TALENTED Vic Country representative Grace Dillow looms large as one of the region’s top AFLW Draft prospects in 2026, and alongside Lily Milner will prepare to mount a nice one-two punch out of the midfield. Dillow has shown she can also impact up forward, and has plenty of tricks and traits that catch the eye.

We spoke to Dillow at the Talent League Girls Preseason Testing Day about her football journey, game, inspirations and goals for the year ahead.

Q: Grace, tell us a little bit about your football journey?

GD: “When I was little I started in Auskick down at my little club at Woodside. I just grew up playing footy, kicking it with my brother, and that lead me to here.”

Q: How’s your preseason been so far?

GD: “It’s been really good. Our high performance coach at Gippsland Power is really good and really switched on, he’s been a lot of help to our club.”

Q: What’s the preseason with Vic Country been like mingling with girls from other regions?

GD: “It’s so good, I love Vic Country, it just gives us that opportunity to meet other girls at the clubs and to see where their journey takes them.”

Q: What do you see as some of your strengths and improvements?

GD: “I think my strengths are definitely groundballs and just getting it down from the ground and getting it up to one of my teammates and bringing everyone else into the game. Something I’m working on now is just the kicking when I get it out of the packs to the next level.”

Q: Do you tend to watch a lot of football?

GD: “Yeah, I do.”

Q: Who do you go for?

GD: “I go for Sydney Swans.”

Q: Any reason for that?

GD: “Well my grandma on my dad’s side went for South Melbourne and then that’s just flown down into the family.”

Q: Are there any players you try to look up to and maybe mould your game on?

GD: “I really look up to Zippy Fish. She recently just joined AFLW and I just love watching her and even Chloe Molloy. And on the boys side of it, I love watching Isaac Heeney.”

Q: Do you get to watch the Swans much live or is it when they come down to Vic?

GD: “When they come down to Vic I watch them, or as much as I can. We do a couple of trips up to Sydney here and there, but not many.”

Q: What goals have you set up for yourself this year?

GD: “I want to be more of a leader this year to let all the younger ones coming through the program to know that it’s fine, it’s exciting. Just to make them feel more comfortable, and to get drafted.”

Q: What position/role do you think you’ll play this year?

GD: “I think mostly mid-forward role, I love those two roles, but who knows, it could be anywhere.”