EASTERN RANGES tall Josephine Bamford is one of the top rucks in the Coates Talent League Girls competition, having already represented Vic Metro at a bottom-age level, and consistently putting up high hitout numbers. In 2025, Bamford has spent more time forward and hit the scoreboard with three goals in a big win over Western Jets in Round 3.
We spoke to Bamford at the Coates Talent League Girls Preseason Testing Day about her footy journey and other sports, who she looks up to at AFLW level and her goals for the year ahead.
Q: Josie, tell us a little bit about your footy journey and how you got into it?
JB: “I started Under 12s at Bayswater Football Club with my sister. I only just started because she was playing and I just wanted to join with her, and then from there i played basketball from when I was 8 and I quit when I was 14. Then I started playing again when I was 15, and then I did Little Athletics when I was 11 I think, and I really good at high jump so I was really trying to do good at high jump but I just loved footy the most so I stopped doing those two three years ago to focus on footy.”
Q: Do you envision playing in the ruck again this year or a different role this year?
JB: “Yeah I want to play in the ruck this year, but also a bit of forward just to see if I can improve my forward craft to a better level.”
Q: What strengths do you see in your own game?
JB: “I think my taps are really good, and I can just get it to my midfielders pretty smoothly and I also my fast handballs through traffic I think are pretty good.”
Q: What are some of the improvements you’re looking to make?
JB: “I want to get my aerial really good, my high marking. I just want to be really clean up in the air with my hands.”
Q: Which AFL/W club do you support?
JB: “Richmond.”
Q: Is there a player you look up to the top level?
JB: “I look up top Matilda Scholz. I just think she’s a really good young AFLW player. Her game I just look up to it a lot, she’s so clean.”
Q: Who’s had the most individual influence on your career?
JB: “Probably my sister because I started when she started and we would always train together.”
Q: In terms of your goals for the year, what do you set for yourself?
JB: “Obviously the big goal is I want to get drafted. I just want to play consistently throughout the year and for my teammates be confident to see me play and they know that I’m going to play well.”
