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"The fresh princess of Bella Ayre" can play forward, but has mostly played full-back for us when selected.Bella Ayre and Renee Tierney are forwards, EAC is defence. We seem to have a lot of forwards but I guess Gee goes through the midfield as well (possibly so do some others). Ayre played in Brisbane's losing Grand Final against the Western Bulldogs in 2018 before she retired from AFLW. Also a former Carlton player.
I'll cast her as a defender in the spreadsheet then, that makes more sense"The fresh princess of Bella Ayre" can play forward, but has mostly played full-back for us when selected.
Michaela Long turns down AFL Women’s chance, waits for Essendon to enter league
MICHAEL Long’s daughter has turned down playing offers from AFL clubs because she wants to represent Essendon when it enters the new women’s league.
Michaela Long told the Herald Sun she rejected approaches from Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney and would return to play at St Mary’s in Darwin next year.
Essendon did not apply to join the inaugural national women’s competition.
Long, 19, played Auskick in Melbourne as a youngster and grew up kicking the footy with brother Jake, who made an impressive debut for the Bombers in Round 21.
Her cousin, Ben Long, is likely to be drafted next month after kicking six goals for Footscray in the preliminary final and playing in the VFL premiership.PLAYERCARDSTART22Ben Long
- Age
- 26
- Ht
- 186cm
- Wt
- 81kg
- Pos.
- Def
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 10.9
- 3star
- K
- 6.2
- 2star
- HB
- 4.7
- 3star
- M
- 3.3
- 3star
- T
- 2.7
- 4star
- MG
- 166.8
- 3star
- D
- 12.8
- 3star
- K
- 6.7
- 3star
- HB
- 6.2
- 4star
- M
- 3.3
- 3star
- T
- 2.3
- 3star
- MG
- 129.0
- 2star
- D
- 13.4
- 4star
- K
- 6.8
- 3star
- HB
- 6.6
- 4star
- M
- 3.2
- 4star
- T
- 3.2
- 5star
- MG
- 223.0
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
Michaela Long could be the first women drafted under the father-daughter rule, which is expected to be introduced by the AFL.
She revealed her Bombers dream at Friday’s The Long Walk Women’s Lunch and is working with Essendon’s Next Generation talent academy in the Tiwi and Maningrida areas.
The young athlete is passionate about developing indigenous football talent in the Northern Territory.
Michael Long said he would be proud to see his son and daughter carry on his legacy at Essendon.
“It’s in the blood. It’s a footy pedigree,” Long said.
“She plays onball, a bit of wing and around the forward line. She was quite a quick athlete as a kid, so I’ve always told her, ‘If you get the ball, run with it’.”
Michaela said at one stage she seriously considered pulling on another team’s colours.
“But then I thought I’m happy to go back to St Mary’s, that’s where my grandfather played and all my uncles played and my brothers continue to play,” Long said.
“I’d love to play AFL footy and the other clubs I got interest from I know people at.
“But Essendon has always felt like home. One day we’ll get a women’s footy team and then I can hopefully play alongside my younger cousins that’ll be old enough then.
“Me and my brother used to argue when we were younger. Jake always had that direct pathway to play AFL footy and girls were never allowed to play so I had to look at other avenues.
“But now I really have no excuse, so I kind of have to. But it would mean the world to me, watching my brother run out this year I was so proud of him.
“For my mum and dad I want to do it for them, especially my father.
“And everybody like Sheeds and people I look up to like Dustin Fletcher, I want to be back home at my family club, Essendon footy club.”PLAYERCARDSTARTDustin Fletcher
- Age
- 48
- Ht
- 198cm
- Wt
- 92kg
- Pos.
- Def
CareerSeasonLast 5
- D
- 16.0
- 4star
- K
- 12.3
- 5star
- HB
- 3.7
- 3star
- M
- 4.7
- 4star
- T
- 1.2
- 3star
- MG
- 301.6
- 4star
No current season stats available
- D
- 14.2
- 4star
- K
- 11.4
- 4star
- HB
- 2.8
- 3star
- M
- 4.8
- 5star
- T
- 1.4
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
Next year’s women’s competition will feature eight clubs — the Giants, Crows, Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Fremantle, Collingwood and pioneers Western Bulldogs and Melbourne.
