Okesene follows family advice in code-switch
HESITANT to join Australian rules football at first, Queensland’s Christine Okesene followed her dad’s advice to join the sport from touch football and rugby. “I didn’t start in AFL, I started with athletics and then went into touch football and started playing rugby,” Okesene said. “So from there, I kind of didn’t want to change […]
2019 AFL Women’s Draft preview
UP to 102 draft hopefuls could realise their AFL Women’s dream tomorrow when the 2019 AFL Women’s Draft takes place. Clubs will have between four and 13 picks in the draft, with Melbourne and Richmond having the benchmark minimum and maximum selections. Collingwood will enter the draft last of all clubs, with the Magpies’ first […]
Barba tackles any challenge thrown her way
DEFENSIVE pressure has been the barometer that Calder Cannons’ Alana Barba sets every week, with the ferocious midfielder striking fear into the hearts of opposition players when they have the ball in her area. The tenacious talent from Roxburgh Park averaged 7.1 tackles per game for the Cannons in the NAB League Girls competition, and […]
Newcomer Viney grows in short space of time
EIGHTEEN months ago, Rebecca Viney was running around for North Beach Football Club in Western Australia. While the Tigers are considered Western Australia’s most successful amateur team, it was a far cry from the AFL Women’s competition which at that stage was in its second season. It is hard to believe just two years later, […]
Theodore hoping to emulate Prespakis’ journey to AFLW
CALDER Cannons product, Felicity Theodore proved to be a lynchpin in defence using her nimbleness and speed to evade players and burst away from the pack time and time again. Signed with Essendon VFLW, Theodore aspires to follow the same path of those before her in particular, NAB Rising Star Maddy Prespakis who introduced her […]
Late bloomer O’Driscoll eyes elite level
ONLY still new to footy Emma O’Driscoll is taking each moment as it comes and enjoying the ride despite being an overager. O’Driscoll was a late bloomer to the sport and has not put a foot wrong since her inception into the game, steadily developing and posing a dominant threat credit to her skill. “So […]
“Natural footballer” Vella determined to succeed
DESPITE standing at about 156cm, Geelong Falcons’ Elise Vella has a big impact every time she is out on the field thanks to her ability to think through plays quickly and move nimbly around the ground. Vella showed she is adaptable this year, playing across three different levels with Geelong and Vic Country. “We started […]
Jolliffe bouncing back from injury
FOR Bendigo Pioneers’ Jordyn Jolliffe, it has been a rocky road to success with plenty of bumps along the way. Halted in her Aussie rules tracks as an 11-year-old, Jolliffe made the switch to netball before finding her way back to the sport. “I started in Auskick, wasn’t really a fan of netball and most […]
Chapman’s unassuming rise to success
“STAND there and don’t touch the ball.” They were the first words uttered to Geelong Falcons’ Abbey Chapman when she stepped onto a football ground for the first time. It might have been a bit abrupt and imposing had the words not come from a familiar face. “My sister told me to stand there and […]
Tarrant taking GIANT strides ahead of draft
BRENNA Tarrant is no stranger to the limelight, earning herself a spot in the AFL Women’s Under-18 All-Australian side credit to her impressive season and ball winning ability – but she did not start off playing Australian rules football. Despite encouragement from her father, Tarrant did not follow in her father’s rugby footsteps, instead initially […]
