Women's Footy AFLW Crows player profiles

[TheRoo32]

Appreciate the interest I'm really enjoying learning about each player's story. Another three profiles for tonight!

#6 - Hannah Martin

Age: 22
Drafted in: 2018

Unlike the other players I've discussed so far, Hannah is a latecomer to footy. Originally from the Yorke Peninsula, she grew up playing as many sports as she could, including netball, basketball, soccer and tennis. However, beyond kicking a footy in the backyard, football was not one of the sports she played. It was only in 2017 when she, along with her younger sister Rachelle, moved to Adelaide to pursue University degrees (teaching for Hannah, commerce for Rachelle) that the two of them decided to take up football. Rachelle, it should be noted, won the Dustchke medal (the SAWFL equivalent of the Magarey medal) in her first season of football (2017) as an 18 year old, as well as the rising star award. She has been occasionally mentioned as potential future target for the Crows, but height may be an issue - she's more than half a foot shorter than Hannah at only 5 feet tall.

After one season in the SAWFL, both Hannah and Rachelle earned spots in the SANFL women's competition, playing for West Adelaide, with Hannah winning the best and fairest (2018) for the club and being nominated for the breakthrough player award (for the best player under 21, which was ultimately won by Nikki Gore). She was also named in the team of the year on the wing. Obviously this caught the eye of the Crows, since this was only her second season of football and she was still quite young. They invited her to train with them in the off-season and she impressed them with her work ethic, and they eventually took her with their final selection in the draft, a selection they only had because Ruth Wallace and Jess Allan took the season off and the Crows were awarded a fifth round compensation pick (they only received one compensation pick because they also secured Sophie Li from Carlton).

Other than missing round 3 due to a minor injury, Martin has played every match in her debut AFLW season.

Great job mate! The only thing to update here is Hannah actually won the SANFL best and fairest, for best player in the competition in 2018. It was her younger sister Rachelle who won the West Adelaide best and fairest...

Rachelle is a beast too and I wouldn't be adverse to giving her an opportunity next year...

 

[chazwazza]

Who was the girl that always word a ribbon in her hair, not sure if she’s still playing now but played in 2017?

 

[radiojake]

Who was the girl that always word a ribbon in her hair, not sure if she’s still playing now but played in 2017?

Georgia Bevan

did not receive a 2019 playing contract after playing first two seasons

 

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#13 - Erin Phillips

Age: 33
Drafted in: 2016

Of all the players in our team, Erin probably needs the least introduction, and yet there is probably more to say about her than any others. Football is in Erin's DNA, being the daughter of Port Adelaide legend and eight-time premiership star, Greg Phillips. There is also another Port Adelaide family connection, with her sister Amy married to Shaun Burgoyne, and football was a family affair for Erin. As a kid, she would often come to watch her dad play, and even join in the huddles in the breaks. As a junior, Erin was described as "one of the most talented junior footballers" that John Cahill had ever seen. However, when Erin turned 13, there was no pathway for girls to continue playing football, and so she gave it away.

Instead, Erin began to pursue a basketball career, and was an immediate standout. She earned a scholarship with the AIS in 2003, and in 2004 she won the Bob Staunton award for the best player in the U20s national championships. In 2005, she was named in the WNBL's All-Star Five, and was subsequently drafted to the WNBA in the second round by the Connecticut Sun. 2006 was a big year for Erin, as she debuted in the WNBA, played for the Adelaide Lightning during the WNBA off-season, and also represented Australia in the Commonwealth Games, winning a gold medal. Unfortunately, in 2007, she required a knee reconstruction, and missed the 2007 WNBA season. She did return for the 2008 season, but missed the start of it as she prepared to represent Australia in the Olympic Games.

Erin then began a bit of a world tour, playing basketball in Israel in 2008/09, and in Poland from 2009 to 2012. She also relocated to the United States, where she was signed by the Seattle Storm, but then traded before the season started to the Indiana Fever. In 2012, she was part of the Fever's premiership winning team. She was then traded several times, to Phoenix in 2014, Los Angeles in 2015, and Dallas in 2016. Erin finally retired from basketball in 2017, and was signed as the director of player and franchise development by Dallas, who later promoted her to assistant coach.

Throughout her basketball career, Erin represented her country several times. First, she was part of the gold medal winning team in the 2006 Commonwealth games, and also won a gold medal at the world championships in the same year. Then, she won a silver medal in the 2008 Summer Olympic games, along with future AFLW teammate Jess Foley. In 2010 she competed again at the world championships. In 2012, she was not selected in the Australian Olympic team, in part because she had stayed in the US to play in the Indiana premiership side rather than train with the Australian team. Finally, in 2014 she won a bronze medal in the world championships, the final basketball honour of her career.

Back in 2004, Erin famously participated in the Slowdown as a 19 year old, playing her first footy match in six years, but that was effectively all the football Erin played in nearly two decades. Late in 2015, when the AFLW was first mooted, Port Adelaide actually signed her up in advance, on the proviso that they would ultimately be successful in obtaining an AFLW license for the 2017 season. However, they eventually chose not to launch a bid at all, instead preferring to focus on their China match. Phillips had previously said that she was only interested in playing for Port Adelaide, but with no Port side in the league, she turned her attention to two options: Collingwood, who her dad had played for, and the Crows. Reportedly, she checked out both, and found herself impressed with how seriously the Crows were taking their bid to enter the league. From there, she had a choice to make. She was continuing to play for the WNBA, and she was permitted to play other sports, but her medical insurance would not cover her for any injuries sustained playing a contact sport, and if she was unfit to play WNBA, her contract would be voided. However, the allure of finally playing top level football proved too much for Erin, and the rest is history. Despite having played one match in two decades, Erin came to the AFLW on the rookie list, was named Adelaide co-captain immediately, and hit the ground running as the best player in the league. She has claimed that she won't retire until Shaun Burgoyne does, and her goal is to win more premierships than him. We're rooting for you, Erin!

 

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#14 - Stevie-Lee Thompson

Age: 27
Drafted in: 2016

Football was never on Stevie-Lee's radar growing up. She was born in Canberra to New Zealand parents, with Maori heritage. She moved back to New Zealand at the age of four, and then returned to Australia at the age of 11, living in Queensland. With this background, it was only inevitable that Stevie-Lee was drawn to rugby. She did play as many (non-Aussie rules) sports as she could try her hand at, including softball, cricket, netball and tennis, but it was rugby that she loved the most. She played league as a junior, and when she reached an age where that was no longer possible, she turned to touch football. As an eighteen year old, she represented Brisbane in the National Youth Championships and as a 19 year old was set to try out for Australian selection. Unfortunately, disaster struck as she was involved in a car accident that left her unavailable for the tryouts. That was the end of Stevie-Lee's touch football career.

