The return of Matilda Lange to Kingborough’s line up helped them claim their first win in 2025

Kingborough’s women’s coach Jodie Mather has lauded one of Tasmania’s best future AFLW prospects after a matchwinning performance. See why she’s backing the young gun for higher honours.

Kingborough are on the winners list after a dominant 71-point-win over Glenorchy thanks to a best-on-ground performance by the Tasmanian under-16 captain.

It hasn’t been the most ideal start for the 2024 runners-up, having lost the first two games of the season, including the grand final replay against North Hobart in round 1.

But the inclusion of Matilda Lange for the first time this season along with Georgie Bailey’s four goal performance helped the Tigers claim their first win of the year.

Coach Jodie Mather said she is thankful for Lange to be in a Tigers guernsey.

“It was good to get a win under the belt after a couple of close ones in the first two rounds,” Mather said.

“We played a more whole game, the first two games we tried to win it in one quarter of footy, so four-quarter footy was our key to the win on Friday.

Kingborough Tigers' Matilda Lange in action against Glenorchy Magpies in the SFLW Premier League. Picture: CMW Photography

“We were fortunate enough to have Matilda Lange play for us on Friday and she is a very talented player who adds another level to our team.

“She is a bottom ager in the Devils, so she will play sometime with them but hopefully we will get her at times for Tigers.

“I will be very surprised if she isn’t up there as a top round draft pick, her ability on both sides of the body and her composure as a young athlete is just phenomenal.

“Her performance away at the National Carnivals speaks for itself, we are very happy she is a Tigers player and we don’t have to match up against her.”

Lange kicked three goals in her return to the Tigers outfit.

The Tigers haven’t played with their full strength side so far this year according to Mather but isn’t saying that is the reason why her side has struggled to start the year.

“At the moment we haven’t had our full strength side, so we have had two ACLs and broken ankle in the first part of the season,” Mather said.

“We have had to rejig the team pretty significantly.

“I think we just need an overall lift around the ground, our forward line needs to function a little better, which it did on Friday which is pleasing for us.

“We are just looking for a bit more consistency and hopefully we can establish and settle our team a little bit more after the disruption of injuries.”

The Tigers have another week off in round 5 before taking on Lauderdale in round 6.

“It is a bit of disjointed start to the season but then we get some consistent games towards the end of the year,” Mather said.

“It is hard but the season is a long season, it is a good opportunity to do some team building stuff, we have access to some great data, so we can review our games.

“We are taking great advantage of that at this point of the year.”

Originally published as The return of Matilda Lange to Kingborough’s line up helped them claim their first win in 2025