IN a new exciting collaborative countdown, Rookie Me Central has teamed up with other independent media organisations to bring a 2022 AFL Women’s Top 50 Countdown. Every weekday from now until December 17, a new player will be named starting from 50th down to 1st, stemming from a combined eight Top 50 submissions. Among those who submitted Top 50s include Siren Sport‘s Gemma Bastiani, Women’s Australian Rules Football (WARF) Radio‘s Peter Holden, and a combined Outer Sanctum team’s Top 50.

Today we continue our countdown with number 36, Collingwood Women’s Stacey Livingstone.

Stacey Livingstone

Collingwood, Collingwood VFLW

League/s: AFLW, Vflw

Season/s: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, S7, 2023, 2024

• Games [tot]: 81

• Goals [tot]: 4

• Disposals [avg]: 9.7

• Marks [avg]: 2.6

• Tackles [avg]: 1.4

• Cont. Poss: 2.8

• Uncont. Poss: 3.6

• Clearances: 0.1

• Inside 50s: 0.6

• Rebound 50s: 2.7

Collingwood has changed enormously since its inaugural season in 2017, but one player who has remained the same throughout the journey is Stacey Livingstone. She has transformed from a reliable defender into one of the competition’s best backs, having an absolutely groundbreaking year in 2021, where she dominated, pulling down anything that came her way and being a rock in the back 50. Coming off a Best on Ground Medal in the 2019 VFLW Grand Final, Livingstone has strung together two consistent seasons at AFLW level. She has become more confident with her hands, and getting to the right spots to really be a premier defender across the board.

In 2021, Livingstone averaged 12.8 disposals 3.5 marks and 4.7 rebound 50s in what was by far her best year on record. Managing all 11 games to take her career total up to 34, Livingstone has been an embodiment of Collingwood’s progression over the years. Despite playing as a forward in her junior days, Livingstone has been the most reliable of defenders, and seems to be getting better with age. Turning 34 early next season, Livingstone is playing the kind of football that will have her around for a few years yet.

In terms of the eight lists, Livingstone made it onto six, including one Top 10, another one inside Top 25, and then the remaining four lists between 30 and 45, which is often the case with key defenders and knowing where to place them.

ROOKIE ME CENTRAL’S 2022 AFL WOMEN’S TOP 50

#50 Ash Brazill(Collingwood) | ARTICLE
#49 Tayla Harris (Melbourne) | ARTICLE
#48 Courtney Hodder (Brisbane) | ARTICLE
#47 Eden Zanker (Melbourne) | ARTICLE
#46 Kirsty Lamb (Western Bulldogs) | ARTICLE
#45 Tyanna Smith (St Kilda) | ARTICLE
#44 Breanna Koenen (Brisbane) | ARTICLE
#43 Dana Hooker (West Coast) | ARTICLE
#42 Georgie Prespakis (Geelong) | ARTICLE
#41 Breann Moody (Carlton) | ARTICLE
#40 Hayley Miller (Fremantle) | ARTICLE
#39 Emma King (North Melbourne) | ARTICLE
#38 Dakota Davidson (Brisbane) | ARTICLE
#37 Meghan McDonald (Geelong) | ARTICLE
#36 Stacey Livingstone (Collingwood)

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Picture credit: AAP

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