EAST Fremantle top-age defender Maya Louvel-Finn has had a rollercoaster journey leading up to 2025, with plenty of highs and lows since crossing to football as a relative latecomer to the game. She has established herself in the Sharks’ back five this season and looms as a quality draft smokey with the form she is in.
We spoke to Louvel-Finn at the West Australian Preseason Testing Day about her unique journey, game and inspirations on and off the field.
Q: Maya, tell us a bit about your footy journey?
MLF: “My footy journey’s been up and downhill. I’ve only been playing footy for about four years. My first year I started playing for my junior club and then about five weeks in, I was also playing netball and then ended up injuring myself. I fractured my femur and my tibia playing netball, I hyperextended my knee so I was about six months.
“Missed that whole footy season and then come my next year I played for East Freo. I played Rogers Cup that year 2022. We ended up winning our Rogers Cup Grand Final which was really good. Then I was training with League the year after so 2023. Played an Under 16s state game and I ended up doing my ACL which wasn’t the best thing considering I was probably looking to make my League debut that year. So I was out for that entire season.
“Then come 2024 came back, was training with League again and came back second round played Rogers for the first couple of games and then made my League debut against Peel Thunder at South Freo Oval. Played in the backline, wasn’t my best game but it was alright and then I ended up playing seven League games and then got cut for the semi-final, played with Rogers and then got brought up for the grand final and played that, and unfortunately lost that to Claremont, so it’s been a wild ride but I got there in the end.”
Q: How have you found that League experience after having to wait that bit longer?
MLF: “It was so good. The girls just made it even better. Training with them for the whole the amount of time that I did and them just getting around me when I had my injury as well was just awesome.”
Q: Getting into the summer squad what’s that been like?
MLF: “It’s been really good, I’ve known a couple of those girls in there since I did Under 15s with so it’s good to get back into it with all of them. It’s been super exciting, meeting everyone and the coaches as well, it’s been an awesome experience.”
Q: What do you see as your best position?
MLF: “I’ve been so used to playing backline but I think I’ve been talked about getting maybe thrown around in the mid for a little bit, and maybe like centre half-back for a chance. I’m excited to venture into the midfield as well so that would be good.”
Q: What do you see as your strengths?
MLF: “I think one of my personal strengths is my ability to read play. I think that comes from netball as well, being able to see where the ball’s going to get to and just getting into that right position. I think also my speed can also come into the reading the play as well. If I see a ball coming I can judge to leave my player and get there in time so think that comes in as well.”
Q: What are you looking to improve on as well?
MLF: “I think one of my biggest things to improve on would definitely be getting my accuracy and my ability to kick when I’m in my full speed running. But yeah a lot of things to work on not just one thing in particular.”
Q: Which AFL/W club do you support?
MLF: “AFLW club, ooh that’s a tricky one. In the AFL I support Carlton that’s been my main one for ages. But AFLW I gotta say I’ve been rooting for Brisbane for the past year I would say.”
Q: Bit different people to most people in the state, what was the story behind Carlton and then why Brisbane?
MLF: “My dad supported Carlton since he was younger. I kind of grew up with my mum supporting Freo, so I was a bit on and off with both of them, but then the past couple of years I’ve just been going in deep with Carlton. I just think they’ve grown so much in the team, so I support Carlton so much more than I support Freo but I still support Freo. Then Brisbane, I don’t know, I just think they’re such a great team. You can see it on the field when they play and they are so connected and I think that’s such a big thing in sport.”
Q: Now it’s a National Draft, have you thought about the prospect of moving interstate?
MLF: “Yeah definitely. It’s been a dream of mine for the last couple of years ever since I started playing footy. I would honestly be happy with anything. I’m trying to work as hard as I can to get to that point and to improve on all my things that I need to work on.”
Q: Who’s had the biggest influence on your career?
MLF: “I’d probably say my dad and my grandad. My dad had the chance to go to AFL but he didn’t have the best childhood growing up so he just didn’t put any effort in. Obviously didn’t get that experience, so I want to get there to make him proud. Then my grandad he’s always been such a big supporter of mine, he’s always tried to come to every game of mine when he can, and he’s always messaged me saying things I could work on, things I’ve been doing good so he’s been really supportive as well.”
Q: Who’s someone at the top level you look up to or model your game on?
MLF: “I’ve got a few, but definitely Monique Conti is one. Then I’ve got Emma O’Driscoll, I think she’s an awesome back player, she can read the play so well, she’s got that speed on her as well. I just think she’s incredible.”
Q: Finally, what goals do you set for yourself this year?
MLF: “The goals I set for this year would obviously be to make the state winter squad and to try and obviously get into that draft, whether it be state or national.”