In the years that followed, she moved to Moomba to work in the mines, and then to Darwin to rejoin her parents, who had recently moved there as well. As an adult, she was now able to resume playing social rugby league, and quickly made her mark in Darwin. However, this being the Northern Territory, the main game in town was football, and her teammates encouraged her to give that sport a go as well. Finally, at the age of 23, she decided to join a football team, even though she had never kicked a football, had no idea how to play and had never even watched a full match. Stevie-Lee tells a story about tripping a player and giving away a free in her first game because she had no idea what she was or wasn't allowed to do.

Despite her inexperience, Stevie-Lee impressed enough that she was able to find a place playing for the NT Thunder, which competes in the NEAFL, but shortly after starting she broke her collarbone in a rugby league match. Her Thunder coach sat her down and told her that she needed to pick one sport, rugby or footy. While it was a tough decision - all of her friends were playing rugby - the allure of the recently announced AFLW convinced her to give footy a try, with the idea being to return to league if she went unselected in AFLW.

With only one team having access to NT talent, Stevie-Lee had to impress the Crows enough to select her. With only one year of footy under her belt it was always going to be tight, but she did just enough, ending up as the seventh and final NTFL player selected in 2016. Of that crop of seven NTFL girls, only her, Angela Foley, and Sally Riley are still on the list. Since then, Stevie-Lee has been a stalwart, and is one of only three players (along with Marinoff and Varnhagen) to have played every match for the Crows. However, it was only in 2019 that she was reinvented as a player, moving from a speedy but erratic small defender, to a goalsneak forward. Despite going goalless in the first round, she went on to lead the goalscoring for the entire league.

Off the footy field, Stevie-Lee works at Workskil helping young people transition into education or work, and is studying to become a social worker. She credits AFLW with turning her life around in many ways, and wants to help give back to her adopted community in Darwin.

 

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#15 - Danielle Ponter

Age: 18
Drafted in: 2018

If anybody in the AFLW was bred for football, it's Danielle. She's the niece of Michael Long, counts Cyril Rioli, Jake Long and Ben Long as her cousins, and is the second cousin of Willie Rioli. Her father, Shane Ponter, was no slouch on the footy field himself, playing 200 NTFL games, winning seven premierships (all won in a span of eight years) and earning life membership in the league. Growing up in Darwin, Danielle had a footy in her hands every day for as long as she can remember. In 2011, Danielle began playing football for St Mary's in the U16s female division of the NTFL at only 11 years of age. She spent four years in that division, and won the Sharyn Smith medal (the U16s female best and fairest award) all four of those years. It was not the only time she would compete out of her age group. In 2014, at the age of 14, she competed in her first of four consecutive U18s championships tournaments. After graduating out of the U16s, she continued to play in the NTFL, and won two more league best and fairest awards, taking her tally to six in a row. She was also selected to play for the Central Allies in two state of origin matches in 2017 and 2018, and was given a spot in the AFL Academy where she formed a close friendship with future teammate Nikki Gore, the two each being the only representatives from their respective states.

In 2018, Danielle moved to Victoria to play for Essendon in the VFLW, in a bid to stake a claim for AFLW selection. In a weak side, she was able to impress as a centre-half forward over six matches, including being named second-best player in one of them. Despite having moved to Victoria, Danielle's intention was to return to Darwin, and so she nominated SA/NT as her draft zone of choice for AFLW selection, despite there being only one team eligible to choose from that zone. You can understand why she was confident in being drafted, however. Fellow AFLW player and AFLW talent manager Aasta O'Connor said that "She's always been the best player in the Territory... the things she can do with a footy are phenomenal. I don't know if I've seen any other young player like her." That confidence was rewarded when Danielle was taken with the Crows' fifth (out of six) selection in the draft.

Despite her impressive entry into AFLW, Danielle was not selected in the round 1 team in 2019, and when she was chosen to debut in round 2, it was as a defender, a role she was not familiar with. But in round 4 she was moved to the forward line, and immediately earned a rising star award. Incredibly, after only five rounds playing up forward she had kicked ten goals, good enough to place her second on the 2019 goalscoring list for the entire AFLW. Danielle wears the number 15 in homage to her father, who wore that number throughout his footy career.

 

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#16 Ailish Considine

Age: 26
Drafted in: 2018

Ailish has travelled, by far, further than anyone else to play in the Crows AFLW side. After spending the first twenty five years of her life in Kilmihil, a small County Clare village near the west coast of Ireland, Ailish became one of five Irish sportswomen to travel to Australia to realise their dream of becoming professional athletes. Sporting talent runs in her family, and her older sister Eimear is a sporting star in her own right, having had success as a high jumper, a pentathlete, and most famously as an international rugby player. However, in addition to those exploits, Eimear also joined Ailish in playing two of the most quintessential Irish sports: Camogie, a variant of hurling designed for women, and Gaelic football. Ailish was modestly successful in those sports herself, representing Clare in Camogie for five years, and being named vice-captain of the Clare ladies Gaelic football intermediate squad.

It was Eimear who insisted that Ailish put her name down to travel to Australia for the CrossCoders trials, an AFLW initiative designed to identify sportswomen from other codes who might be lured to the AFLW. Eimear had followed the career of Cora Staunton, a former Gaelic football and Rugby union star who had joined the AFLW the year previous, and had performed admirably, playing every game in her debut season for GWS. The sense was that Gaelic football women would have a transferable skillset for AFLW, and the athleticism required to play Gaelic football would give them an edge over the relatively amateur status of Australian women footballers. And, of course, the allure of being paid to play in a professional league was strong.

