BOTTOM-AGE tall utility Grace Tracey finished off her AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division season on a high despite her East Coast Eagles side bowing out in the first week of finals. The three-time reigning premiers have blooded plenty of future prospects over the course of the 2025 season as others have departed the club, with Tracey being one of a number of young Eagles coming through the ranks.

A strong key position player who can roll through the ruck as she did against the Bulldogs, Tracey earned the call-up to the Allies for the final game of the national championships. The Swans Academy member averaged 10.3 disposals, 3.0 marks and 2.5 rebound 50s across her four games for the red and white at Coates Talent League Girls level, while picking up 11 disposals, two marks and three rebound 50s in the Allies’ win over Queensland.

Her performance for East Coast in the Eagles’ quarter finals loss was the subject of our AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division Player Focus for the round.

PLAYER FOCUS

2025 AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division: Elimination Final
East Coast Eagles 3.1 (19) def. by UNSW-ES Bulldogs 5.7 (37)

#13 Grace Tracey (East Coast Eagles)
Stats: 23 disposals (12 kicks, 11 handballs), 5 marks (3 contested), 16 hitouts, 5 clearances, 4 tackles, 1 free for, 5 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 106 AFL Fantasy Points

FIRST HALF:

Grace Tracey had a quieter start to the match being down back early, but moved into the ruck and won a centre bounce hitout in the 11th minute of the first term. She followed up with a strong tackle, and then did the same thing for the secondary stoppage, showing a nice defensive intent with second and third efforts.

Tracey took her first mark in the 13th minute, reading the play well inside the defensive 50 to pluck it one-take and then use the ball effectively under pressure. She almost took another grab not long after, as it spilled out of her hands in the contest, but Tracey followed up well with the handball. She would cap off the first term with another intercept mark, this time on the wing and delivered a short, effective kick into the middle.

A lot of the second term saw Tracey featured in and around the stoppages as she started in the ruck and won the first hitout. Using her body well, the bottom-ager was not afraid to get back shoulder and then nudge her opponent out of it before taking the ball and thumping it forward. Her work to extract the pill was effective, and quite often she was able to gain vital meterage for it.

After rotating out of the ruck, Tracey held a strong position at centre half-back, pushing up the ground when required, and dropping back to be the anchor behind play. In the 11th minute of the second term, she took another strong contested mark, though her kick down the wing was turned over. Going back with the flight in the last six minutes, Tracey plucked a strong grab in the middle but was forced to play on and handballed under pressure which was turned over.

SECOND HALF:

Tracey’s third quarter started with a gather and handball on the wing, before another great contested mark at half-back. Both disposals did turn over, but she was effective with her next few disposals including winning a free kick in defence and clearing well, and gathering on the run in the middle after not expecting a handball but getting it away.

Tracey took her fifth and final mark on the game which was an uncontested grab on the wing, pumping it long to clear the contest at the top of 50 and bounce inside 50. Her final play of the third term involved the Eagles tall taking it out of the ruck, before being tackled and forced to handball. The opposition sharked it, but Tracey followed up with a nice tackle.

Once again in the ruck, Tracey won a hitout at a forward stoppage in the opening 30 seconds, and proceded to win quite a few more using her body and positioning to do the work. The Bulldogs midfielders were adapting to Tracey’s ruck work and sharking it, but the tall was on it to immediately apply pressure to the opposition.

She got involved in some transitional players on the outside often via handball receive and looking to use her penetrating kick to advantage. Though the scoring dried up in the last term, it did not stop Tracey looking to put the ball to grass and let her forwards go to work. Her highlight was a kick off a step from a handball receive on the wing which perfectly hit up Savannah Codd inside 50.

While involved until the final siren with some clear hitouts going to ground or space for her teammates, Tracey’s Eagles essentially suffered their first finals exit in more than three seasons, having tasted three consecutive flags.

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

Grace Tracey looms as a unique prospect for next year with her strength overhead, safe hands and versatility clear advantages in her game. A Sydney Swans Academy member, Tracey is one of a host of players who will be among the draft prospects to keep in mind for 2026. She was invited to take part in the Under 17 Futures program which culminates in a match on Sunday, September 14 at Ikon Park.

Boasting a lot of traits that will catch the eye, Tracey’s production and output went up a notch with each level she rose too, remaining consistent in her approach, but meeting the challenges as they came. The Eagles tall is a name to keep in mind for next year’s draft.