15 December 2025
HAD Football Athlete Jade McLay has been drafted by St Kilda at Pick 26 in the 2025 AFLW National Draft.
Jade captained the Calder Cannons in the 2025 Coates Talent League and earned selection in Vic Metro and the AFL National Academy. Midway through the year, a shoulder injury in a National Academy game ended her season and led to surgery. Rather than step away, she stayed involved, helping the Cannons' coaches from the sidelines and leading her teammates off the field.
Late in 2024, Jade came to HAD Football wanting to improve specific areas of her game. We got straight to work, and she didn't miss a beat in her pursuit of getting better. In Jade's words, she was only with HAD "a few short weeks but the impact they had on my performance was immense."
Since being drafted, Jade has made her AFLW debut and earned a Rising Star nomination for a four-goal game against Richmond in round five, 2026.
Congratulations, Jade. We're proud to have played a part in your journey.
Read about what you can control in your draft year in Draft Ready Part 3, and see every HAD client on our Drafted page.