Mackenzie Ford Draft Profile
Mackenzie Ford is an all-round Tasmanian talent with room for growth once reaching the AFLW level. We look at her AFLW Draft profile.
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A Tassie Midfielder
AFLW Trade, Draft and list changes
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central.rookieme.com
A Tassie Midfielder
- Feb 14, 2018
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- Richmond
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- #327
Mackenzie Ford
Height: 164cmWeight:
D.O.B: 27-04-2005
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.
Phar Ace
Brownlow Medallist
Contested mid, same size as Mon, gets back and forward, two way runner, not a big ball getter yet, maybe in Dalloway mould so far. Fills a need
- Feb 14, 2018
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- Richmond
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- #330
well looks like we've got 2 super quick midfielders on our hands, who can tackle.
Phar Ace
Brownlow Medallist
Going to be interesting to see how some of our less speedy players go in the shadow of this speed. Can only motivate to lift the standard all over I hope.
While a little disappointed we didn't get Williamson or Kavanagh. I wish the two new girls the best of luck & hope they turn out to be the players we need to improve as well as the other 3 girls we picked up in the trades. Lets hope neither of Williamson or Kavanagh turn out to be stars for there respective teams.
Phar Ace
Brownlow Medallist
Hear, hear. No question we have traded and drafted well this off season, just the questions you have asked may linger for a few years, which is more than fair.
Eraser
Debutant
Highlights are in and they are good!
- Feb 14, 2018
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yeah i concur.
while it is disappointing, we did get:
a mid with serious pace who'll start in D50 and transition into the midfield = Bacon
a mid with serious pace who'll start in F50 and transition into the midfield = Ford
i can live with that.
- Feb 14, 2018
- 2,535
- 4,743
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Thread starter
- #336
- Feb 14, 2018
- 2,535
- 4,743
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Thread starter
- #337
i wonder who would be the quickest on our list?
Conti, Cox, Lynch, Yassir have afterburners.
these 2 girls would have to be up there.
Conti, Cox, Lynch, Yassir have afterburners.
these 2 girls would have to be up there.
Confident kid , can see her doing well with assets she’s got
Like that we’ve addressed a sluggish theme to our line up by adding some genuine dash , both of these kids have an instinct to get and go and have some toe . Good selections , good luck girls , work hard and make the most of your opportunity
Conti the only one that runs with ball in hand tho , I think we’ve improved our list and addressed areas that set us back . Marking target s a bit of a worry if g train doesnt come on and kb only 1-2 seasons left . Seymour up forward could be a go , or even Monty while poppy rucks
The only concern for me is that Bacon, is not a natural footballer. She has other attributes you would look for except for kicking. As mentioned her weakness is kicking & that to me is something most of our players need to improve in. So hopefully she can learn in the professional environment that she is coming into. Ford I like the look of especially since we picked her up with pick 43.
Dalloway reminded of Greg’s but appears more agile , we ll see , am going on limited vision
Took some nice marks bacon , reads play . Has some good qualities I think , kicking technique looked ok
While we may not have drafted a ready made contested mid it doesn't mean that either Isabel or Mackenzie, or both, won't end up playing there. Getting Ellie Mac back and trading in Ally Dallaway and also having seen the Eilish Sheeran experiment work I'm a lot more confident we'll be a strong midfield group in 2024 and the girls we just drafted will have the time to develop as mids in a couple of seasons time.
From the players we picked up in the mega trade and draft, we seemed to have addressed a glaring need SPEED, running power.
Ford, Bacon, Dallaway, and Hicks will add that.
Apart from Mon, Sheerin, and Shevlin, we don't have many so happy the club has addressed this need.
Also happy to get Mackinnon in the mega trade, she's strong one-on-one and has a good leap. Good tap work.
Ford, Bacon, Dallaway, and Hicks will add that.
Apart from Mon, Sheerin, and Shevlin, we don't have many so happy the club has addressed this need.
Also happy to get Mackinnon in the mega trade, she's strong one-on-one and has a good leap. Good tap work.
Not the furthest of kicks Dallaway but apart from that they are polar opposites Dallaway and Egan. Dall will provide run and gun. She is quick, and nifty around the contest exactly what we need.
Yep that was the mould coz we were slowwww, let’s see how they go , both look good so far
Both Hicks and dallaway will provide improved support for mon in the midfield , that was def the plan , plus some rotations with existing players sheerin , lavey et al
Phar Ace
Brownlow Medallist
I though that too, but stats suggest they are both heavy handball girls just from a sheer output perspective, was where I was coming from
