{"id":223549,"date":"2026-10-07T09:16:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T23:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=223549"},"modified":"2026-10-07T09:16:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T23:16:17","slug":"forward-thinking-olivieri-on-the-cusp-of-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2026\/10\/07\/forward-thinking-olivieri-on-the-cusp-of-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Forward thinking Olivieri on the cusp of dream"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

HAVING always been a natural midfielder, Tayla Olivieri<\/a> had an inkling that this year was about change, and a move to the small forward role was on the cards. Though that did eventuate – and the Vic Metro representative spent the bulk of her representative time inside 50 while rotating between the two at the Western Jets – she is more than happy to continue down that path to chase her AFLW dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Yeah I did suspect that (I’d be told I’d be a small forward at AFLW level), but I honestly enjoy playing small forward more this year actually,” Oliveri said. “I think kicking goals is what people want to watch and that’s bums off seats, get the crowd involved. “I think it’s actually helped me with another position in the game to understand. “Not only just playing that one role.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Olivieri spoke to Rookie Me Central<\/em> at the AFLW National Draft Combine where she said the overwhelming sentiment from recruiters was that they viewed her as a small forward with her pressure, athletic traits and footy IQ all lending themselves to the role. She also took on the switch at Vic Metro fairly easily thanks to the support around her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think I handled it pretty well and I understood my role and what I needed to do in order for the team to play at that next level,” Olivieri said. “But I think having the support with me to coach me through my role and being able to adapt to it also helped me through it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’d say my forward craft has improved a lot from last year. “I think I’ve just taken it to another level this year, and being able just to use my strength, my speed, my ability to break away from contest and my footy IQ. “I think all the clubs have seen that and know that I’ve done it well.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back at 2026, Olivieri said while there were some “ups and downs” as a whole she came away with “no regrets”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’d say I started off my season pretty strong,” she said. “I had goals out on the table and I think I ticked off most of them and still got one more to tick off hopefully, but I’d say I’d planned out my season pretty well and just prepped everything in order to get to where I am today. “I’d say I’ve been through ups and downs but I think I’ve just handled my season pretty well, just left it with no regrets really.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Jets vice-captain conceded she was “pretty stressed out” when she started her club interviews, but eventually “got the hang of it” and has adapted to the process. Having achieved her goal through her 1.6km time-trial run, Olivieri was happy with her improved endurance, citing that area as a way to build at the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think my repeat efforts when it’s in the forward 50 and we don’t have the ball, and just what I can do when I don’t have the ball to stay engaged in the game (are improvements),” she said. “I think the first thing I would want to do (if drafted) is just get fit. “Show my teammates my standards and how I go about things. “Obviously get to know the team, get to know how they go about things and their culture.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DRAFT FEATURES:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

New South Wales: <\/strong>Evie Bowie<\/a>
Queensland: <\/strong>Zoe Petrides<\/a>
South Australia:<\/strong> Emily Mableson<\/a>
Vic Country: <\/strong>Greea McKeegan<\/a>
Vic Metro: <\/strong>Bailee Martin<\/a>
Western Australia:<\/strong> Lexi Strachan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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