{"id":214670,"date":"2026-05-13T18:14:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T08:14:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=214670"},"modified":"2026-05-13T18:14:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T08:14:17","slug":"2027-aflw-draft-qa-tiama-collard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2026\/05\/13\/2027-aflw-draft-qa-tiama-collard\/","title":{"rendered":"2027 AFLW Draft Q&A: Tiama Collard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

TALENTED bottom-ager Tiama Collard<\/a> is a name to remember for the future, with the Peel Thunder young gun already looking like a readymade prospect. Running around off a wing for the Thunder, while still having an impact up forward and having played inside midfield at local and for the Sandgropers last season, the 2009-born Collard is getting better with every experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We spoke to the West Australian at the Preseason Testing event about her football journey, gamestyle, inspirations and goals for the year ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Tiama, tell us a little bit about your footy journey?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TC: <\/strong>“I started playing footy when I was in Year 3. I think I started as soon as there was an AFLW league, but I always wanted to play my whole life. I started playing with the boys in Year 3, that was pretty fun. It was a lot different to what it’s like playing with the girls. But when I was in Year 6 or 7 I moved to playing with the girls and it was really fun. A lot of the girls from my community team still play with me at Peel so we’re pretty connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Then in Year 7 I did the Peel Academy and I versed Bunbury and another team and I really enjoyed it so the next year I tried out for Rogers and I was lucky enough to be one of the younger girls that got in. Played most of the games that I could besides when I was injured. One more year of Rogers, which was fun as we had a lot more wins than the season before, and then I was lucky enough in 2025 to play a few WAFLW games and have a feel what it was like to play against bigger, stronger, older, more talented players. It was really fun.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: Between the 16s where you played midfield and then more forward rotating for Peel, what do you see yourself as going forward?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TC: <\/strong>“Well I feel like I’ve always been an inside midfield player, but when I am the younger of the lot that I play with, I feel like forward’s a good spot for me because I haven’t really grown yet, I’m a bit small. I love playing forward, I love kicking goals, I’m more of a crumber so I can get a tall player if they drop it, it’s mine. But going forward, I don’t mind where I play, but inside midfield’s probably my preferred, but forward’s always fun, it’s one of my favourite positions to play.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What do you see as some of the strengths in your game?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TC: <\/strong>“I feel like some of my strengths are probably my composure. I feel like I’m pretty composed. I am pretty shifty, I like stepping people and I can jump and maybe another one is I’m pretty good at crafting goals out of nowhere. That’s probably my favourite, being shifty and having really good looks on goals.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What about your improvements?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TC: <\/strong>“Definitely my long distance running. I feel like that’s my weakest point, even at the testing. It humbles me every time. I’m an alright sprinter but my long distance is not there, and definitely my strength. I feel like I’ve got a lot stronger from last season which actually helped with my confidence, but I still need to get a lot stronger because I’m pretty strong.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What goals do you set for this season?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TC: <\/strong>“Just to make it to the state 18s winter squad is probably my biggest goal, and help that team hopefully win games if I do get in. When I go back to Peel, to get back into the WAFLW side and hopefully we win a lot more games and I gel into the position they want me to play.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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