SPEEDY midfielder Lucy Moore had a breakout bottom-age campaign for both Woodville-West Torrens and South Australia, which culminated in an MVP performance for her Under 17 Futures side when the best around the nation faced off at IKON Park. Though unlucky not to make the National Academy, Moore has the talent and upside to make every post a winner in 2026.

We spoke to Moore at the South Australian Preseason Testing Day about her football journey, inspirations, and goals for the year ahead.

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

LM: “I started playing just local footy at Henley Sharks when I was 12 years-old. It was more of a friendship aspect, I just wanted to play because all my friends were and it was just something new. Then I got selected a few times for Under 15s and Under 17s to play at Eagles for the carnival. Then got asked out to the seniors in 2023 [at] 15 years-old, so I played the 2024 and 2025 seasons.”

Q: What’s your favourite position?

LM: “Inside mid is my favourite. I like being in the control room, I like running, pressure, all that kind of stuff, it’s fun.”

Q: With a few of the Eagles girls going out last year you got your shot in there, what was that experience like?

LM: “It was really good. Christina (Leuzzi) was a really good friend of mine, a really good role model for me, we had such a good connection in there. It was such an honour to be playing with those girls, Imogen Trengove as well was in there. To be able to get time in there was such a privilege, it was such an amazing group in there.”

Q: Yourself and Julia Faulkner coming through the pathway together playing similar roles, what has that been like?

LM: “It’s good to have someone in the same position as you, good having a friend who understands and I can lean on for things. We’re in the same boat so it’s good.”

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

LM: “Coming from the midfield I’d say probably my intensity with tackling. Just getting in and out with the ball, clearances. My drive and my speed is also probably an aspect that’s good in the mid.”

Q: What are you looking to improve on at the moment?

LM: “Leading on from that, my composure when I come out pretty explosive and fast, sometimes I’m just getting the ball down but I want to focus on hitting targets, disposal efficiency, getting that up.”

Q: You got MVP at the Futures, what was that like?

LM: “That was such an experience, so fun to be around girls that I’ve never met in the team way because I’d been playing against them in state, but it was really good to all come together and really show what we’re made of.”

Q: Eagles made the grand final last year, you had a fair bit of success individually and as a team, what was that experience like?

LM: “We had an amazing season last year. I just think we clicked so well, it was such a fun experience. The whole year was obviously ups and downs but it was a really good year and I think that it helps the team and also me grow because I’ve been up against in a grand final it’s just so different. It’s built my resilience and mature as a player.”

Q: What AFLW club do you support at the top level?

LM: “Port Adelaide.”

Q: Is there a player at the top level you model your game on?

LM: “Well obviously I played with Shineah Goody. Not a lot, she got drafted when I came in, but I’d been around her and her in the mid is just so electric and because my coach knows her we talk about her and how I can take things on that she does really well.”

Q: How are you feeling with Eagles this year?

LM: “Good, we’ve had a few changes with the team, but training and preseason is so strong and I think we’ve built really well from last year so I think we’re going to keep building from there.”

Q: At state are you feeling you’re going to play more mid this year?

LM: “I think so. I do rotate into the forward a bit as a high-forward, so mid and forward is where I’d like to be this year.”