BY NATHAN DOLE
THERE are strong links between AFL Central Victoria’s clubs and many in this season’s AFLW action.
A group of 14 players on AFLW lists made their way to the big league across various channels and a wide range of programs.
Some of them have been part of AFLW for many seasons and others are in their debut season.
The AFLW hits the halfway mark of its season this week.
AFL Central Victoria’s football operations manager for junior and female footy, Nathan Williams said it was great to see so many players from the region on AFLW lists.
“We have a range of players, coaches and umpires within the system and are very proud of the talent from our region,” Williams said.
Growth and popularity in girls and women’s footy has increased dramatically across the past decade.
“It was in 2007 in which girls teams were part of the Bendigo Junior Football League.
“Back in 2010 the Youth Girls joined the Bendigo Junior Football League.”
Bendigo Thunder’s success in senior women’s footy across the region and exhibition games were all part of the game’s progress.
“Thunder was then fielding teams in Melbourne-based competitions.”
AFL Goulburn Murray and AFL Central Victoria clubs then teamed up in 2017 to form the Northern Country Women’s League.
In 2018 the Central Victorian Football League which is proudly backed by Champions IGA kicked off and has expanded to now include senior and under-18 level competitions.
“Looking at the talent now in the AFLW there are many clubs these players would call home.”
Those on the list are Bendigo Thunder, Castlemaine, Eaglehawk, Golden Square, Huntly, Kangaroo Flat, Kyneton, North Bendigo, St Therese’s, Sandhurst, South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, and Woorinen.
The Carlton squad for this season includes captain Kerryn Peterson, nee Harrington, and rookie Lila Keck.
A shoulder injury late in the first quarter of Carlton’s clash with Richmond proved to be match-ending for Peterson.
The Blues’ skipper watched on as the Tigers charged to a 39-6 victory on Carlton’s turf at Ikon Park.
A three-time All-Australian and Carlton’s captain since 2019, Peterson has played 60 matches for the Blues.
A brilliant basketballer who represented Australia at junior level and Bendigo Braves in SEABL, Harrington’s footy career kicked off with Bendigo Thunder.
Another AFLW player with links to basketball and Bendigo was on field for Richmond against Carlton.
The Tigers’ line-up included Tessa Lavey who hails from Swan Hill and was a member of Bendigo Spirit’s WNBL championship-winning team of 2013-14.
In what is her first AFLW season, Lila Keck racked up kicks and more in Carlton’s clashes with Hawthorn and Gold Coast.
Keck’s journey to the big league included stints with South Bendigo, Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye.
A two-two record has Carlton in 10th place on the ladder rolling into Wednesday night’s match against the third-placed North Melbourne in Ikon Park at 7.15pm.
Keck was named on a wing.
Winless in five matches, Collingwood will be desperate to break the ‘duck’
The Magpies take on Gold Coast this Friday from 12.05pm at Richmond’s Punt Road Oval.
Collingwood’s team includes Grace Campbell who has followed up from being the club’s best first-year player in ’23 to have played all five matches this season.
Campbell is now a Magpie after starting her footy stint with Huntly Hawks and then at Bendigo Thunder.
Collingwood’s team which played Western Bulldogs in week four included Sarah Ingram in her AFLW debut.
Ingram earned a call-up after an outstanding VFLW season for the Magpies.
She previously played VFLW with Carlton and a key member of Golden Square’s team which won the AFL Central Victoria senior women’s footy premiership in 2019.
Essendon’s squad in ’24 includes Kodi Jacques and Paige Scott.
A 40-game career for Jacques includes 26 at Richmond from 2020 to ’22 and now 14 with the red and black.
Jacques previously played for Strathfieldsaye and Bendigo Thunder.
The Bombers have a one-three record going into Friday’s match on their turf at Windy Hill against Melbourne.
The match starts at 2.05pm.
Scott played for the Bombers against St Kilda and Adelaide in the early rounds of this AFLW season.
Drafted to the Bombers from Eaglehawk, Scott racked up playing stints with Avoca, Carsibrook, GWV Rebels under-18s, and Geelong’s VFLW team.
The Geelong squad of ’24 includes Bryde O’Rourke who is yet to make her debut.
O’Rourke was taken as a father-daughter selection in the ’23 national draft as her father, Ray played for Geelong in 1969.
Pace, height and the ability to play many positions are among the strengths of Bryde O’Rourke’s game since she started playing with St Therese’s and then Strathfieldsaye.
A keen follower of her footy career is mum, Margaret, long-time councillor for City of Greater Bendigo, four-time Mayor, and now Head of La Trobe University’s Bendigo campus.
This year’s King’s Birthday Honours List included an Order of Australia Medal for Margaret O’Rourke.
On the footy front, Geelong will be determined to chalk up win number two when it plays Hawthorn from 7.15pm on Thursday at GMHBA Stadium in Kardinia Park.
The fifth-placed Hawks will be tough to beat.
Hawthorn’s squad includes Ainslie Kemp who has played 25 matches across stints with Melbourne, 2017 to ’20, and Hawthorn, ’22-24.
Drafted to the big league after starting with Kyneton and Bendigo Thunder, Kemp has fought back from three ACL injuries across her AFLW career.
Joint winner of the AFLW’s goalkicking award of last season, Eden Zanker continues to be a key part of Melbourne’s attack.
A tally of 23 goals in 12 games meant Zanker who is from Woorinen shared the AFLW goalkicking honour with captain Kate Hore.
The club’s first pick and sixth overall in the 2017 draft, Zanker marked a premiership victory in 2002.
The Demons make their way to Windy Hill this Friday to tackle Essendon.
Port Adelaide’s squad includes Angela Foley who played 40 games with Adelaide from 2017 to ’22 after being drafted from Bendigo Thunder.
Her time with the Crows included premierships in 2017 and ’19.
Foley crossed to Port Adelaide last season and has played 23 matches for the club.
Power is at this Sunday on Alberton Oval to play Carlton.
An ACL injury sustained last season means talented forward Shelby Knoll will not play for Richmond this season.
Taken at pick 24 in the season eight supplementary draft, Knoll caught the Tigers’ attention as she kicked 52 goals for Castlemaine in its first AFLCV senior women’s footy premiership in 2022.
Knoll had joined the Magpies after playing for North Bendigo and Kangaroo Flat.
Another player waiting to make her AFLW debut is Eaglehawk’s Keely Fullerton with Gold Coast Suns.
A skilful left-foot kick with a great mix of speed and endurance, Fullerton is likely to play on a wing or across half-forward for the Suns.
The Western Bulldogs squad includes Elizabeth Snell, a midfielder/forward who has played 14 matches for the club.
After starting with Kyneton and then Golden Square, Snell was pick 27 in the 2021 AFLW draft.
She is yet to play for the Bulldogs this season.
Since she was signed as a replacement for the pregnant Dana Hooker, Ocavia Di Donato has shone for the West Coast Eagles.
Di Donato first played for South Bendigo and then Strathfieldsaye.
The 20-year-old was co-captain of Carlton’s team in the VFLW.
A highlight for Di Donato was a goal to seal the 32-21 win against Western Bulldogs, and she also played in the 36-19 victory against Collingwood.
West Coast will be keen to bounce back from a big loss to Brisbane when it plays GWS Giants this Sunday.
The Daisy Pearce-coached Eagles make their way to Marrickville this Sunday to play GWS Giants at Henson Park.