Although Ailish had never been to Australia before, Eimear had travelled to Sydney and had told her all about the city. Ailish decided that on the off-chance she was drafted, that GWS would be her preferred target, hoping to play alongside Cora Staunton. Having never played Aussie rules football before, Ailish signed up with the West Clare Waves and played a short season, adjusting to the different ball as quick as she could. Impressively, she found that she was able to kick the ball effectively on both sides of her body. Along with seventeen other women, she arrived at the CrossCoders trials, and they played a friendly game against eighteen potential draftees from Australia, and their athleticism shone out as they handily beat the local girls. But it was Ailish's ability to kick on both sides that was noticed by the Crows. They contacted her immediately after the friendly match and told her that they wanted to sign her up. Despite being later offered an interview by GWS, who had already committed to fellow Irishwoman Yvonne Bonner, Ailish was impressed by the initial offer from the Crows and chose to sign with them, despite never having even heard of the city of Adelaide before.

After her drafting was announced, Ailish was named in the Ireland side for the AFL Euro Cup, a tournament in which a nine-a-side variant of AFL is played between European countries. Ireland were successful on the day, winning six matches in a row to take out the cup. Upon arriving in Australia, Ailish set about getting her skills up to scratch, and developing a feel for the game. The conditions of her visa prevent her from getting a part-time job, so she has spent almost every day at the club, taking advantage of skills videos and doing extra kicking practice. And she has been rewarded for her efforts, playing seven of a possible eight matches so far this season. Highlighting her tenacity and toughness, the one match she missed came in round six, as a result of fracturing her ribs three weeks earlier against Geelong. Ailish played through the pain for two more matches before scans were finally able to identify the cracks, and then had only one match off. In the AFLW off-season, Ailish intends to head back to County Clare, to continue playing Gaelic football.

To finish up, take it from me having done the research on this one: Ireland is damn proud of Ailish. There are countless articles talking about how well she's done in AFLW, and following her progress on a weekly basis. Much like Cora Staunton before her, Ailish has become a source of inspiration for sportswomen back in Ireland who dream of being professional athletes one day. I have no doubt there will be plenty of Irish talent trying out for AFLW in the coming years, all with dreams of following the path laid out by Ailish Considine.

 

[radiojake]

To finish up, take it from me having done the research on this one: Ireland is damn proud of Ailish. There are countless articles talking about how well she's done in AFLW, and following her progress on a weekly basis. Much like Cora Staunton before her, Ailish has become a source of inspiration for sportswomen back in Ireland who dream of being professional athletes one day. I have no doubt there will be plenty of Irish talent trying out for AFLW in the coming years, all with dreams of following the path laid out by Ailish Considine.

You are not wrong, just goggled her name and a host of Irish websites are following her and the other 4 Irish girls playing in the AFLW

I did enjoy the subtle/small inaccuracies in the articles though, just things like saying the GF against Geelong, or her kicking the first two goals of the semi-final (rather than Rnd 7) but that's all fair enough

I was sitting in the Northern end of the Eastern Stand on Sunday and was right behind her for her set shot for goal in the third quarter. Had that ever so subtle hint of a slice in her kicking action that Brodie Smith has at times. For some reason I hadn't noticed her kick on her left during the season but I did on Sunday - Another twelve months on honing her skills and learning the game and she will be really dangerous moving forward - Hopefully we can keep her

 

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#19 - Sophie Li

Age: 30
Drafted in: 2017 (traded to Adelaide in 2018)

Sophie was born and raised in Adelaide. One of four sisters, she was the only one that was drawn to football, and for as long as she can remember she had a footy in her hands. A Crows supporter growing up, she played footy until she was a teenager, at which point there was no pathway to continue. Reluctantly, she took up other sports, including basketball, cricket, and even Gaelic football, but continued kicking the footy with her male friends whenever she had a chance.

As an adult, Sophie decided to become a paramedic, and after obtaining her qualifications, worked in Murray Bridge for six years, commuting to work for 14-hour shifts. Around this time, at 26 years of age, Sophie decided to start playing football again, playing for Adelaide University, starting in Div 2 in 2014 and moving up to Div 1 in 2016, including winning a Div 1 premiership in 2017. Also in 2017, Sophie started playing for Norwood in the inaugural SANFLW season, and wound up winning a premiership there as well, being named best on ground for the grand final, and coming runner-up in the league's best and fairest behind Courtney Gum.

Seeking to maximise her chances of being drafted, Sophie decided to list Victoria as her draft zone of choice, opting to stay with her sister who was now living in Melbourne. Her intention was to play AFLW, and then sign up for a VFLW team. She was drafted by Carlton, and took unpaid leave to participate in their 2018 campaign, playing every game of the season. However, she had issues working, as she was unable to use her paramedic qualifications in Victoria. Having run out of unpaid leave by the end of the 2018 AFLW season, Sophie requested that she be allowed to return to South Australia on compassionate grounds, and Carlton permitted her to leave her contract. The AFL awarded Carlton a fourth round compensation pick for losing Sophie, which Carlton used to select Jessica Edwards, who is likely to line up this weekend in the grand final. The Crows, meanwhile, had lost two players of their own for the 2019 campaign in Jess Allan and Ruth Wallace. The AFL decided that allowing us to sign Sophie Li prior to the draft, along with an additional fifth round draft pick (used to select Hannah Martin), was appropriate compensation.

Upon returning to South Australia, Sophie resumed her work in Murray Bridge, balancing long commutes and even longer shifts with her AFLW preseason. Sophie has played every game for the Crows this season.

 

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#22 - Courtney Cramey

Age: 33
Drafted in: 2016

From the moment that it was announced that the Crows would have an AFLW team, it was obvious that the first name that would be attached to the club was Courtney Cramey. She had been a stalwart of women's footy in South Australia for over a decade, participating in the sport in multiple capacities. As a child, she grew up attending Sturt matches, as her father worked at the club and her brother played for them. She also played footy at primary school, often as the only girl in teams full of boys. However, like so many other girls of her generation, once she became a teenager, she was prevented from continuing to play, and turned instead to basketball.

In 2004, at the age of 19, Courtney returned to football, and set about carving a legacy as unquestionably the leading female footballer in the state. She began by playing for Sturt in the SAWFL, where she won a premiership in her first season. Later, she moved to Morphettville Park, the super team that turned out so many AFLW stars. Among that heady group, Courtney captained the side to three consecutive premierships between 2014 and 2016, and was named best on ground in the 2014 premiership. She also served as captain of the SA women's state team for six years, from 2011 to 2016. However, it was not only as a player that Courtney put her stamp on women's football. In 2011, she was chosen to act in a mentoring role with the SA Youth Girls squad. She later obtained her level 2 coaching certificate, and by 2014 was coaching the Youth Girls squad, a cohort which included future teammates Ebony Marinoff and Sarah Allan.

