GEELONG Falcons finished their Talent League Girls home-and-away campaign on a high, travelling to Windsor Park and defeating Tasmania Devils by 37 points, 9.6 (60) to 3.5 (23), in Round 21.

Leading the way in the front half was Claudia Collins, who finished with 15 disposals, five marks and 4.3. Starting at full-forward, the bottom-ager kicked four of Geelong’s nine goals and directly assisted another, with a three-goal burst in the opening 10 minutes of the third quarter the standout passage of her performance.

BACKGROUND

Name: Claudia Collins
Height: 176cm
DOB: 26/05/2009
Position: Tall Forward
Clubs: Geelong Falcons / Barwon Heads

Collins has established herself as a dangerous tall forward in the 2009-born crop, combining a potent left boot with clean hands, strong bodywork and the ability to manufacture chances both in the air and at ground level. Though most comfortable close to goal, she has also shown the capacity to push higher up the ground and impact through her decision-making and distribution.

Her representative pathway began with Vic Country at the 2025 AFLW Under 16 Championships, where she kicked three goals across two games. Collins then stepped up to the Under 18 program as a bottom-ager in 2026 and made her opportunities count against Queensland, kicking two goals from seven disposals. Both majors came within three third-quarter minutes as she briefly dragged Country back into the contest.

That capacity to score in bursts has also been evident at Talent League level. Collins produced 16 disposals, four clearances and three goals against Bendigo Pioneers in Round 16, scoring through a quick left-foot finish, a deep snap and a set shot earned with clever bodywork. Her 14-disposal performance against Sandringham in Round 20 was goalless but showed her willingness to present inside 50 and work further afield, while four-quarter consistency remained the next step. Against Tasmania, she was able to combine both elements.

PLAYER FOCUS

Stats vs. Tasmania Devils, Round 21: 15 disposals (11 kicks, 4 handballs) at 73.3 per cent efficiency, 5 marks (1 contested), 3 tackles, 1 clearance, 1 inside 50, 4 goals and 3 behinds.

FIRST HALF

Stationed at full-forward from the opening bounce, Collins looked dangerous before she had a disposal. An early ball towards goal took a cruel bounce away from her and allowed a Tasmania defender to gather on the last line, but it was an early indication of the danger she posed close to goal.

Her first major arrived in the 17th minute. From 30 metres out, Collins converted a lovely set shot to register Geelong’s opening goal of the game. The composed finish rewarded her early presence and gave the Falcons their first major.

Collins had another chance later in the term after playing in front and taking a fantastic one-on-one mark 35 metres out. The strong hands and body positioning were first-rate, though the resulting set shot was sprayed for a behind. It was one of two first-half shots that missed, but the process behind creating the opportunity remained sound.

The second quarter showed the developing scope of her game. Collins pushed as high as the wing, won possession and released a teammate with a clean handball, ensuring she remained involved even when the Falcons were not targeting her deep in attack.

Her best passage of the term came late in the quarter. Collins attacked the ball at speed, gathered cleanly and fired out lightning hands, then turned and won it back as the play unfolded. She kept her composure under pressure and launched a long-range shot which missed to the left, but the repeat effort and ability to remain part of the chain were just as instructive as the scoring chance itself.

Seven disposals and 1.2 represented a solid first half without being dominant. Collins had threatened through her leading and marking while also beginning to influence the game further from goal, laying the foundation for what followed after the main break.

SECOND HALF

The third quarter belonged to Collins. Within two minutes of the restart, she struck brilliantly from 35 metres and drove through her second goal. Four minutes later she gathered at ground level, found just enough time to balance and snapped truly from 30 metres for her third.

By the 10-minute mark, the bag was complete. Collins won a free kick at the top of the goalsquare and made no mistake with the set shot, giving her three goals for the term and four for the match. The burst showcased her variety as a scorer: one powerful strike, one composed ground-level snap and one converted opportunity earned close to goal.

Importantly, her influence did not stop once the goals had been banked. Collins produced a neat sidestep through the middle and kicked the ball forward, then became involved again when it came back her way and thumped it long into space inside 50. The sequence reflected both her willingness to work beyond the forward arc and the penetration she offers on her preferred left foot.

There was an even clearer example of her growing connection play in the 13th minute. Collins marked inside 50 but, rather than forcing a shot, lowered her eyes and found Ella McDonald in space with a short pass for a direct goal assist. It was a composed, team-first decision from a player who was having a day out in front of goal herself.

Collins remained involved during the final term. She gathered inside 50 and released quick hands in a chain which eventually produced another Geelong goal, then worked to the forward side of the wing and laid a strong tackle to force the ball out of bounds.

Her final scoring opportunity came after she marked 45 metres from goal. Collins glanced behind, played on and tried to drive the ball towards the goals, only for the kick to travel across the face and be rushed through. It left her with 3.1 after half-time and 4.3 for the match, completing an eight-disposal second half built on decisive moments rather than accumulation.

SUMMARY

Collins’ 15 disposals do not leap off the page in the manner of a high-volume midfielder, but that was never the measure of her performance. Seven scoring shots, four goals and a direct goal assist tell the more relevant story. She kicked nearly half of Geelong’s majors and played a direct hand in another, making her the most damaging forward on the ground.

The three-goal burst to begin the third quarter was the defining passage. Collins imposed herself on the contest within 10 minutes and did so through three different scoring methods, reinforcing the variety and instinct that make her such a dangerous attacking prospect. Her ability to finish from range, balance at ground level and make the most of close-range opportunities gives defenders more than one problem to solve.

As a 2009-born prospect with Under 18 representative experience already behind her, Collins looms as one of Geelong’s key players to watch in 2027. Her left-foot finishing, clean hands, bodywork and natural goal sense form a strong base, while the expanding work up the ground and growing team-first element suggest there is plenty more to come.