SNAPSHOT: “An explosive, competitive, high-impact player who is able to use both sides of her body and run all day.”

Kiera Yerbury is one of three potential first round prospects at the Sydney Swans Academy, having come through the pathways showing no shortage of ability along the way. A highly competitive midfielder with some serious wheels and a high endurance base, Yerbury impacts the game with her metres gained and ability to break lines.

Yerbury started her football journey at St Ives back in 2019 when she played 11 games in the Under 12s competition. Also a talented netballer, Yerbury did not rack up the experience that many of her peers did on the footy field, though paired up her work with St Ives to also play with her school, Barker College.

It was 2023 when her career took a positive turn, moving to Macquarie University Goannas where she made her AFL Sydney Premier Division debut and ran out for six games, including a preliminary final. At the same time she was still running around for St Ives and also made a preliminary final in that Under 16 Youth Girls competition, while making her Under 18s debut too.

On the representative front, Yerbury made it into the Sydney Swans Academy where she played at the National Development Championships having been involved with the Swans since 2020. Named among the best in both matches, Yerbury used it as a catalyst to go to another level in 2024. Last year she played in the Under 22 Summer Series for the Swans, Coates Talent League Girls, and settled into life with the renamed Parramatta Goannas.

Still juggling her club and school footy – playing another seven games for Barker College – Yerbury experienced more finals action at senior level, playing 11 matches across the course of the 2024 season. For the Swans, she averaged 12.7 disposals, 1.3 marks, 6.0 tackles, 2.7 inside 50s and 1.0 rebound 50s.

It was a promising start for Yerbury who quite literally doubled her numbers in 2025, running out for the Swans and picking up 24.5 disposals, 3.0 marks, 5.8 tackles, 3.8 clearances and 4.3 inside 50s, while also kicking two goals in her four games. Her remarkable form resulted in a spot with the Allies, where she came in after missing the first game and averaged 15.0 disposals, 2.7 marks, 3.7 tackles, 2.3 clearances and 6.0 inside 50s, while also kicking a couple of majors.

She had also impressed for North Shore Bombers in the Women’s Premier Division, having made the move to the club which would go on to win the flag, and Yerbury was named amongst the best on six occasions from her eight games.

At the end of the season, Yerbury earned a National Draft Combine invite, and though she missed it due to illness, was able to still show her wares throughout the year to suggest she will land somewhere in the top 30.

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