Ebony in particular credits Courtney with her becoming an AFLW player. As well as coaching her in the Youth Girls squad, Courtney was also Ebony's coach at Morphettville Park, and took Ebony under her wing, doing additional training sessions together. In addition to playing, coaching and mentoring, Courtney even participated as the U18's state team runner during the national championships in 2011, and was chosen to attend the AIS/AFL academdy in the same year.

When the Crows were awarded an AFLW license, Courtney was among the first players signed, listed as one of two priority players (along with Angela Foley), and the only South Australian among the four initial signings. As of 2019, she has been named co-vice captain of the Crows AFLW team. When not playing football, Courtney is a social worker and motivational speaker.

 

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#23 - Justine Mules

Age: 24
Drafted in: 2016

Justine grew up in Aberfoyle Park watching most of the male members of her extended family playing junior football, but she wasn't allowed to participate. Since she was attending an all-girls school, football was not one of the sports on offer. In grade six, Justine organised a petition to present to the school, requesting that football be added to their sports offerings. The school's principal turned her down; it wasn't deemed appropriate for women to be playing football. With no option to pursue football, Justine turned to basketball instead.

In 2014, at the age of 19, and now working as a mason for the Adelaide city council, Justine suddenly became aware that women's football was something that could be pursued. She signed up to play for Morphettville Park Div 2 in the SAWFL, winning the Pitman medal (rookie of the year in the SAWFL) in her first season of football. By 2016, Justine was firmly established as a Div 1 player, twice named in the best players that year despite having so many exceptional teammates. She was impressive enough in just her third season of football that she was invited to play for the SA team in the women's all-stars match in 2016. Like many of her Morphettville Park teammates, she decided to put her name in the hat for AFLW selection, but with only one team eligible to pick from the SA draft pool it was a nervous wait for Justine. Finally, she was selected with the Crows' second-last pick in the draft, making her the 23rd (out of 27) players chosen in the inaugural Crows squad.

Combining training with her job had some challenges for Justine. A typical day for her would see her up at 5AM, doing physical work from 6AM to 3PM, then home for a snack before beginning training, either at the club or with a personal trainer, and eventually she would get to sleep around midnight, and get up the next day to do it all again. In her first season of AFLW, Justine found it difficult to hold her spot in the side. At only 5'4", coach Bec Goddard commented that Justine was so small, the Crows weren't sure what position to play her in. She played in the round 1 match, but was dropped three times in the first five weeks, and incredibly the first time she played two matches in a row was when she became a premiership player in the 2017 grand final. Since then, Justine has well and truly solidified her spot in the team, playing every match in 2018 and 2019.

 

[jenny61_99]

#23 - Justine Mules

Age: 24
Drafted in: 2016

The school's principal turned her down; it wasn't deemed appropriate for women to be playing football.

Well what a shortsighted fool they were!

 

[LiquidCrow]

Fantastic thread, kudos to stabby and all involved.

Has been great all to read all these stories, which have an additional level of depth usually not found in your standard drafted out of high school player.

Kellie Gibson, our other marquee selection and part of the 2017 premiership side (so still always be considered one of ours IMO) also has a very interesting and funny story too.
https://www.playersvoice.com.au/kellie-gibson-accidental-gold-medallist/

 

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#24 - Jess Foley

Age: 35
Drafted in: 2018

Jess was born in the small town of Bega, New South Wales, and grew up in Albury-Wodonga. A widely decorated basketball star, her football career feels like just a footnote compared to the fifteen years she spent playing basketball in Australia and the US, racking up premierships, serving as captain for several years, representing her country, and winning multiple awards.

The youngest of four siblings (two brothers, one sister) and quite short as a child, Jess learned early on how to compete against bigger bodies, a trait that would prove useful in her basketball career, and again as an undersized AFLW ruck. Jess began playing in the WNBL in 1999 as a 16 year old. She started playing for the AIS WNBL team from 1999-2001, and represented Australia in 2001 at the World Championship for Junior Women. In 2002, she was offered a scholarship by Duke University in North Carolina, where completed a pre-med degree, having already completed a science degree majoring in environmental science back in Australia. During that period of time, she again represented Australia in the 2003 World Championship for Young Women, and played college basketball for the Blue Devils, setting the single season record with 68 three-pointers made. After completing her degree, Jess was drafted to the WNBA in the third round by the Indiana Fever. Unfortunately, injury struck and she missed the 2007 playing season. She did, however, return to Australia, drafted to the Adelaide Lightning and named captain. In 2008, she won a premiership along with eventual AFLW teammate Erin Phillips. Back in the United states, Jess was traded to Connecticut Sun in 2008, but ultimately returned to Australia without playing a WNBA game.

At the time, Jess was keen to make a case to break into the Opals, and decided she couldn't juggle starting a medical career and also pushing for Australian selection, so she took up a career in groundwater hydrology instead, doing a masters degree while playing basketball. She was successful, representing Australia during their gold medal performance at the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship for Women. As her career progressed, Jess played for several teams. She moved to the Dandenong Rangers for the 2010/11 season, then to Townsville Fire for the 2011/12 and 2012/13 season. In the latter season, Townsville made the grand final, but lost. Jessica was her club's MVP. She returned to the Lightning in 2013/14, playing two more seasons as co-captain of the team. In 2014, she made it to the Opals training camp, before getting injured. Her basketball career ended in 2016, where she won the last of four premierships (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016) in the SA Women's Comp playing for the Norwood Flames. She finished up having played 251 WNBL games.

Finally, at the age of 32, Jess turned her attention to football. She had always been a fan of the game, and in 2017 she watched the debut AFLW season with interest, particularly as her old teammate Erin Phillips was playing so well. Jess had never played football before, other than the occasional backyard kick, but with her elite athletic background, she decided to give it a go. At this stage, Jess was based in Adelaide, having spent her final basketball years playing in the SA Women's comp, and having recently started her medical degree at Flinders University. She decided to sign up with West Adelaide in the SAWFL. The following year, she joined Sturt in the SANFWL, playing as a ruck.

