STURT top-age talent Monique Bessen is a naturally gifted footballer with a stack of damaging traits that she has shown over the journey at SANFL Women’s level. Capable of playing midfield or forward, the National Academy member has incredible skill and decision making that are centred around a high footy IQ that helps her get into the right spots to impact a contest.

>> Preseason Q&A: Monique Bessen

Against West Adelaide on the weekend, Bessen was at her damaging best, picking up 29 disposals, five marks, five tackles, six clearances, three inside 50s, two rebound 50s and a goal. Throughout the course of the season, Bessen has been building into a complete game, with her Round 7 performance just that. In 2025, she is averaging 19.6 disposals, 4.0 marks, 3.6 tackles, 3.4 clearances, 3.8 inside 50s and 1.4 rebound 50s.

MONIQUE BESSEN PROFILE

DOB: 05/02/2007
Height: 174cm
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Strengths: Footy IQ, skills, decision making, vision
Improvements: Strength, explosiveness

PLAYER FOCUS:

2025 SANFL Women’s – Round 7:
Sturt 5.4 (34) defeated West Adelaide 4.3 (27)

#16 Monique Bessen (Sturt)
Stats: 29 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles, 6 clearances, 3 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s, 1 goal, 113 AFL Fantasy points

FIRST QUARTER

Monique Bessen had a strong start to the Round 7 match, racking up eight disposals to be the leading ball-winner on the ground. She started forward and quickly got into the action laying a strong tackle before juggling a mark at half-forward in the early stages and delivering a sizzling pass inside 50 to Lily Whiteman on debut.

Bessen would soon get her own chance, capitalising on a loose ball to snap around her body with a classy finish on goal. One of three goalkickers in the opening term, Bessen was already causing some headaches for the West Adelaide coaching staff.

After a rest, Bessen got involved again through the middle, using slick hands in traffic to pick out a free teammate on the outside, before winning a kick and delivering to a one-on-one at the top of the 50. Nearing the end of the term, the Sturt prospect was in defence helping the ball across the line, before finishing up with a lightning quick handpass to Isobel Kuiper while under pressure at the coalface.

SECOND QUARTER

Bessen started quarter two with a clean handball away in the first minute when tackled, able to get it to Sophie Thredgold to take away. She continued to accumulate the ball via Kuiper with a couple of one-twos at half-back to attempt to create some run. The skilful top-ager made a rare blunder by foot when looking to go laterally to a teammate and instead was chopped off by Alana Lishmund in the fifth minute.

She tried her luck on goal with a clever banana out of congestion that just fell short, then had another opportunity a few minutes later after receiving the ball and seeing an open look at the big sticks. Bessen took her chance with a snap, but just pushed it to the right. Another attempted snap in the 14th minute was half-smothered at the top of 50, and then Bessen finished off with a clean grab and nice short chip kick to a teammate.

That effort was followed up by a run to the next contest where she won the ball and was confronted by an opponent where Bessen was able to dish off being being tackled to get it effectively to a teammate on the move.

THIRD QUARTER

The second half started and Bessen marked on the wing in the opening minute of the term. However as she went to kick it when called to play on, she rushed and was smothered by Ballard and knocked across the line. In the seventh minute, Bessen took it cleanly at half-back and delivered a lovely composed kick into the middle straight to Thredgold.

A few moments later after the ball had turned over down the field, Bessen would take another mark and kicked towards Lily Smart in space, though it was intercepted. Not giving up on the play, Bessen followed up to win the ball back and handpass away at half-forward.

Another highlight of her third term was a huge intercept mark between the arcs and straight away she sidestepped her opponent and kicked to half-forward effectively. By the final break, Bessen was still on top in terms of possessions, racking up 23 with a quarter still to play.

FOURTH QUARTER

Finishing off a well-rounded game, Bessen would collect another six disposals in the final term, most of them coming after the first few minutes as she was forward again. Her first touch actually came via a handball at half-back and she was able to break free to set up a transitional play down the ground. A moment later, Bessen was on her hands and knees scooping the ball out when about to be tackled, though a West Adelaide player was on top of it, snatching it back in the Bloods’ defensive 50.

Bessen had a few more notable plays throughout the quarter, but one such came with a well-time punch over the line in the 16th minute, before laying a great tackle inside 50 in the dying minutes. Such was its importance that her tackle forced a turnover that lead to Zara Walsh kicking the winning goal.

Determined to drag her side over the line, Bessen won the very next centre clearance to pump the ball forward and gain field position for her side as they looked to kill the clock. It worked as Sturt was able to enjoy a very nice win that was important in the context of the Double Blues’ season.

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

Monique Bessen is a natural footballer with an array of smarts and weapons that allow her to impact games dramatically. While still building up strength and looking to improve her explosiveness around the contest, Bessen is more of a glider, where she is able to sum up the situation quickly and pick the right exit out of congestion.

By hand she is clean and able to pinpoint passes, and by foot she can be just as deadly. There is still some inconsistency from game-to-game, but when she is up and confident like she was on the weekend, she is at her damaging best with pinpoint passes on the 45, or low bullets going inside 50. As a whole, her skill and decision making along with her footy IQ is what stands out in her game.

Among a strong cohort, Bessen is one of plenty in first round contention, and certainly top 30 such is her overall balance and smarts. Expect her to have plenty of suitors come the end of the year and by that stage she will only be better.