With their top pick in the NAB AFL Womens National Draft, Fremantle have selected talented and athletic forward Roxanne Roux.

Standing at 170cm, Roux boasts a leap so impressive that she has pinch hit in the ruck during East Fremantle’s past two WAFLW/ WAWFL premiership seasons - and her contested marking abilities have seen her compared to some of the greats of the AFLW.

The 17-year-old was selected at no.12 in the draft, which was the highest possible selection for a player that nominated for the WA pool.

Roux has been touted as one of the most exciting young players nationally and senior coach Trent Cooper was thrilled to have Roux at Fremantle.

“We’re super excited to get Roxy on board. I coached her for two years in the State 18s program so I’ve seen first hand what she’s capable of,” Cooper said.

“We followed her development this year from a distance and she’s continued to be really impressive.

“She gives us great flexibility, she can play key forward, general forward and she’s also more than capable of pinch hitting in the ruck with her enormous leap.

“She is clearly the best contested mark from the draft Australia-wide. Some people have compared her to Tayla Harris in that regard - while Roxy herself wouldn’t think that - she definitely attacks the ball and marks it in a similar manner.

“She’ll fit perfectly into our game style and we will be expecting her to be playing in round one if she gets through her first AFLW pre-season.”

Cooper feels Fremantle will benefit from more than Roux’s ability on the field.

“Roxy’s one of the best characters in the draft as well,” Cooper said.

“She’s got an unbelievable, caring nature and is a really hard worker as well, so we get the best of both worlds with Roxy coming into our organisation.”

Roux said she’s dreamed of playing AFLW since she was a little girl.

“I’m really excited to get to know everyone and play with some really big stars,” Roux said.

“I’ve watched them from the exhibition games to now, so I’m really excited to get to know them all and play alongside them.

“For this pre-season, I think I still have a long way to go and a long list of things I need to work on. I feel I can only get better from here.

“Fremantle have given me an amazing opportunity and I’m here to better myself for the team.”

Roux’s football journey was far from easy. Growing up in Dongara, Roux had to battle just to be allowed to play football in her teenage years.

With the support of the Dongara Junior Football Club, Roux was able to keep her playing rights and was voted as captain of the boys’ team in her final year at the club.

Roux said she was thrilled to have a potentially fruitful AFLW career ahead of her.

“(It’s motivating) to prove those that didn’t want me on the field wrong, that I actually deserve to be out there,” Roux said.

“This is where I’m taking my future and this is where I’ll stay for as long as possible.

“I’m just super excited for what the future holds.”