In her debut SANFWL season, and only two years into playing football, she was named in the team of the year for the league as a ruck, and won the League Coaches award. The Crows, meanwhile, had just found out that they would not have Jess Allan in the 2019 season. Allan had been viewed as a key position player and backup ruck. The decision was made to recruit Jess Foley as a stopgap for the same role. The intention was to use her as a key position player, and she spent the entire preseason training for this role. However, when both lead ruck Metcalfe and main backup ruck Hewett both went down in the trial match against Fremantle, Foley suddenly found her role changed. She spent a rushed two weeks working closely with head coach, and former ruck guru, Matthew Clarke, working on her technique before the season started. And the net result was playing every game, being named in the All Australian extended squad as a ruck, and being nominated by the Crows for the season MVP.

When not playing football, Jess now works as a night-shift doctor at Noarlunga Hospital, having finally completed her medical training two years ago.

 

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#26 - Chelsea Randall

Age: 27
Drafted in: 2016

Chelsea was born in Rockingham, about an hour south of Perth. As a child, she grew up watching local football, with her family embedded in the nearby Safety Bay Stingers. Her brother Scott played for the team, her mother Linda was the team manager, and her dad Brett a boundary umpire. Chelsea, as a child, ran the canteen. She didn't realise until the age of 11 that girls were even allowed to play footy, as she'd never seen a girl playing. Then, one day, there was an injury in the U11's side before the game, and the coach was looking for someone to fill in. He invited Chelsea to play after seeing her kick the footy with her dad.

Chelsea has often told the story of that first match. At that level, it was customary for the two teams to line up and face each other before the match. As she stood in line, she noticed the opposition players laughing at her, because she was a girl. She took note of the player laughing the loudest, and thirty seconds into the match when he got the ball, she cannoned into him, tackling him to the ground and winning a free kick in the process. It was the kind of front-facing courage that would define her as a player and a person.

She continued to play for the Safety Bay Stingers as the only girl in the side until she turned 14, when she was no longer allowed to play. However, rather than giving up the game, Chelsea was given an underage permit to play in the WAWFL. By the age of 15, she was representing her state at the National Championships, and by the age of 17 was playing state league football with Swan Districts. She is a two-time winner of the WAWFL best and fairest award.

At the age of eighteen, she was chosen as acting captain in a match for the national championships, the youngest ever WA skipper. Unfortunately, five minutes into the match, she completely snapped her ankle after being tunneled in a mark. As coincidences would have it, her future AFLW premiership coach Bec Goddard was a boundary umpire in the game, and later remarked that she could hear the snap from the other side of the ground. Chelsea had her ankle reconstructed, and four days after surgery attended the All-Australian ceremony where she was named in the team for the first of three times.

In 2011, Chelsea was one of eight women chosen to attend the AIS/AFL academy, and in 2013, she was selected by Melbourne with their third pick to play in the inaugural women's AFL exhibition series. She continued to play for Melbourne every year until 2016; in that final year, she also played for West Coast. Her performance in 2014 warrants particular note. In the second match of the series, she was named best on ground after dedicating the match to her grandmother Rose, who had died five days earlier. Rose had never missed a single match Chelsea had played.

In late 2014, struck hard by her grandmother's death, and also having recently recovered from a broken collarbone suffered while playing rugby 7s, Chelsea decided she needed a change in her life, seeking to gain confidence and a sense of independence. On a whim, she took a job as a motorbike postie in Esperance, seven hours drive from Perth. Three months later, she moved to the remote mining town of Newman to become a regional manager for a community organisation. She rented an caravan which was stationed in a miner's front yard for $100 a week, and enjoyed the freedom. Newman is a thirteen hour drive from Perth. During this time, Chelsea continue to play for Swans District each week, making the twenty-six hour commute every game.

Having performed so admirably in the exhibition matches between 2013 and 2016, it was inevitable that Chelsea would be among the first signed to the fledgling AFLW competition. Seeking to further challenge herself, Chelsea put her hand up to be considered as a marquee player, moving even further from home to Adelaide. The rest is history. Named inaugural co-captain for the Adelaide Crows, winning a premiership, listed as the league's most courageous player, winning the Crows best and fairest in 2018, it was all a natural conclusion of Chelsea's story. Becoming a dual premiership captain this weekend just seems like the next logical step for this extremely impressive young woman.

To finish up, it's worth noting that Chelsea's contribution to the game of football goes beyond simply playing and captaining. At the age of 20, she was a development officer for Swans District, employed specifically to grow the pathway for women to play football. It was the only role of its kind in the country. In more recent years, she serves in a similar capacity at the Crows. She has coached the game, and she has run over 20 football carnivals for an estimated 5000+ kids. In 2018, she was awarded the Georgie Rowe Outstanding Achievement Award, the highest sporting honour from UniSA. She is midway through an education degree, specialising in physical education.

 

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#27 - Renee Forth

Age: 32
Drafted in: 2016 (traded to Adelaide in 2018)

Renee grew up in Geraldton in country WA, where she would kick the footy around the schoolyard with future West Coast premiership player Josh Kennedy. She was a standout junior, and as an adult, she played state league football for the Coastal Titans in the WAWFL, winning two premierships in 2012 and 2015. By 2016, she was considered one of the leaders of the thriving women's football scene in WA, and was chosen to captain the Fremantle side in the 2016 women's AFL exhibition series.

When AFLW started up, she was selected as one of the initial marquee players for GWS. Her teammate, and partner, Emma Swanson, was the other marquee player chosen, and the two of them prepared to move to Sydney and begin an exciting new phase of their lives. Unfortunately, tragedy struck, as Renee did her ACL in a WAWFL match in August 2016. As compensation, GWS were permitted to sign an extra priority player. Renee missed the entire 2017 season, but given her years of experience as a player, she served as an assistant coach for the side.

By 2018, Renee's knee was fully healed, but her confidence in her game was not. She struggled for form after returning to the side in round 1 2018, and after four games was dropped after a two-disposal effort in the draw against Adelaide. The round 5 match was against Fremantle in WA. Renee was so despondant about missing the match that she opted not to travel with the team, not wanting to face her friends and family from the sidelines. As injuries piled up at GWS, she did find her way back into the side for the final round of the season, but the post-season review was brutal. She was statistically the worst performing midfielder at the club, and was told that she was not in the top 24 players, and that her spot on the list in 2019 could not be guaranteed. Her coach advised her that although she might still be retained, it was only fair that he suggest for her to look around and see if other options were available.

