North Adelaide’s Ashleigh Woodland named SANFLW player of the week round two 2020
She had to give away her AFLW dream with Melbourne but now Ashleigh Woodland is back and firing for North Adelaide as she is named SANFLW player of the week.
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Just months after living her AFLW dream, Ashleigh Woodland had to make the heartbreakingly tough decision to walk away from it.
The North Adelaide product was picked up by Melbourne as a free agent ahead of the 2019 season and packed her life up to move to Victoria in a whirlwind few days.
Woodland, 21, played four games for the Demons before life interstate away from home and family became too much.
“(AFLW) was very intense and elite and I loved the football but I didn’t enjoy as much being away from my family,” says Woodland, who came through the ranks at Salisbury before progressing to North.
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“I made the decision to come home from Melbourne ... I think I just wanted a break to build on myself as a person and a player.
“It was nothing to do with the club. I’m a big family person so being away from them and my partner Adam was really hard.”
Woodland returned home and played two SANFLW games for the Roosters in 2019, but more misfortune struck when she broke her wrist and was forced to sit out the remainder of the season.
It included watching from the sidelines as her teammates fell to South Adelaide by 22 points in the grand final.
But the versatile Woodland has responded and, last Saturday, new Roosters coach Krissie Steen’s decision to switch her into the midfield and rest in the forward line this season paid dividends.
The 2017 and 2018 SANFLW team of the year selection racked up 20 disposals and kicked a match-high four goals in North’s 54-point demolition of Central District at the weekend.
She has been named the round two SANFLW player of the week.
“I’m loving my new role as a midfield/forward,” Woodland.
“Being inside the contest and being physical but also going forward and taking contested marks – it really shows what I can do as a footballer.
“I’m glad Krissie has put me in a new role where I can take on the game.”
Woodland says her goal remains to make and AFLW return — but a comeback in the national league would depend on the timing.
For now she hopes to help propel the Roosters to their first SANFLW premiership, something the club craves after falling short in losing grand finals in 2017 and 2019.
North takes on fellow undefeated side West Adelaide in round three this Saturday at Noarlunga.