FEW, if any have ever had a debut nearly as eye-catching in the NAB League Girls as Murray Bushrangers newcomer Zarlie Goldsworthy. Coming from a multi-sport background with soccer and cricket, the top-age talent came into the Bushrangers program and was earmarked as one to watch by assistant coach Mario de Santa-ana.

“She’s come in from an elite soccer background,” de Santa-ana told Rookie Me Central at the NAB League Girls Preseason Testing Day last month. “She’s just smashing everything we do at training. I think she’ll be a bit of a surprise packet this year.”

Despite the praise, few could have seen the performance from Goldsworthy coming. By the end of the final siren of Murray Bushrangers’ win over Bendigo Pioneers, Goldsworthy had racked up 33 disposals, five marks, 10 inside 50s and 4.4, spending time between the midfield and forwardline. Her performance earned her the Rookie Me Central Player of the Week nomination for Round 1.

>> 2022 NAB League Girls Player of the Week: Round 1

But just what made Goldsworthy’s performance so impressive? We delve into her game and how she performed in this week’s Player Focus.

GIANTSMidfielder

Zarlie Goldsworthy

Height: 168cm

Weight: -

DOB: 18-11-2004

BACKGROUND:

Zarlie Goldsworthy is a naturally talented sportsperson who has been a member of the Young Matildas, and also a member of the 2021-22 U19 Female Vic Country Squad for the Cricket Victoria Emerging Players Program. After impressing at local football, Goldsworthy stepped up to play with Murray Bushrangers for the 2022 NAB League Girls season. At the NAB League Girls Preseason Testing Day, Goldsworthy ranked inside the top 10 for Yo-yo test scores, and blitzed the Bushrangers’ preseason training.

ROUND 1 vs BENDIGO PIONEERS:

In her first game, Goldsworthy took numerous contested marks both one-on-one and in a pack, and worked over her opponents – using that endurance to full advantage. Within a half she had slotted three goals and had a couple more chances, but was racking up the ball with ease rotating between midfield and forward.

QUARTER 1:

Goldsworthy’s first impact was a contested grab inside 50 at the front of a pack, and though her right foot set shot pushed to the left, it was not long before she took another contested grab in front of a pack 30m out from goal. Her ability to read the play and get to the right positioning was evident, slotting the set shot from straight in front.

Not long later, Goldsworthy had two goals to her name, winning the clearance straight off hands and snapping across her body from 55m out. With no one in the goalsquare it favourably bounced home. She almost had a third from the same method, reading the ball off her ruck’s hands and snapping across her body only for it to just miss. By quarter time she had 2.2 and already made an impact.

QUARTER 2:

If anyone thought it might have just been a good quarter, Goldsworthy did not slow down, taking a third contested mark at half-back as she rolled through the midfield. At one stage she was tackled by three opposition players but still got her hands out for Keeley Skepper to have a shot. Eight minutes into the term, Goldsworthy received the handball from Mindy Quade 30m out and off a step snapped truly for her third.

A fourth contested mark one-on-one later in the term but her shot went out of bounds. The very next stoppage she smothered a ball to lock it in. To cap off an impressive first half, Goldsworthy took a mark on the wing and then added a bounce to kick forward to the next contest, then followed up, won a free kick and delivered inside 50.

QUARTER 3:

An early chance in the second half on goal missed, but Goldsworthy remained avtive throughout the quarters. She won a free kick for tackling an opponent, and delivered inside 50. Her best stoppage work came with five minutes remaining, where she won the ball off hands from the ruck, stormed forward evading opponents and delivered brilliantly lace-out to Skepper inside 50.

Her reading of the play off hands continued later in the term, where she read the ball perfectly off the back of a pack and charged between a couple of players to thump it long, though it went through for another behind. To end the term, she was at 3.3 but a couple of other chances as well.

QUARTER 4:

Amazingly still going, Goldsworthy had the ball on a string. Even when she could not take it cleanly inside 50 nine minutes into the term, the Bushrangers talent was able to keep the ball in front of her and eventually got off a snap that missed to the right. Her vision came into play a few minutes later by being able to handball through multiple opponents to the free Zara Hamilton, and the pair linked up regularly in the term.

At the 13-minute mark of the quarter, Goldsworthy read a high ball from a kickout, beat her opponent one-on-one with a contest, got it to ground and had the footy IQ to quickly put it on the outside of the boot and it sailed home for her fourth of the match. She almost yet yet another not long after, when she smothered a ball in attack, and had the composure to react and pick it up and snap around her body, but it too just missed.

Another intercept mark from the next play at half-forward, she kicked in, received the ball by hand and snapped around her body for another behind. Aside from having the last kick of the game which missed, Goldsworthy’s other big moment featured her bumping off an opponent with her hips, gathering it cleanly and handballing to a teammate with oncoming pressure.

SUMMARY:

Zali Goldsworthy’s performance was one to remember. Whilst it is only one game, the fact she showed high-level traits that can be adaptable to any level and any opposition, it will be great to see how she progresses through the year.