Seeking to rebuild her confidence and regain her form, Renee signed up for the NT Thunder in 2018, where she played alongside several Crows players, including co-vice captain Angela Foley. Word filtered back to the Crows that Renee was considering her options. As fate would have it, Erin Phillips had met Renee previously, at an AFL Academy Coaching Clinic. She contacted Renee and told her, "come to the Crows, I'll get you playing good footy". Erin also spoke with the Crows and vouched for Renee as a player and a person, and based on her recommendation the club decided to offer Renee a spot. The state-based zone drafting system meant that for the Crows, a trade simply means losing their worst draft pick, and it was considered a good risk to take. As history shows, that risk paid off in spades, with Renee having played every game for the Crows in 2019 on the way to a grand final appearance.

Renee says that she feels like she fits in better at the Crows, albeit she is here without her partner. She has tried to attend as many functions with the girls as possible, but only if it's possible to bring along her beloved dog, Rocky. Off the field, Renee is an electrician, and has the appropriate nickname "Sparky".

 

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Here come the final four profiles, just in time for tomorrow's grand final. One thing that has struck me in looking at these is how many of the girls in our squad have been leaders. Almost all of them seem to have captained a side, either in footy or whatever sport they played before footy. No wonder they've gelled so well as a team. Several of the girls have given interviews where they've said that the feeling in this team is the best they've had in any team they've been a part of, and I'm talking about people like Erin Phillips and Marijana Rajcic who have travelled the world and been a part of highly successful squads.

It bodes well for team unity going forward

 

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#31 - Dayna Cox

Age: 25
Drafted in: 2016

Dayna Cox grew up in Happy Valley, and was introduced to football by her father, playing primary school footy alongside childhood friend and eventual AFLW teammate Deni Varnhagen. As kids, Dayna was very short, and Deni was very tall (often playing ruck in the boys team). Accordingly, they had the nicknames Mini Me and Maxi Me. Dayna has told a story of a larger boy flattening her on the field, sending her crashing to the deck. Quick as a flash, Deni came through and kicked the boy's legs out from underneath him, right in front of the umpire. She was sent off with a yellow card, but it was a stern warning to any other boys that wanted to pick on little Dayna that Deni had her back.

Dayna has played in the back pocket for her entire footballing career, graduating eventually into the SAWFL where she played for Morphettville Park during their period of dominance. She won a premiership with them in 2015, and was also chosen to represent her state, including being named in the best players in a win against NT. Unfortunately, Dayna missed out on the Morphettville Park premiership in 2016 when she suffered various injury problems, most notably bulging disks. She was also omitted from the 2016 SA intra-club exhibition match due to injury.

Despite re-establishing herself later in the 2016 season, and being selected to play in various exhibition matches for SA, Dayna went undrafted, even as her childhood friend and longtime teammate Deni went to the Crows early in the draft. Desperate to find her way onto an AFLW list, Dayna listed herself as a free agent, which made her available to all eight clubs, including the Crows. Each club were able to take three free agents. Adelaide first looked to Lauren O'Shea, an experienced player out of NT who ended up not playing a game and being delisted after one year. With their second free agent selection, the Crows took Sarah Perkins, a decision that proved pivotal in their inaugural premiership. And with the third, and final selection for the Crows, they took Dayna Cox. She was the final player (out of twenty seven) to be added to the inaugural squad.

There had been some concerns over her durability, given her recent history of injury, but Dayna has defied those odds, playing in every game for the Crows bar one, where she was suspended. Dayna has had issues with the MRP over the journey, developing a reputation for being somewhat fiery on the field. She nearly missed the 2017 grand final after punching Collingwood's Alicia Eva in round 7 following Eva's goal celebration. In round 3 2018, she was permitted to accept a reprimand for an early guilty plea for striking Ellie Blackburn, but was still suspended for a round for striking Emma Kearney moments later. Obviously, she doesn't rely on Deni to stick up for her anymore!

 

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#32 - Marijana Rajcic

Age: 30
Drafted in: 2017

It's funny to think that, although Marijana Rajcic feels like an established part of the side going into the 2019 AFLW grand final, the last time the Crows were in an AFLW grand final, she hadn't even played a single footy match. Instead, Marijana developed her credentials as an elite athlete through playing soccer. A talented junior, she played in the SAWSA Premier League with Fulham United from 2003, at the age of 14. She won back-to-back U17 league and cup titles in 2003 and 2004, and was regularly used as a substitute in the senior side. From 2004 to 2007, she was involved in four straight league championships with the seniors, won two cups in 2004 and 2005, and in 2006 was named as the SAWSA Premier League Player of the Year after kicking the most goals in the comp.

In 2008, the W-League was formed, and Marijana was selected in the inaugural Adelaide United squad. Unfortunately, one month before the season started, she did her ACL while playing for Fulham United. It was the first of what would be three ACL injuries she would suffer throughout her soccer career. She was able to recover in time to play for Adelaide United in 2009, but then one month before the 2010 season, history repeated itself, as Marijana did the same ACL while again playing for Fulham United. Painfully, Marijana and Adelaide United had been unable to notch up a single win during the 2009 season, and she began to wonder if she'd ever be a part of a winning team.

In 2011, she resumed playing for Adelaide United, and in a bid to challenge herself and develop her game further, she signed up to play for Gustafs GoIF in Sweden. Part of the allure was playing in a fully professional league for the first time. After returning to Adelaide and playing in the 2012 W-League season, Marijana's coach recommended that she again try to travel overseas to continue to build her game, and she had started the process of signing up with a team in Norway, when her knee gave her problems again. A routine scope did not close up properly, and she had to have additional surgery that took her out of the running for playing overseas. At a crossroads in her career, Marijana decided to sign up with Box Hill United in the Victorian Premier League.

Finally, by 2015, Marijana had started to put it all together. With her eyes on potentially making the Matildas squad one day in the future, she elevated her game, being named as captain of Adelaide United, kicking 38 goals to win the Golden Boot award, and was named W-League Player of the Year. Unfortunately, 2015 did not end well for her, as she once again did an ACL late in the season. It was the other knee this time. While rehabbing her knee, her best friend Nadia suggested that perhaps she should consider playing Aussie Rules footy instead. It was a suggestion that raised eyebrows with her mother, and her physio, who advised her against it given her history of knee injuries. But Marijana was intrigued by the idea, having found that soccer had lost some of its shine with yet another year of rehab ahead of her. She was also inspired by other W-League players in Bri Davey, Ellie Brush, and Adelaide's own Jenna McCormick having successfully made the switch.

