’s 2022 NAB AFLW Draft, with five players added to the list.

A mix of footballers able to make an instant impact and longer-term prospects are amongst the group, with Fremantle also looking to capitalise on drafting some mature-aged picks late in the draft.

Madi Scanlon (pick 27), Tara Stribley (59), Megan Kauffman (77), Amy Mulholland (83), and Tahlia Read (85) now call themselves Freo Dockers.

“We were really happy that Madi Scanlon was available at pick 27, and we think she is a great character and can really add to our team both with that character and in the way that she plays her footy,” Cooper said.

“Her scope for improvement is also big, given she is still relatively new to footy.

“With the backend of the draft, we were looking for a few players who could add some value straight away and were a bit older.

“Amy Mulholland and Megan Kauffman, who both came through different pathways, are players that we think are really capable, and also have a fair bit of improvement within them.

“Finally, we then were able to bring in a couple of younger ones in Tara Stribley and Tahlia Read who we think are definitely capable of playing this year but could also develop into longer-term prospects for us.”

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Aside from Victorian-based Read, the draftees were welcomed in at the Club on Thursday night and introduced to their new teammates, with an aim to join full training from next week.

In what is quickly shaping as a big week for Scanlon, the 20-year-old will be hoping to cap off her draft dream with a WAFLW Grand Final victory this weekend.

Her Claremont side take on East Fremantle in the biggest game on the WAFLW calendar at Claremont Oval on Saturday, with Scanlon enjoying impressive form in the lead-up to finals.

“Madi’s focus is rightfully on the WAFLW Grand Final this weekend, so we’re looking forward to seeing how she performs,” Cooper said.

“It’s perfect for her as preparation for the AFLW, to play in a high-pressure game like the grand final this weekend.

“She will probably feel a bit of pressure on her and there’s no better way to learn the game than to play under pressure so, hopefully it goes well, and she gets the result she is after.

“We think it will also hold her in good stead when she makes her debut at AFLW level, hopefully later this year.”

Draft pick 27 - Madi Scanlon
Draft pick 59 - Tara Stribley
Draft pick 77 - Megan Kauffman
Draft pick 83 - Amy Mulholland
Draft pick 85 - Tahlia Read