Mackenzie FordHeight: 164cm
D.O.B: 27-04-2005
#33
ALLIES GIRLS
MIDFIELDER, WING
SNAPSHOT:Tasmanian Mackenzie Ford has been one of the most reliable and consistent players throughout the course of the Talent League Girls season. Though not a massive ball-winner, Ford is able to impact both offensively and defensively, run hard both ways and explode from the contest to get the ball forward.
STRENGTHS:+ Defensive pressure
+ Explosiveness
+ Versatility
+ Clean skills
+ Work rate
+ Balance
IMPROVEMENTS:- Endurance
- Accumulation
DRAFT PROFILE:Ford is a player who is consistent across the board, particularly from a midfield perspective. Having moved through multiple teams on the Apple Isle to eventually play with Kingborough Tigers, then the Tasmania Devils and eventually Allies, she has adapted well to each level she goes up.
She has played both on the inside and outside, utilising both her speed and work rate to cover the ground and impact the contest. From an athletic aspect, Ford is known for her explosive speed, and she can evade would-be tackles with that speed. Naturally given her defensive prowess, she has run-down plenty of opponents maximising that same speed she has with ball-in-hand.
From a disposal perspective, Ford is clean by hand or foot, and while there are more potent users, she is able to still hit targets and set up her teammates after extracting it from the inside, or winning it in space. Where she might play at AFLW level is dependent on the club that drafts her, but considering her self-proclaimed improvement of endurance is one area to still develop, she has scope in both regards.
As it stands, she has her bursts between the arcs, and though she is limited in terms of her accumulation, she is a high-impact player. In the Talent League season, Ford registered just one game with more than 20 disposals, and boasted an average of 13.6 disposals per game this season. Those numbers will rise with an improvement in her endurance, as would her scoreboard impact.
Similarly, Ford only kicked the one goal in season 2023 for the Devils, with her defensive mindset the key. She is elite from a tackling perspective, and impacts with ball-in-hand offensively, but is usually setting up her teammates. Adding that element to her game is another way for her to further develop a game that has a lot of positives in it.
Ford's standout trait is easily her tackling, averaging 6.5 per game for the Devils, and a whopping 10.5 across her two matches for the Allies. Her best work is done when looking to lock the ball in or hunt the opposition, and with her athletic gifts, she is a worry for any opponent who wins the ball around the stoppages.
All up, when assessing Ford as a draft prospect, she is solid across the board without a major weakness that will hold her back. Once she is able to make those slight tweaks to her game, she will be able to balance out her profile even more, but they are areas that will come with time.
SUMMARY:Mackenzie Ford will naturally have to move interstate given she hails from the Apple Isle, and has earmarked the Gold Coast as a potential destination. With family ties up there, Ford could join former Devil Ella Maurer at the club, but expect her to attract some interest across the east coast in particular given her season and room for growth, with her range landing in the middle of the draft.
https://central.rookieme.com/afl/player/mackenzie-ford/