As Bec Goddard started the Crows' first preseason, the club invited several players to train on with them (most famously Chloe Scheer), and Marijana was one of them. She was even given an offer to play in the club's development squad, but at the last minute she decided to pass it up, and return to the W-League. In a disappointing season, Marijana only played in three games; in one of them, she was only on the field for one minute as a substitute in injury time. With the season finished in February, and the AFLW season still ongoing, she rang Goddard and asked if the offer was still on the table.

Marijana then started to train twice a week with the Crows, while Goddard suggested that Marijana try to find a spot in an SANFLW team. She was eventually signed by Norwood, and in her first ever football match (at any level), she was named best on ground. She went on to be a part of the inaugural SANFLW premiership with Norwood, and was then signed by the Crows, debuting in round 3 of 2018 and holding her spot ever since. In 2019, new coach Matthew Clarke was keen to reinvent Rajcic as a forward, and she trained as such in the preseason. However, when Chelsea Randall was injured early in the season and they needed a defender to fill in, Rajcic returned to her preferred spot, and made it her own, eventually being nominated in the All Australian squad.

Off the footy field, Rajcic is a teacher, specialising in physical education and maths.

 

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#33 - Anne Hatchard

Age: 21
Drafted in: 2016

Anne grew up playing basketball from a young age, but was always quite fiery. So much so, that one of her junior coaches once told her, "you're pretty rough, you should give footy a go when you turn 16". Anne followed that advice, and at 16 years of age started to play football for Morphettville Park in the SAWFL, becoming a premiership player in the process.

However, Anne was still playing basketball, and featured for the Adelaide Lightning in the WNBL in the 2016/17 season, albeit with limited gametime. She credits basketball with helping her to develop the athleticism that enabled her to make an immediate impact in football. In 2016, she was drafted by the Crows, the second-youngest player on their list behind Tayla Thorn.

The most interesting part of Anne's story probably comes well after her entry to the AFLW. After playing seven of eight games in the first season with the Crows, Anne found herself on the outer in 2018. After a two disposal effort in round 1, she was omitted from the side for three weeks. She did find her way back into the side for the last three games of the season, and was even nominated for the rising star in round 7, but it was nonetheless a disappointing season for Anne. Despite playing as a midfielder in the SANFLW, she was typecast as a defender at AFLW level due to her insufficient fitness, and in 2018 she had the lowest percentage of time on field out of any player in the Crows side. Heading into the post-season review, it was unclear whether she would survive the cut. She was told she was in the bottom ten players on the list. In the end, seven players were delisted, but Anne survived. She knew it was only by the skin of her teeth.

Scared that her AFLW dream could be over so soon, Anne resolved to knuckle down and train her guts out. She had given up fast food the previous year, but her portion sizes were still too big. She cut back, and attended every single weights and training session during the off-season. By the time she arrived back at the club in late 2018, she had dropped 8kg from her initial draft weight, and simultaneously become one of the fittest players at the club. The rewards were immediate. Moved into the midfield, Hatchard was unquestionably the most improved player in the league, nearly tripling her average disposal count and leading the AFLW in several key stats. By the end of the season she was nominated for the AFLW Players' Association MVP and named in the All Australian squad.

During the off-seasons, Anne still plays premier league basketball with South Adelaide, but it seems that football is her main sport at the moment. At 21 years of age, a storied career beckons, particularly if she can become a dual premiership player on Sunday.

 

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#39 - Sarah Allan

Age: 21
Drafted in: 2016

Sarah grew up on the Limestone Coast, first in Beachport and then later in Millicent. Her father, Keith, played 69 games for Central Districts in the SANFL between 1987 and 1992, and also won a reserves premiership for Centrals. After his playing career finished, he continued to give back to the game, heavily involved with the Hatherleigh Football Club, and hosting Auskick sessions at local schools. He also had three daughters. Sarah was the middle child, along with older sister Megan and younger sister Jess.

All three girls grew up with footballs in their hands. Their father coached them and got them involved in Auskick, and later arranged for them to train with the local boys teams. All three girls were blessed with height, and so they played basketball and netball as well, but football was the game in which they excelled. Indeed, Megan, Sarah and Jess all represented their state in women's football. In 2012, they all played together in the U16s. In 2013, Sarah played in the U16s carnival along with Jess, and the U18s carnival along with Megan. Sarah was voted best and fairest for her efforts in the U16s and selected in the All Australian side. In 2014, all three sisters played together in the U18s, with Sarah again selected in the AA side.

In 2015, Sarah's last eligible year for the U18s, she captained the state side, won the grand final in their pool, was named as best player in the final, best and fairest, and All Australian. That year and the next, she was also chosen to play in various exhibition matches. A typical week in 2015 was pretty hectic for Sarah and Jess. They would train with the Millicent U18s boys on Tuesday nights, do weights sessions at the club on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and then every Saturday, Keith would drive them 400km to Adelaide to train on Sunday morning, and then 400km back again.

In 2016, Sarah moved to Adelaide, and started to play football with Salisbury in the SAWFL. She chose the number 39 in homage to her father, who had worn that number in his football career, and she eventually retained that number at the Crows. Her sister Jess also played for Salisbury in 2016, with her dad driving her there each week to play. Sarah won the Salisbury best and fairest for Div 1 in her first season in the SAWFL.

With such an impressive junior career behind her, it was no surprise when the Crows drafted Sarah, although she was one of their final few selections as one of the youngest players in the draft. She was the third-youngest member of the inaugural squad, ahead of Hatchard and Thorn. In her first season, Sarah initially struggled to hold a spot, and was omitted for rounds 2 and 3, but settled into the team from round 4 and featured in the Crows' grand final victory. She initially played as a floating defender who had the license to attack down the ground, but in 2018 she set about making the full back position her own. It proved to be a good choice, with Sarah playing every game of the season, being nominated for the rising star in round 6 2018, being voted as the best defensive player at the club (no small feat in a club featuring Chelsea Randall), and coming second in the club best and fairest. Adding to her joy, she was also joined by younger sister Jess, who unfortunately then became unavailable for the 2019 season due to her army commitments.

In 2019, Sarah has taken her game to even greater heights. She has again played every match, has rarely been beaten, and has been nominated in the All Australian squad. With the full back position indisputably hers, Sarah looks set to be a stalwart down back for years to come with the Crows.

