TENACIOUS small forward Mel Grage had a breakout year in 2025, surpassing even the bottom-ager’s expectations. Only predicting she’d run out for Perth in the Rogers Cup, Grage finished the season as a lock in the League side, as well as representing Western Australia on the national stage.

Now back in the WA summer squad, we spoke to Grage at the WAFLW Preseason Testing event where she told her footy journey, what the buzz around the Demons was like last year, and her goals for the future.

Q: Mel, tell us a bit about your footy journey?

MG: “I was more watching footy, I wasn’t really into it because there weren’t many girls around my area doing it. So I started with netball, and then one day they just had a footy thing on, picked up the footy ever since then. Did Auskick through to my juniors, and then I got too old for that so I had to move from the country to Perth. Once I hit Perth I did Year 9 to 10 with Hills Rangers and then Perth picked me up.”

Q: Last season you played with Perth and earned a spot with the winter squad, what was that rise like?

MG: “It was great. I was only expecting to play Rogers really but to get the amount of games I got in the league was great. Great experience, I learnt a lot from the older people and just going through to the winter and state program, such a privilege and grateful.”

Q: You managed to hold your spot as a small forward, what was that experience against a lot of older opponents?

MG: “Not gonna lie, it was a little bit scary. But once I put my head down and got stuck into it, it was a breeze.”

Q: Being part of Perth’s inaugural WAFLW season, what was that like?

MG: “It was great. It was a great year, especially to see the girls get the first win, that was the cherry on the cake. It was good to just be part of it and it made me grow into the player and person I am at the moment.”

Q: Have you always been a small forward or have you played elsewhere at other levels?

MG: “Juniors I used to play a lot of mid, inside mid, but as I got older I became a small forward.”

Q: Which position do you prefer?

MG: “Whichever I’m given really. I’m pretty easy, whatever the coach thinks I just go with it.”

Q: What do you see as some of the strengths in your game? 

MG: “Probably my tackling and marking would be the two I’d say.”

Q: What are you looking to improve on this year?

MG: “I’m looking to improve on a little bit of my endurance just so I can play out more of the game and stuff. That’s about really it, and a bit of my speed, just strength.”

Q: How’s it been part of the summer squad this year?

MG: “It’s been great, especially seeing the younger ones come in. It’s just been good to mentor some of them.”

Q: Perth as a whole, recruited a lot of experience, what’s that been like at training?

MG: “It’s been alright. I haven’t been much to training because of training, but just what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen around, it’s looking pretty good so I can’t wait to get stuck back in there.”

Q: Which AFLW club do you support?

MG: “West Coast Eagles.”

Q: Who’s a player you look up to or model your game on?

MG: “It would be Ella Roberts. Bit speedy and she’s just so fierce with it.”

Q: Who’s had the most individual influence on your career do you think? 

MG: “My parents, definitely getting me to and from the country. They’ve definitely had the biggest influence, and just all my coaches I’ve had. Each and every one are just different in their own way, but still have that big influence.”

Q: What goals do you set for yourself for the year ahead?

MG: “Just to work on what I can, and then hopefully just keep going up and hopefully make it to the draft.”