BOOTING a competition record nine goals in a game last year, Oakleigh Chargers’ forward Amelie Gladman knows how to find the big sticks. She finished 2023 with 19 goals in 13 games, and has already booted seven goals in her first five games for the Chargers this year.
A member of the Vic Metro hub, Gladman has primarily donned the long sleeves this year, and is so crafty around goals. We spoke to her at the Coates Talent League Girls Preseason Testing Day to find out about her football journey, gamestyle and goals for the future.
Q: Amelie, tell us a bit about your footy journey?
AG: “I wasn’t allowed to play footy because my mum wouldn’t let me until about two years ago, so I joined in the Surrey Park Panthers and then I played there for a year and then I got brought over to the Oakleigh Chargers a year later. I started there with Futures and then I played last year as my full year.”
Q: Which games were the most memorable for you last year?
AG: “Of course the Granny was a pretty good game, got around the girls and got the win in the end. I think we all enjoyed every game with them was really great, but I think for me I really enjoyed the Bendigo game. That’s where I kicked my high score of nine goals and it was just great afterwards to get the girls around me.”
Q: What role will you play this year, up forward again?
AG: “Yeah, I think playing medium-small forward and then maybe get a run in the mids throughout the backend of the game, but primarily probably forward.”
Q: What do you see as your strengths and improvements?
AG: “I think my strengths are my clean hands and my ability to just constantly be contesting and always giving everything go. I think areas to improve on would be my aerial ability and getting up and going up for more marks and then just keeping on with my endurance trying to get that going so I can have a bit more time in the mid.”
Q: Which AFL/W club do you support?
AG: “I go for Geelong Cats. My dad went for them, last year they didn’t have a very successful year but I’ve been going for the Cats for a while.”
Q: Are there any players you look up to mould your game on?
AG: “I’d say more Gary Ablett Jr for a forward role, but a bit of a small forward using lots of craft. Nowadays like a Gryan Miers getting around everyone and trying to give everyone a go and being really explosive in the forwardline being dangerous.”
Q: What are some of your goals for the year?
AG: “I think by the end of the year I hope to help the girls get another win in the premiership and go back-to-back, I think that would be great. Trying to get as many of my teammates drafted and see how that goes for myself too at the end of the year, but just trying to get around each other.”
Q: Thought about your nomination happy to go interstate?
AG: “I thought about it for a while. I’d say I’d be happy to go interstate, I’m planning to nominate nationally because I just want to give myself the best chance and see what goes on from there.”
