ESSENDON VFLW is one of the teams to beat this VFLW season, and that is largely thanks to the many inclusions the Bombers have this season. One of them is Renee Tierney, who after graduating from Geelong Falcons’ NAB League Girls program, crossed from Geelong’s VFLW side, joined Essendon this season and looks right at home.

She currently sits equal fourth on the league goal kicking tally, equalled to and behind only the likes of Federica Frew and Jessie Williams who have been playing at this level much longer than she has.

She has had many good games this year,and last weekend’s match against Collingwood was no different. She finished with 18 touches and three goals, but also showed why she might be an enticing prospect for the next level.

She is very good at creating space in the forward line, she times her leads well and she is a strong body who marks very strongly. Her third goal of the day on the weekend was a great representation of those skills.

She was behind the defender in a contest at the top of the goal square, but was able to lean back and timed it brilliantly with the flight of the ball to take a solid mark that many other players would have dropped. She then went back and kicked a nice, straightforward goal.

Although there are other similar type forwards as Tierney in the Essendon forward line, she has still slotted into that forward line very well. A lot of the other forwards play higher up the ground, but Tierney can play both higher and deeper, and compliments the likes of Mia-Rae Clifford very well.

She is also still very young, which in terms of AFLW should excite a few clubs. She is only 19-years-old (will be 20 next month) so has a long career left in the game.

It is is potentially exciting for someone like a Western Bulldogs, who after recent departures are in the market for someone like Tierney. With the way she is performing this season, she is doing her draft chances absolutely no harm.