Richmond takes Olivia Wolmarans with top pick in the 2025 AFLW draft, Suns complete raid
Pick one Olivia Wolmarans sits for a photo surrounded by the other top AFLW draft picks. (Gertty Images: Morgan Hancock)
In short:
The Tigers picked West Australian Olivia Wolmarans with the number one selection in the 2025 AFLW draft.
Richmond traded with the Gold Coast Suns to snag the top pick, going with power forward Wolmarans.
The Suns had six academy selections inside the top 15 selections, on the back of a similar haul in the men's draft.
Newly-crowned AFLW number one draft pick Olivia Wolmarans wants to repay Richmond's faith by taking the struggling Tigers to the top.
Richmond, who finished 16th and sacked coach Ryan Ferguson, traded for Gold Coast's top pick to have first crack at the cream of the crop in this year's draft.
After flirting with picking either Scarlett Johnson (pick number two, GWS) or Chloe Bown (pick number five, Adelaide), the Tigers opted for Perth-based power forward Wolmarans.
"I think I have that energy for Tigers to bring them up, and hopefully we can win a flag," the confident 18-year-old said.
"It means a lot to me that they did that (traded up), but just having conversations with them, they already backed me in, I could see they could believe in me already as a player.
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"So I'm now going to give it back to them and show them how much I can improve their team and bring them to the top again."
Wolmarans, who wants to be a police officer in the future, will move east as soon as possible.
She relishes the prospect of playing alongside star Tiger Monique Conti and veteran Katie Brennan and is ready to stamp herself on the league.
"I'm always going to have that cheeky grin of mine, but I'm pretty laid back," she said.
"You're going to see me move across the ball with my speed, and also me taking contested marks, so hopefully I take a hanger.
"I play my own game. I don't really play like anyone. I look for attributes from players, but I think I play my own game."
Wolmarans was a heptathlete before turning her attention full-time to football, and has no regrets over her career choice.
"I've always known since I was little that I wanted to play AFLW," she said.
"Seeing the girls on the TV, I just wanted to be just like them.
"And here I am standing here, pick one, it's amazing, and it's probably my best achievement yet."
Georja Davies, Alannah Welsh, Ava Usher, Sunny Lappin and Dekota Baron were all picked by the Suns at the AFLW draft. (Getty Images: James Wiltshire)
It was a banner night for wooden-spooners Gold Coast, who had six academy selections inside the top 15 and eight overall.
The Suns matched bids for Sunny Lappin (4), Ava Usher (7), Georja Davies (9), Alannah Welsh (12), Mikayla Nurse (13) and Dekota Baron (15) in the first round before snagging Bronte Parker (32) and Rhianna Ingram (44).
The Swans didn't match GWS's bid for Kiera Yerbury at pick 3 but snapped up Alex Neyland at 6 and grabbed Madeleine Quinn at 18.
It meant three Sydney prospects also landed in the first round, making for 11 academy products in the northern states.
"It's awesome. It shows that it's definitely a bigger sport than just Victoria," Yerbury said.
"I'm glad that I can play my part in that. It's a great opportunity for people from other states to make their mark in footy."
Top 10 2025 AFLW draft picks
1. Richmond — Olivia Wolmarans (Subiaco)
2. GWS Giants — Scarlett Johnson (Northern Knights)
3. GWS Giants — Kiera Yerbury (Sydney Swans academy - bid not matched)
4. Gold Coast — Sunny Lappin (Gold Coast academy - matched bid from Adelaide)
5. Adelaide — Chloe Bown (Oakleigh Chargers)
6. Sydney — Alex Neyland (Sydney Swans academy - matched bid from Collingwood)
7. Gold Coast — Ava Usher (Gold Coast academy - matched bid from Collingwood)
8. Collingwood — Imogen Trengove (Woodville-West Torrens)
9. Gold Coast — Georja Davies (Gold Coast academy - matched bid from Essendon)
10. Essendon — Maggie Johnstone (Greater Western Victoria Rebels)
AAP