Retired Phoebe Monahan (2021-2023)

[ZoBlitz]

Phoebe Monahan joins the Lions

Lions and Tigers, Oh My!

The Lions have today signed delisted free agent Phoebe Monahan from the Richmond Tigers.

Monahan is a tough, reliable defender whose clean hands and clever decision-making make her a formidable competitor.

The 27-year old was taken by GWS GIANTS with Pick 39 in the 2017 NAB AFLW Draft, where she played 10 games before being signed by the Tigers in the 2019 League expansion.

The former Australian Defence Force Sapper, who is also a qualified carpenter, is excited to get the chance to play with Brisbane.

“When I first heard from Brisbane I was a bit overwhelmed.

“I’d just started a new job, bought a house and was very settled in Victoria but received an enormous amount of support from my family, partner, my manager and workplace to run with the opportunity and I couldn’t be happier.

“What the Club stands for, and has been building over the last five years, is pretty exciting for me to be a part of and from my initial conversations (Brisbane) sounds like somewhere that I can be myself, play with grit and get the most out of my football.

“I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity and I’m very excited to crack into season six as a Lion.”

Lions Head of Women’s Football, Bree Brock said Monahan was exactly what the Lions had been looking for.

“It’s fantastic to have a player of Phoebe’s experience, work ethic, and ability join us and appreciate the effort she is making to move cities again to continue at the elite level.

“She has been a reliable defender for both the Giants and Richmond over the past four seasons on the back of her clean hands, good decision making and great foot skills.

“We think she will add depth to our defence after the retirement of Emma Zielke and be a great fit for us at Brisbane.”

 

[ZoBlitz]

'The best is yet to come': Discarded Tiger enjoys career revival as key Lion

IN JUST 18 months Phoebe Monahan has gone from considering retirement to becoming a crucial cog in Brisbane's backline as it surged to the minor premiership.

Monahan played 10 games for Greater Western Sydney across 2018 and 2019 and added 12 for Richmond in two seasons before being "blindsided" when the Tigers delisted her.

Since being snapped up by Brisbane 12 months ago, the 29-year-old has played all 22 games available, fitting seamlessly into a backline that had just lost retired premiership captain Emma Zielke.

Ahead of Saturday's qualifying final against Richmond, Monahan told womens.afl she had some self-doubts before heading north – but they were all now a distant memory.

"Being in a high-level sport amongst other elite athletes you do get that performance pressure about whether you're good enough, and I was a little bit blindsided when I was delisted by Richmond," she said.

"At the time it did hurt, and I was considering retiring.

"I didn't enjoy that last season of footy and didn't want to play again."

But a day after Monahan was axed, Brisbane's women's CEO Bree Brock and coach Craig Starcevich gave her a call.

Brock sold the dream on how the defender could fill the void left by Zielke, how high the club's standards were and how keen they were to have her.

"To be delisted by a team in the bottom three and to be wanted by the reigning premiers, it reinstated that belief in me that I could play," Monahan said.

"I made the call to move to Brisbane, which was a big call, I'd just bought a house in Victoria and had a good job.

"I didn't want to have any regrets, and thankfully I don't.

"Hopefully the best is yet to come … they've definitely turned me around in footy and life and I can't thank them enough."

Monahan had to serve two weeks in hotel quarantine before she could join her Lions teammates during pre-season.

She walked into a premiership team, full of big personalities, but immediately felt embraced.

Monahan has a background in the Australian Defence Force – where she was friends with Kate Lutkins – and has a passion for CrossFit. She loves to train and she loves to work hard, which immediately endeared her to her new teammates.

"Pre-season training at Brisbane is leaps and bounds harder than anything I've done at any club before," she said.

"With my background, I'm very disciplined to be the best I can be.

"It's definitely helped me reach new levels of my game and they've helped fill me with confidence.

"It's tough and hard and the girls push each other. It's definitely the reason why we're able to run over teams.

"We work hard for that style of game we play, which is a just a huge credit to the S&C staff and the work they do."

Monahan played all 12 games last season and has blossomed in season seven, using her powerful running to join in Brisbane's attacking waves.

Captain Bre Koenen said she always thought highly of Monahan.

"I thought she was always a really solid player, even when she played for GWS," she said.

"Phoebe is so solid in her one-on-ones. She just competes all day and there's a million clips every week where she's overlap running, she just works so hard.

"She's super consistent and I don't think she gets enough recognition."

That doesn't bother Monahan, who is happy working alongside Koenen, Lutkins, Shannon Campbell and Nat Grider in the Lions' backline.

She is now settled off the field as well, working as an instructor at Rocks CrossFit in Brisbane's western suburbs and building a network of friends away from the club.

And now she's set to face her former club at Metricon Stadium in what she hopes will be a long run through November.

"They've presented us with tough challenges, but we've taken lessons from that round five loss," she said.

"We weren't happy with that performance and we'll definitely be keen to play our brand of footy on a good deck that suits us.

"Look out."

 

[ZoBlitz]

Monahan Marks 50 Game Milestone

Phoebe Monahan is set to play her 50th AFLW game on Sunday when the Brisbane Lions take on the Sydney Swans.

The Geelong native was drafted by Greater Western Sydney with pick 39 in the 2017 AFL Women’s draft.

Monahan played 10 games in two seasons with the Giants before joining Richmond prior to the 2020 season during the 2019 expansion.

“It is a bit surreal to make it to 50, a pretty cool achievement,” Monahan said.

“It has taken a while to get here but super excited to be running out with this group.

“I’ve never thought too much about these milestone games, but I’ve loved coming up to Brisbane with this group and the coaching staff.

“Being able to be a part of this has been amazing.”

Monahan is known for her ability to halve contest and be versatile allowing her to play on taller or smaller opponents.

Following the 2021 season Richmond delisted Monahan but the Lions swooped on the key defender signing her prior to season six.

Monahan has since become a staple AFLW Head Coach Craig Starcevich’s side, complimenting fellow defender Shannon Campbell along with captain Bre Koenen and vice-captain Nat Grider.

Having played 27 games for the Club, Monahan is now embedded in the Lions fabric having been a pivotal part of both finals’ series in 2022.

 

[ZoBlitz]

Between the Lions w/ Phoebe Monahan

Phoebe Monahan, AFLW player turned Pride-guernsey-designer, joins this weeks episode to preview the Grand Final rematch and chat about inclusivity and acceptance within the AFLW community.

www.lions.com.au

 

[dlanod]

Monahan Bows Out with Fairytale Ending

Brisbane Lions premiership defender Phoebe Monahan has announced her retirement from AFLW.

www.lions.com.au