 

[Redleg Crow]

Great thread

 

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I'm going to bump my old thread. Since we're now in the grand final again, I wanted to post some new profiles.

There are six players who played in the prelim who didn't play in the 2019 premiership. Assuming Randall is the only out, that will mean six or seven players I didn't previously cover in this thread. I'm going to try to cover one per day.

I've had a cursory look, and as with all the previous players I profiled, everyone seems to have a fascinating story. I'd love to hear your thoughts as I post them each day!

 

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#1 - Caitlin Gould

Age: 21
Drafted in: 2019

Growing up in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, Caitlin excelled at most sports, but her primary sport was volleyball. Playing first at Brighton Secondary School, she was soon training with the South Australian Sports Institute, before being selected in the state under 17s team for both indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. By the time she finished year 12, she was in the under 19s team, and was asked to apply for a volleyball scholarship in the United States. However, Caitlin ultimately decided to turn the opportunity down. In part, it was because she didn't want to leave her friends and family behind. However, there was another reason too. Caitlin was starting to feel crushed by her internal pressure to succeed. After having played volleyball all throughout her teenage years, she found herself falling out of love with the game.

In late 2017, a friend of Caitlin's invited her to the women's open trials at the Happy Valley Football Club, in the Adelaide Football League, and she came along on a whim. As a natural sportswoman, Caitlin had the basic skills of kicking and marking down pat, and her leap and aggression stood out. Immediately, she felt a connection with the game, and was invited to join the club. She played every game of the 2018 season for Happy Valley, including winning the premiership where she was named best on ground. She was joint best and fairest for the league, and was named rookie of the year.

On the back of her strong debut season, Caitlin was invited to play for Glenelg in 2019, where she continued her strong form, winning Glenelg's best and fairest and being named in the SANFLW Team of the Year. She also got an additional opportunity to showcase her talents, by being selected for the Crows side in the SANFWL Showdown exhibition series. Her side was coached by eventual teammate Courtney Cramey, and she also received ruck coaching from Jess Foley and Matthew Clarke. She also got a chance to play in defence for the first time, which would prove to be important in her eventual AFLW career.

Her rapid rise to prominence caught the eye of several AFLW recruiters, and she was approached by GWS, St Kilda, and the Crows. In the end, that same desire to remain near her friends and family won out, and she chose to nominate in the SA region, much to the delight of her mother Justine, a rabid Crows supporter who never misses a match. In 2020, with less than two years of football under her belt, she debuted in round 2, ultimately playing four games in her first season, and has worked her way into the regular side in 2021. In the end, her versatility to play multiple roles has proved a telling factor in her selections, and Caitlin has regularly found her way into sides containing more highly fancied rucks in Foley and Metcalfe. She wears the #1 guernsey, the same number she wore in her junior volleyball career.

As a final fun fact, Caitlin has something in common with fellow Crow Lachie Murphy: both were recruited while working at Crowmania.

 

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#5 - Rachelle Martin

Age: 22
Drafted in: 2020

Rachelle's journey to the AFLW started at the same time as her older sister Hannah. The two sisters spent their youth on their parents' broadcacre farm in Minlaton, on the Yorke Peninsula, before they along with Rachelle's childhood friend Chelsea Biddell all decided to move to Adelaide to pursue University study in 2017. It was Chelsea's idea for them to try out for West Adelaide in the SAWFL, as her father coached a local football team (the CMS Crows), although none of them had played any football of note prior to moving to Adelaide. The trio were all selected in West Adelaide's 2017 side, and made an immediate impact, with Rachelle winning the Dutschke medal for being the best player in the SAWFL league in her debut season.

All three players were selected in West Adelaide's SANFLW side for 2018, with continued success. Rachelle finished second in the SANFLW best and fairest count (behind Hannah) and was named West Adelaide's best and fairest (ahead of runner-up Chelsea). Despite this success, only Hannah was recruited in 2018. The knock on Rachelle was her size. At 152cm, she was a full six inches shorter than Hannah, who was already one of the shortest players in the Crows team. There was concern over how her small body would hold up at the elite level.

While her older sister made an immediate impact at AFLW level, Rachelle remained at West Adelaide where she was now named in the leadership group, but unfortunately disaster struck after the first round. She was a late out for round two after scans showed she had damaged her knee, and she ultimately missed six weeks of football. She returned for the final three games where she was dominant, but it was seemingly too late to put a case forward to get an AFLW contract. The second of the trio, Chelsea Biddell, was picked up by the Crows in 2019, but Rachelle went undrafted again.

Nonetheless, Rachelle had done enough to impress the Crows. In 2020, the AFLW introduced a rule that said if a player was ruled out for the season, the club could invite a full-time train-on player, but that player would only be available for selection if there were 22 or fewer players available. Under this rule, the Crows invited Rachelle, along with Czenya Cavouras, to train with them in 2020. Both were selected in the trial match to take on GWS in the preseason, giving Rachelle a taste of the elite level.

Meanwhile, injuries were starting to pile up at the Crows. Randall, Phillips, Scheer, Metcalfe and Button were all still rehabbing ACL injuries, while Marinoff, Jess Foley, Rajcic and Forth had all picked up niggles heading into round one. With Crows dropping like flies, all of a sudden the possibility of one of the train-on players being selected raised its head. Both Rachelle and Czenya were included in the squad to travel to Brisbane. Rachelle was so certain that Czenya would get the nod that she didn't even prepare for the match, eating only a toastie for dinner the night before. To her surprise, she was selected, and performed admirably in an otherwise disappointing loss. It would prove to be her only AFLW match on 2020, with injured players returning the following week.

Rachelle went back to West Adelaide, where she had now been named vice captain, and continued to show improvement. By the end of the season she had played all ten games, and finished as the SANFWL best and fairest. She polled in seven out of ten matches, including BOG twice, and averaged 18 touches, seven tackles and five clearances per match. In addition, she was named West Adelaide's best and fairest for a second time, and was a joint winner of the SANFLW coaches award (tied with Hatchard, who played the last five matches of the season). Finally, her performances were too strong to ignore, and the Crows picked her up in the 2020 draft.

Rachelle has had a delayed started to her first "proper" season, with injury keeping her out of the side until round 3, followed by another injury. She returned in round 6 and has held her place since, excelling as a wrecking ball inside mid with super clean hands and excellent tackling technique.