The league held its women’s draft this week.
Did she play year 1 of the VFLW? I'm interested to know who the cousins might be...I found this old article about Michaela Long from 2016
Michaela Long turns down AFL Women’s chance, waits for Essendon to enter league
Not sure, I don't really follow the VFLW to be honest. I just remembered vaguely about her being a player of interest to other teams and wanting to play for Essendon. It's why I'd like to know if anyone here knows anything more.Did she play year 1 of the VFLW? I'm interested to know who the cousins might be...
Yeah, same question had crossed my mind. I thought she may have had a couple of games in our first VFLW season or been involved in the launch but got injured or something. Probably question the commitment though given there hasn't been any more about her for a couple of seasons.Not sure, I don't really follow the VFLW to be honest. I just remembered vaguely about her being a player of interest to other teams and wanting to play for Essendon. It's why I'd like to know if anyone here knows anything more.
The article says about going back to play for St. Marys and helping develop the game up there, so she could have been doing that, but again I'd have no idea.Yeah, same question had crossed my mind. I thought she may have had a couple of games in our first VFLW season or been involved in the launch but got injured or something. Probably question the commitment though given there hasn't been any more about her for a couple of seasons.
The article says about going back to play for St. Marys and helping develop the game up there, so she could have been doing that, but again I'd have no idea.
Interesting, thanks for that. So she's been playing pretty recently. I imagine given Michael continues to have a relationship with the club if Michaela had any interest he'd be letting them know and we'll find out if she ends up being drafted under the father-daughter rule.Michaela Long Archives
central.rookieme.com
Kicked a few in the 20/21 season for St Mary's going off a couple of these
I think it was the second year, 2019. Steph Hird came as well and they made a song and dance about it. I don’t think she came back for 2020 but that season was cancelled anyway because pandemic so I’m not 100% sure if that was the reason.Did she play year 1 of the VFLW? I'm interested to know who the cousins might be...
Essendon
In: Sophie Alexander (Collingwood), Eloise Ashley-Cooper, Bella Ayre, Daria Bannister (North Melbourne), Jorja Borg, Stephanie Cain (Fremantle), Joanne Doonan, Federica Frew, Ellyse Gamble (Western Bulldogs), Georgia Gee (Carlton), Danielle Marshall, Georgia Nanscawen, Catherine Phillips (St Kilda), Madison Prespakis (Carlton), Caitlin Sargent, Renee Tierney, Bonnie Toogood (Western Bulldogs), Sophie Van De Heuvel (Geelong), Jacqui Vogt (St Kilda), Jordan Zanchetta
Out: Nil
Current draft picks: 4, 8, 32, 35, 47, 64, 82, 100 (2, 4, 17, 19, 25, 35, 43, 53 in VIC)
Essendon has managed to recruit the most experience on average of any expansion club this time around. The appointment of Natalie Wood as head coach no doubt helped matters, with several players keen to play under her. Between the arcs the Bombers look dangerous, with a midfield brigade of Madison Prespakis, Georgia Nascawen and Jordan Zanchetta complemented by wingers Stephanie Cain and Sophie Van De Heuvel. In attack Daria Bannister, Bonnie Toogood and Federica Frew have the potential to really wreak havoc, while Ellyse Gamble and Sophie Alexander are pillars around which a defence can be built.
AFL website write up about our build so far
AFLW Latest News - AFL.com.au/aflw
Latest breaking AFLW news from the official website of the Australian Football League.www.womens.afl
We don’t have an end date for the open age signing period and seem to still be signing players but the last list lodgement before the draft is on the 16th so I’d expect it to all be sorted out by then.Is the window still open for us to snag some of our current VFLW flock, or is it likely now just the draft to fill out the squad?