VIKINGS’ SAAD EL-HAWLI DRAFTED TO ESSENDON

Altona Football Club’s Saad El-Hawli is the latest player from the Western Football Netball League to enter the AFL.

The 23-year-old was last night drafted from VFL club the Northern Bullants to Essendon with pick No.13 in the 2024 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft.

El-Hawli has spent the past two seasons with the Bullants where he has been one of the team’s most consistent and exciting performers.

In eight VFL matches this year, El-Hawli has averaged 25.8 disposals and six marks per game, wowing onlookers with his explosive power and pin-point ball use.

El-Hawli played his junior football with three WFNL club’s starting out with Newport Power, before suiting up for Spotswood and Altona Juniors.

After winning an Under 17s Division 1 premiership with Altona Juniors, El-Hawli was a part of the Western Jets before starring for Altona’s senior team in 2021 being named WFNL Rookie of the Year and in the Team of the Year.

His performances that season earned him a spot on Werribee’s VFL list for 2022, and he went on to play five games before returning to the Vikings and helping them lift the TIV Division 1 Senior Men’s premiership.

El-Hawli crossed to the Northern Bullants for the 2023 campaign and played 14 games in his first season at Preston before his breakout start to 2024.

In recent weeks the WFNL has seen Spotswood junior Callan Ward play his 300th AFL game, while Werribee Districts product Logan Morris made his AFL debut for Brisbane in Round 8 and has played every game since.

El-Hawli will wear No.41 for Essendon and will look to play his first game for the club in their VFL clash with Box Hill on Sunday at Windy Hill.