PORT ADELAIDE's Hannah Ewings and Alex Ballard have been named in the AFL Players’ Association AFLW 22Under22 44-player squad.

Whyalla product Ewings made a significant impact in her first AFLW season, being nominated as a Rising Star after a brilliant Round 3 performance.

In Round 4, the 18-year-old became the first player in the league to record nine+ clearances and three or more goals in a game.

Vote for Hannah and Blex: Have your say and vote our young guns into the final team

Ewings averaged 13.9 disposals, 3.9 clearances and accrued a total of 20 score involvements throughout the season.

Before she was drafted as South Australia’s number one pick, Ewings was named All-Australian after the 2022 under-18 national championships and contributed to North Adelaide’s 2022 SANFLW premiership campaign.

Hannah Ewings has impressed in her first AFLW season, averaging 14 disposals, five tackles and four clearances a game. Image: AFL Photos.

Defender Ballard has been a consistent force in Port Adelaide’s backline this season, only missing Round 10 due to concussion protocols.

The 20-year-old averaged 6.8 intercept possessions in Season 7 and took a total of 29 marks, topping the team leaderboard alongside vice-captain Ange Foley.

Signed as an open-age player from Sturt after being overlooked in her Draft year, Ballard averaged 11.8 disposals per game and had regular important contributions.

Alex Ballard has emerged as one of the most exciting up-and-coming defenders in the league. Image: AFL Photos.

Port Adelaide head of AFLW Juliet Haslam congratulated the pair on their inclusion in the squad.

“We are thrilled to see Hannah and Alex selected in the 22Under22 44-player squad,” she said.

“They are both exceptional young talents and will continue to thrive over the coming years in our high-performance environment.

“Hannah and Alex have had fantastic seasons and it’s great to see them recognised in this way. Congratulations to both players. We’re proud to have them at Port Adelaide.”

For a player to be eligible for the 22Under22 squad, they must be aged 22 or under and have played 50 per cent of season games.

Chair of selectors Jess Foley, and an internal selection panel at the AFL Players’ Association selected the squad, with support from Champion Data.

The final 22Under22 team is selected through a fan vote, opening for a week from today.