Tigers poised to pounce on draft bolter with coveted No.1 pickBy Sarah Black
Dec 9, 2025, 12:37 pmRICHMOND is a chance to spring a surprise with pick No.1 on Telstra AFLW Draft night, with its eyes on bolter Scarlett Johnson.
The 18-year-old Northern Knights utility – who wasn't in the Marsh AFLW Academy this year – has gradually built buzz among clubs over the past few months since her strong performance at the Marsh AFLW Under-18 Championships.
That enthusiasm hit fever pitch during club interviews at the Telstra AFLW Combine, with a number of clubs at the top end of the pool – believed to include Adelaide, which coincidentally ended up with the Tigers' former No.4 pick, as well as Collingwood and Melbourne – eager for Johnson's services.
Given Richmond has now ended up with the No.1 pick after a deal with Gold Coast, and the jostling for Johnson, the Tigers are understood to have her firmly in their sights.
Johnson was the Knights' best and fairest this year, and named an Under-18 All-Australian at half-back.
Standing at 175cm – one centimetre taller than Richmond key forward Katie Brennan – Johnson has played across all three lines in her time at the Knights, and can play as a marking forward, on the wing or as a rebound defender.
A former netballer from Eltham, in Melbourne’s north-east, she has an excellent sidestep, finishing third in the agility test at the Combine, as well as ninth in the running vertical jump and 10th in the sprint.
Johnson has been described as personable and an incredibly hard worker who has already developed elite habits around recovery and preparation, who has been in the Knights' leadership group at both under-16 and under-18 level.
If not Johnson, Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Chloe Bown has been at the top of draft charts for most of the year, while powerful Subiaco key forward Olivia Wolmarans is also expected to feature at the pointy end, with Greater Western Sydney holding picks two and three.
https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1459838
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