MATILDA Lange enters 2026 as one of the most talked-about bottom-ager in the country, and the Tasmanian is right in contention for the top pick in the 2027 AFLW Draft. Making her season debut in the Devils’ opening game of the year — the Devils had byes in Rounds 1 and 2 — she made an immediate statement against the Western Jets, producing a performance that reminded everyone exactly why the hype is justified.

Matilda Lange

Club: Tasmania Devils
Height: 170cm
Date of Birth: 30/01/2009

STRENGTHS:

+ Inside game
+ Clearance work
+ Athleticism
+ Ambidextrous
+ Production
+ Physicality

IMPROVEMENTS:

– Disposal under pressure
– Polish

ROUND 3: vs. Western Jets

Statistics: 29 disposals (22 contested, 8 uncontested), 1 mark, 8 tackles, 8 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 1 goal, 1 behind

FIRST QUARTER

Lange started on-ball and was immediately competitive, winning the first touch, being tackled, then winning the next ball from the secondary stoppage and spinning away. She laid a strong tackle at half-back in the third minute to lock it up before winning a free kick in the fourth minute and converting a kick to the wing that worked out.

The 11th minute saw her cracking in to win the ball and draw a high tackle free, delivering a kick to the half-forward well. She closed out the quarter in the 19th minute with a strong tackle on Kiara Boyd to win a holding-the-ball free, then a clean kick to Evie Bingley to put the Devils on the attack. A first quarter that showed the full scope of her on-ball game – clearance work, defensive pressure and clean ball use all on display.

SECOND QUARTER

Back on-ball from the start and involved early, not quite winning the first contested ball but immediately returning to contest. Her defining moment came in the second minute – marking and getting infringed to receive a 50m penalty and making no mistake on goal from 25 metres straight in front.

She laid another strong tackle 30 seconds later to lock the ball up in the middle before getting quick hands off at half-back in the 15th minute and thumping a long handball receive inside 50 in the 17th minute that was on track before being marked in the goalsquare. By half-time, Lange had amassed 18 disposals, including 10 in the second quarter.

THIRD QUARTER

The third quarter was slightly quieter for Lange, though her thumping kick inside 50 in the fourth minute produced a rushed behind rather than the goal it deserved, and an attempted soccer kick inside 50 in the fifth minute ended up being a fresh air kick, the kind of honest error that comes from playing at pace. Her best individual moment came in the eighth minute, winning a marking contest against two opponents to bring the ball down with real aerial strength.

The 11th minute was a notable clearance sequence of the game – a great collect off the ruck tap, immediately tackled, winning the secondary stoppage and driving it to the half-forward line. Quick hands in the 14th minute and a long handball receive thumped to the pocket in the 16th rounded out a third term where she covered enormous ground and kept the Devils moving forward.

FOURTH QUARTER

Started on-ball and immediately made her mark – winning the centre clearance and hitting up Stevie-Lee Johns 35 metres out straight in front. She was slung to the ground after a smothered kick inside 50 in the first minute but kept going, showing quick hands on the wing under pressure shortly after.

A strong tackle in the fifth minute at the centre bounce won the handball, though the Jets stole it back. A free kick and 50-metre penalty in the 12th minute took her to within 40 metres, and she played on immediately, but unfortunately pushed it just wide for a behind. She closed out a big day in the 20th minute with a spoil at half-back, following up to win the ball and kicking long down the wing. A final term that underlined her endurance — finding the ball repeatedly across four quarters without fading, finishing with 29 disposals for the day.

SUMMARY

Lange bullocked her way to a strong first-up Talent League Girls performance to kick off the 2026 season. Already known for her elite contested work, Lange is a real problem for opposition midfields and will only get better over the next 18 months. She is making a compelling case for next year’s draft, and with a Tasmanian side coming in the future, the Devils’ vice-captain is a fascinating one to watch.