WAFLW finals X-Factor: Swan Districts midfielder Carys D’Addario on the rise after winning WA MVP

To the casual observer, Carys D’Addario’s WA MVP-worthy National Championships campaign put her on the map. But to those at Swan Districts, it was the broader AFLW community finally recognising what the powerful midfielder has long been capable of.

Eliza Reilly

@ByElizaReilly

3 min read

August 8, 2025 - 2:12PM

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To the casual observer, Carys D’Addario’s WA MVP-worthy National Championships campaign put her on the map.

But to those at Swan Districts, it was the broader AFLW community finally recognising what the powerful midfielder has long been capable of.

The 18-year-old missed WA’s entire U18s campaign last year after fracturing her hip late in the WAFLW season.

She also missed playing in her first finals series for the Black Ducks but had already done enough to secure the club’s 2024 fairest and best.

Can Carys D'Addario inspire Swan Districts in this year's WAFLW finals series? Picture: WA Football

This year, not only has D’Addario emerged as one of WA’s top draft prospects after being named MVP at the National Championships, but she looms as Swan Districts’ X-Factor in the 2025 finals series.

“I don’t think anyone is surprised by Carys’ season,” coach Jason Burton said. “Last year, she was just as good as a 17-year-old before getting injured.

“We knew what she could do. We’ve been impressed with how mature she is.

“She’s 18, but she drives standards and drives what we want to do as a midfield group.

“To see her come back just as passionate about playing...it’s been a long road, and she’s still got plenty to look forward to. Injury, soreness, there’s no excuse with Carys. She wants to be as good as she can be.”

D'Addario has emerged as one of WA’s top draft prospects. Picture: WA Football

The 170cm onballer has been one of the most consistent ball winners in the WAFLW this year. She’s averaging 23.5 disposals in 10 games so far, and her work around stoppages to read the ball from the fall of the rucks sets her apart.

But she also makes the opposition pay.

“Her strength is her composure,” Burton said. “She’s a ball-winning midfielder, and she racks up possessions, but she also uses it really well.

“There’s no panic with Carys. We’ve got a lot of trust in her when the ball is in her hands. She brings others into the game as much as anything as well.”

Several AFLW clubs have expressed interest in D’Addario, who is now tipped to go late in the first round or early in the second on draft night later this year.

“As much as we’d love to keep her, we don’t want her at Swans next year,” Burton said. “We know she’s got bigger things ahead.”

History repeats

In a rare fixture quirk, week one of the WAFLW finals series is a direct replica of the final round of the home and away season.

The ladder has shaped up such that minor premiers Claremont will host Subiaco after beating the Lions 34-1 in the final round of the home and away season.

Swan Districts prevailed over East Fremantle 15-11 on the same day, setting up an elimination final with the Sharks, given West Perth’s percentage wasn’t strong enough to slide into the top four.

Groundhog day? Swan Districts and East Fremantle will meet for the second time in two weeks on Sunday. Picture: WA Football

It’ll therefore be Groundhog Day for all four clubs.

“If you could’ve scripted it, it’s an optimal way for it to go as a competition,” Burton said. “We had a look at them and they had a look at us, but we think the conditions this week will be different, so we don’t put a lot of stock in that.

“We won the game, so we take confidence in it, but we know we have to do it again.”

The winner of the Tigers and Lions will go straight through to the grand final, while the victor of the Swans and Sharks will face the loser of the qualifying final.

Finals week one

Claremont vs Subiaco