PREVIEW | 2023 AFLW Round 1: Melbourne vs. Collingwood
A BLOCKBUSTER match opens the 2023 AFL Women’s season, with reigning premiers Melbourne unfurling their Season 7 flag against Collingwood at Ikon Park. The teams within the contest could not be more different with the ever-consistent Dees going up against a new-look Magpies outfit that will hope to cause a boilover. TEAMS MELBOURNE B: L.Birch 9 […]
AFLW 23 Under 23: #5 Alyssa Bannan
OVER the next three weeks, Rookie Me Central will be counting down our 23 Players Under 23 years of age to watch in the upcoming 2023 season. The criteria is the player must be born in 2001 or later, and must have played at least one AFL Women’s match in Season 7. As the list […]
Season 8 AFLW preview: Melbourne
REIGNING premiers Melbourne basked in long-awaited premiership glory last season after having a series of so close, yet so far attempts at the AFL Women’s flag. The Demons defeated Brisbbane at Brighton Homes Arena in somewhat of an upset, going one better than their loss to Adelaide the season prior. Fast forward eight months, and […]
AFLW 23 Under 23: #21 Tahlia Gillard
OVER the next three weeks, Rookie Me Central will be counting down our 23 Players Under 23 years of age to watch in the upcoming 2023 season. The criteria is the player must be born in 2001 or later, and must have played at least one AFL Women’s match in Season 7. As the list […]
Dees determined to create “new story”
MELBOURNE’s message to the rest of the AFL Women’s competition is clear, the Demons will not be living in the past and instead focused fully on creating another chapter in their fabled history. The reigning premiers got the job done last year after a number of near misses in past seasons, but coach Mick Stinear […]
Hore and Hanks to take “opportunity” left by Daisy’s departure
IT is never easy to replace a club legend on or off the field, especially one universally respected as Daisy Pearce. However that is exactly what new Melbourne AFLW captain Kate Hore and vice-captain Tyla Hanks will look to do in Season 8 and beyond following the retirement of one of footy’s legends. When Melbourne […]
AFLW Season 7 Glass Half Full/Empty: Melbourne
IN a new approach to the AFL Women’s end of season reviews, Rookie Me Central casts both a glass half full and half empty lens over each side’s campaigns. Today’s team, the last in the series, is of course Melbourne, who broke through for its first AFLW Premiership in Season 7. GLASS HALF FULL They […]
Grateful Dees pair reflect on it all
AFTER Melbourne finally broke through for their inaugural flag yesterday, it was hard to wipe the smiles of the faces of it’s captain Daisy Pearce and coach Mick Stinear. Pearce said that although it had not fully sunk in yet, her overwhelming emotion was pride. “It’s taken a bit of time to sink in actually, […]
Dees delight, break finals hoodoo
MELBOURNE has broken its finals hoodoo by grinding out a low-scoring but unmissable win, running out 2.7 (19) to 2.3 (15) victors over Brisbane. The Demons looked in trouble early when Brisbane kicked back-to-back goals in the opening quarter, but then took complete control of the game, shutting down the Lions’ run and limiting the […]
Hyett and her Dees ready for what lies ahead
MUCH like its opponent Brisbane, Melbourne finds itself back in another AFL Women’s decider after the heartbreak of last season’s loss to Adelaide. Melbourne assistant coach Tamara Hyett believes that despite Melbourne being the “perennial almosts” since the establishment of the competition, she does not believe that adds any pressure to her side coming into […]