HARD-RUNNING Sydney University talent Emma Juneja had a day out during the Students’ big win over the St George Dragons in the AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division. The over-ager who was unlucky to miss out on being drafted last season, has represented the Swans Academy through the Coates Talent League Girls competition and is now back at her local club.

We took a look at Juneja’s performance in the 67-point triumph over the Dragons, where although her efficiency was down on her usual output, she was constantly involved all over the ground and even booted two goals pushing hard forward.

PLAYER FOCUS:

2025 AFL Sydney Women’s Premier Division – Round 9:
Sydney University 10.15 (75) def. St George Dragons 1.2 (8)

#2 Emma Juneja (Sydney Uni)
Stats: 31 disposals (21 kicks, 10 handballs), 3 marks, 2 tackles, 6 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 2 goals, 1 behind

FIRST QUARTER

Emma Juneja started on-ball and quickly got her hands to it at the opening centre bounce. Though she had a brief fumble, the midfielder quickly gathered and dished off a handball. Not long after she worked forward to win the ball again and won a couple of touches via a one-two which included a kick to the hotspot where she found teammate Serika Shillingsworth for a shot on goal.

The dewy conditions made it tricky for Juneja to take possession easily, but she did set up another shot on goal with a nice chip forward when just inside 50 off the handball receive to set up Arabella Hendriks in a great position. Rarely having space, one of her kicks dribbled out over the boundary just inside 50 when tackled, though back at the centre bounce she won it in close and handballed away when tackled. Though it was intercepted, the ball got locked up.

At a repeat stoppage, Juneja cleanly took it one-handed at speed and dished off effectively. Despite being held without it to stop her winning a secondary possession, there was no whistle and play went on. She would end the quarter with a great intercept mark just inside 50 and kicked it to the hotspot where there was a contest.

SECOND QUARTER

Starting in the middle again, Juneja gathered one-handed and kicked to half-forward where she followed up well once the Dragons defence got their hands to it. Juneja won it back and cleanly got it away well to Amanda Farrugia who was just as dominant throughout the match. The Swans Academy teenager would soon hit the scoreboard after just missing a mark but receiving the ball by hand and then letting fly on goal from 40m which sailed home.

Juneja marked uncontested on the wing and looked to slice the ball into the middle, following it up well to add an extra number to the contest and handballing away. Her attempted kick off the ground that followed at half-back a little later could not be controlled and was turned over, though she made up for it with a clean gather in the middle to thump the ball to space and set up a goal to Emma Walsh.

Winning yet another centre bounce – albeit another turnover – Juneja was lively at getting the ball into open space. She sold candy at one point at half-back which looked classy but a secondary Dragons player was able to smother the ball and control it away, Still, she was making the most of her work in close around the stoppages.

THIRD QUARTER

Juneja’s third term was the quietest of the four, but the talented runner still put in a great body of work. Her first touch was a handball receive in the middle where she used her work rate to burst down the guts and use lovely technique by foot going inside 50. The kick itself was a touch too far but it put the ball into a dangerous spot and the intent was right.

She would gather on the wing a little later at a ball up and she had a couple of handballs in the next 30 seconds, winning it back before sidestepping an opponent and producing a pinpoint pass to a teammate on the forward side of the wing. She would. have another two disposals to cap off the quarter with a quick handball when tackled just inside 50, and a strong intercept mark on the wing and neat short pass down the ground.

FOURTH QUARTER

Completing her full-time midfield gig, Juneja had a huge last term where she set the tone with a strong tackle to start the quarter, winning the ball back and just kicking it out of congestion. The Sydney Uni onballer would always keep the ball moving in transition and she got it inside 50 well early in the term, then got forward into space to slot a goal with a classy finish via a snap around her body from 20m.

Another clearance out of the middle followed via a handball receive though her long, penetrating kick deep inside 50 was picked off by the Dragons’ defender inside the attacking 50. A clean take from the boundary saw Juneja take a quick shot from the tightest of angles which in all fairness was not a bad attempt, but it went across the face and through for a behind.

Finishing off a big game, Juneja forced a number of turnovers and ran hard, and though she was pinged for incorrect disposal in side 50, the talented midfielder always worked to win the ball back for her side. She would soccer another ball off the deck into a contest from the wing, with some great defensive efforts around the coalface just prior to that.

FINAL THOUGHTS…

Emma Juneja is a player who earns her touches through hard running and repeat contest to contest work. The AFL Sydney draft hopeful had a massive production game for the Students playing on-ball when typically a wing for the Swans Academy. Her move inside meant her efficiency dropped, though despite a high number of turnovers, a lot of them were put into positions where it made life difficult for the Dragons to do too much damage.

An offensive player with ball in hand, though still possessing fantastic two-way running, Juneja have the work rate and footy smarts to get into ball-winning positions. She has improved over the past two years, and the former National Academy member also got a gig in game one for the All Stars. Juneja has room to grow such as her precision by foot when under pressure, though she already possesses a lot of the non-negotiables.

In summary, the 19-year-old produced a strong performance in the Students’ win over the Dragons and remains an over-age prospect who is in draft contention with a well-balanced inside-outside presence.