2021 AFL Women's draft


The 2021 AFL Women's draft consists of the various periods when the 14 clubs in the AFL Women's competition can recruit players prior to the competition's 2022 season 6.

Special assistance

In May 2021, just before the draft period began, the AFL Commission approved special draft and signing assistance to the,,, and to support the strengthening of their playing lists in line with the competition's leading clubs. As a condition of receiving assistance, the clubs were required to use at least five selections at the upcoming draft.
ClubMeasurePick number/Player nameNotes
First round pickPick 6
First round pickPick 8
Mature age signingUnused
Mature age signingUnused
First round pickPick 7
First round pickPick 9
Mature age signingClaudia Gunjaca
Mature age signingOlivia Fuller
Second round pickPick 24
Third round pickPick 41
Second round pickPick 25Traded to
Second round pickPick 26Traded to and on to

Signing and trading period

Players can be signed for one or two year contracts. The trade period opened on 31 May 2021 and will close on 9 June 2021. Players can be re-signed until 16 June 2021.

Delisted free agency

The delisted free agency period will close on 25 June 2021.
DatePlayerFormer clubNew club

Rookie signings

In the absence of a rookie draft, each club was permitted to sign players that had not played Australian rules football within the previous three years or been involved in an AFLW high-performance program.
ClubPlayerOther/former sport
Basketball
Gaelic football
Basketball
Basketball

Inactive players

Following final list lodgements, a number of players experienced changing circumstances that made them unable to participate in 2022 season 6. Clubs were granted permission to place these players on an inactive list, gaining end of draft selections to replace them for the one season. Players on each club's inactive list ahead of 2022 season 6 are listed below:
ClubPlayerReason
Olympics
Injury
Work commitments
Unvaccinated
Knee
Mental health
Knee
Shoulder
Work commitments
Pregnancy
Personal break
Personal break
Pregnancy
Knee
Work commitments
Rugby
Rugby
Army
Pregnancy
Pregnancy
Knee
Foot
Knee
Lower leg
Illness
Hip
Knee
Shoulder
Concussion

Draft

Free agency and replacement signings

Where players were moved to inactive list after the draft had taken place, club were entitled to replace them by free agency signing.
ClubPlayerReasonFormer clubFormer league
Replacement SANFLW
Free agentSANFLW
Replacement Geelong FalconsNAB League Girls
Replacement VFL Women's
Replacement VFL Women's
Replacement VFL Women's
Replacement Bond UniversityQWAFL
Replacement MaroochydoreQWAFL
Replacement North ShoreAFL Sydney
Replacement East Coast EaglesAFL Sydney
Replacement Northern KnightsNAB League
Replacement VFL Women's
Replacement AFL Women's
Replacement VFL Women's
Free agentSANFLW
Replacement VFL Women's
Replacement AFL Women's
Replacement VFL Women's

Train on players

Where multiple players were ruled unable to play due to COVID-19 related health and safety protocols, clubs were entitled to field up to five train on players to enable them to field a full side.
ClubPlayerFormer clubFormer league
WAFLW