{"id":223552,"date":"2026-10-07T09:22:44","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T23:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=223552"},"modified":"2026-10-07T09:22:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T23:22:46","slug":"grateful-milner-positive-about-year-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2026\/10\/07\/grateful-milner-positive-about-year-future\/","title":{"rendered":"“Grateful” Milner positive about year, future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

IT WAS a busy year for Gippsland Power’s Lily Milner<\/a>. The Vic Country representative played through both the Under 18s Championships and Talent League Girls seasons as well as getting a gig with the All-Stars against the National Academy. Milner was able to sum up her experiences in 2026 in a simple word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think the word would be ‘grateful’,” she said. “I’m just grateful for the girls that I’ve met and opportunities that I’ve had this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think it was a really positive experience. “Obviously more [different] girls at Vic Country than Gippsland so got to play football with some of my best friends this year which is a huge highlight.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milner’s game went to another level in 2026 as she stepped up at the Power to be a key contributor through the midfield, leading by example. Averaging 21.5 disposals, 2.5 marks, 6.5 tackles, 5.5 clearances, 4.4 inside 50s and kicking seven goals across 11 games, it’s fair to say the Traralgon product made the most of her top-age season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While her numbers jump off the page, it was her off-field work – as well as her voice on-field – that pleased the Gippsland Power captain in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think my maturity in my leadership on and off the field, that was something that was a goal of mine coming into this year with my leadership so I got that opportunity at Gippsland this year,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milner never takes a backwards step, so it should come as no surprise that when she and fellow competitor Leni Lockyer <\/strong>eyed off a groundball in the Vic Country-Vic Metro clash, neither was going to be worried out of it. The former won that battle with a big shirtfront, while Lockyer bounced back up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’m pretty competitive and so is Leni so it was just a moment where we both decided to just go 100 per cent at each other and no one backed off for that which is something that I can appreciate about Leni as well which is how hard she competes,” Milner said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chatting to clubs has bee another “really positive” experience for Milner who soaked in the atmosphere at the AFLW National Draft Combine, describing the event as “pretty different”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It’s not every day that you get to meet with AFLW clubs and just seeing the girls again has been really positive, we all get around each other and encourage each other throughout the testing so it’s been really fun,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the end goal of reaching the elite level in sight, Milner said her main focus over the off-season would be building strength in her frame in order to keep up with her teammates and opponents who had been in elite level conditioning programs for a number of years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for what she’d do when inside a club’s four walls first, Milner said it was about adapting to the team as smoothly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think it would be off the field stuff, so making sure I put myself out there,” she said. “I think that would be my first go-to.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No doubt the recruiters would have liked what they saw from the Gippsland prospect, with Milner clocking a top five 20-metre sprint time of 3.198 seconds, as well as eighth in the agility test (8.376 seconds) and a prominent finish in the running vertical jump (67cm).<\/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>, Tayla Olivieri<\/a>
Western Australia:<\/strong> Lexi Strachan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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