LOL @ Grok. I honestly don’t know if some of these best-of-the-best players are hallucinations, and I certainly don’t recall us not poaching Prespakis from Collingwood.
Best AFLW Players by State of Origin
Determining the “best” AFLW players by state of origin is subjective, but I’ve based this on recent All-Australian selections (particularly the 2024 team), club best-and-fairest awards, premiership contributions, and expert rankings from sources like AFL.com.au and ESPN. State of origin is determined by where players developed their junior football (typically ages 13-17). I’ve focused on the top 3-5 standout players per major state, prioritizing current elite performers as of 2025. Players from smaller states/territories (e.g., Tasmania, Northern Territory) are grouped under “Other” for brevity.
State/Territory Top Players Key Achievements Victoria (Vic Metro/Country) Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne) Monique Conti (Melbourne) Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide)* Madison Prespakis (Collingwood) Emily Bates (Hawthorn) Garner: 7x All-Australian (2024 captain), 2024 premiership hero. Conti: 2x best-and-fairest winner, 5x All-Australian. Marinoff: 7x All-Australian (2024 vice-captain), 2024 best-and-fairest. Prespakis: 3x All-Australian, 2023 club B&F. Bates: 4x All-Australian, 2024 Hawthorn captain. Queensland Ally Anderson (Brisbane) Taylor Smith (Brisbane) Breanna Koenen (Brisbane) Chelsea Zander (Brisbane) Nat Grider (Brisbane) Anderson: 5x All-Australian, 2024 Brisbane co-B&F. Smith: 2x All-Australian, 2024 leading goalkicker (24 goals). Koenen: 3x All-Australian, defensive leader. Zander: 2024 All-Australian, breakout midfielder. Grider: 2x All-Australian, versatile defender. South Australia Anne Hatchard (Adelaide) Chelsea Randall (Adelaide) Caitlin Gould (Adelaide) Teague Berry (Adelaide) Steph Hudson (Adelaide) Hatchard: 4x All-Australian, 2023 club B&F. Randall: 6x All-Australian, Adelaide captain. Gould: 2x All-Australian, 2024 leading goalkicker for Crows. Berry: 2024 All-Australian squad, rising star. Hudson: Consistent forward, 2024 premiership contributor. Western Australia Emma O’Driscoll (Fremantle) Kiara Bowers (Fremantle) Gabby O’Sullivan (Fremantle) Rougean Hayden (West Coast) Janelle Hewson (Fremantle) O’Driscoll: 4x All-Australian, Fremantle captain. Bowers: 3x All-Australian, 2022 Fremantle B&F. O’Sullivan: Speedy forward, 2x All-Australian. Hayden: 2024 All-Australian squad, West Coast leader. Hewson: 2024 All-Australian, intercept defender. New South Wales/ACT Ella Roberts (West Coast) Chloe Molloy (Sydney) Britt Tully (GWS) Caitlyn Sutton (GWS) Rebecca Beeson (GWS) Roberts: 2x All-Australian, 2024 wing standout. Molloy: 3x All-Australian, Sydney leading goalkicker. Tully: Veteran leader, GWS B&F contender. Sutton: Consistent forward, 2024 squad member. Beeson: Midfield engine, multiple club awards. Other (Tasmania, NT, Ireland imports) Ash Riddell (North Melbourne - TAS) Jessie Wardlaw (North Melbourne - TAS) Malupi Peteru (Kangaroos - NT) Aisling McCarthy (Fremantle - Ireland) Aishling Moloney (Melbourne - Ireland) Riddell: 4x All-Australian, 2024 North B&F. Wardlaw: 3x All-Australian, Tasmanian spearhead. Peteru: Rising NT talent, 2024 premiership player. McCarthy: 2024 All-Australian, Irish import defender. Moloney: 2024 All-Australian, equal leading goalkicker (25 goals). *Note: Marinoff developed in Victoria but is often associated with SA due to her Adelaide tenure; origin rules confirm VIC. This list emphasizes active players with recent impact (2023-2025 seasons). For a deeper dive, check AFL.com.au stats or All-Australian archives.