VAFA 50 game ‘trailblazers’ revealed

The VAFA women’s footy competition has pioneered the game at grassroots level. See the hundreds of names to have reached 50 games and played a vital role in the rise.

Danielle, Keeley, Chelsea and Danny Frawley representing Old Haileyburians Amateur Football Club. Danielle and Chelsea have both played 50 games. (Supplied)​

The VAFA women’s footy competition has had its first bunch of “trailblazer” females tick over the 50 game milestone this season after beginning five years ago.

Late in 2016, the all male VAFA clubs rallied around the league‘s historic idea of starting a senior female competition in the same year as the AFLW.

VAFA’s Shona MacInnes held an information session presenting the idea to clubs which brought 40 female teams on board for its inaugural 2017 season.

“We were the biggest senior women’s footy competition in the country in our first year,” MacInnes said.

“To my mind that was a credit to our VAFA clubs who all embraced it and saw the need and that it was going to be something that they should be a part of.

“We are eternally grateful to all those club presidents who had the foresight to get on board.”

The VAFA women’s competition has grown immensely since.

From season one to two in 2018, the VAFA women‘s footy sector grew by 23 teams to a total of 63.

In 2019 they had about 75 teams and in 2020 they were looking like having almost 100 teams.

However, the COVID pandemic took its toll and has kept the total number of teams at 75 this season.

MacInnes said she saw the greatest improvement in the standard of footy from the first season to the second.

“When I went out and watched the first round of the second season, I couldn’t believe how much it had improved,” she said.

“I think having a preseason under their belt between 2017 and 2018, that was probably the biggest increase in standard since we have started.

“If you come and watch it now, last Sunday we had the Premier B women’s preliminary final between Old Scotch and Old Haileybury and the standard was amazing.

“It was fantastic to watch.”

MacInnes said women’s footy had a bright future as the standard would continue to rise as female junior pathways continued to grow.

This season has seen the first bunch of female VAFA footballers reach the 50 game milestone.

More than 200 players, who MacInnes describes as trailblazers have reached the mark.

“What will happen is their daughters will say to them, ‘Mum, what do you mean, women didn’t play footy?’, the kids won’t believe it because now you see them kicking footy’s in the park and seeing them out here at halftime,” MacInnes said.

“You never saw that [in the past] and I think our girls particularly through 2017 and 2018 were real trailblazers.”

MacInnes was surprised by how many had reached the milestone.

“It is great, I didn’t realise there were that many, there’s 200 of them,” she said.

“Even that in itself, 200 of them have reached that milestone, that’s really something considering we only have 14 round seasons.

“It won’t be long before we get our first 100 gamer.”

FULL LIST of VAFA 50 game female footballers revealed:

Updated to the 18th of August. (List in order of name, matches played and club.)

Brighdin Walsh West Brunswick AFC 70

Georgia Cropley St Kevins OB, St Mary‘s Salesian 69

Mikaela Grek AJAX Afc 69

Claudia Maguire Mazenod OC 69

Lauren Oliver Old Haileybury 69

Cristina Sgarbossa Old Xaverians 69

Morgan McGregor Old Brighton Grammarians 68

Alana Pane Marcellin OC 68

Jordyn Bethune Oakleigh AFC 67

Chelsea Fisher AJAX Afc, Caulfield Grammarians 67

Genevieve Gori Beaumaris FC 67

Molly McFarlane Monash Blues 67

Eliza Millen Monash Blues 67

Lucinda Murphy Fitzroy FC 67

Leonora Contaxis Prahran Assumption AFC, St Kevins OB, St Mary‘s Salesian 66

Sarah Delbosc Hawthorn AFC 66

Bonnie Funnell Bulleen Templestowe AFC 66

Justine Gabriel AJAX Afc 66

Pulomaja Gardiyawasam Old Haileybury 66

Georgia Hatton Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club 66

Phoebe Maus Old Trinity Grammarians, Old Xaverians 66

Elizabeth Olney Fitzroy FC 66

Sarah-Jade Rose Monash Blues 66

Annemieke Thorbecke St Mary‘s Salesian 66

Tayla Bethune Oakleigh AFC 65

Belinda Connor Caulfield Grammarians 65

Kristy Freeman Fitzroy FC, North Brunswick AFC 65

Meghann Geschke St Bedes / Mentone Tigers AFC 65

Jesse Hamill Old Mentonians 65

Sarah Kerr Ivanhoe AFC, Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club 65

Chloe Soderstrom St Mary‘s Salesian 65

Clare Wilson Old Camberwell Grammarians 65

Lucy Aitken Old Trinity Grammarians, Kew FC, Old Xaverians 64

Stephanie Defina Old Camberwell Grammarians 64

Eliza German Therry Penola AFC 64

Rachel Gillett St Kevins OB 64

Sophie Grant Old Brighton Grammarians 64

Old Brighton's Sophie Grant. (Supplied)

Jessica Hayes Fitzroy FC 64

Katharine Mullins Old Xaverians 64

Matilda Ryan Therry Penola AFC 64

Ella Stephenson Monash Blues 64

Charlotte Stoltz St Kevins OB 64

Clare Woodhouse Brunswick Football Club 64

Lauren Atkinson Fitzroy FC 63

Alison Boyce Uhs-Vu Afc, North Brunswick AFC, West Brunswick AFC 63

Meg Boyd St Mary‘s Salesian, Hawthorn AFC 63

Amy Cater West Brunswick AFC 63

Monica Macgregor Collegians, St Mary‘s Salesian 63

Grace Mills Monash Blues, St Kevins OB 63

Abbey Mills Uhs-Vu Afc 63

Mollie Ratcliffe Therry Penola AFC 63

Laura Caruana Old Trinity Grammarians 62

Madeleine Pattison St Kevins OB 62

Mikala Sykes St Bedes / Mentone Tigers AFC 62

Taylah Vines-Chapple Old Haileybury 62

Courtney Ward St Bedes / Mentone Tigers AFC 62

Samantha Anjou Old Camberwell Grammarians 61

Cassandra Bethune Oakleigh AFC 61

Tessa Bodin Hawthorn AFC 61

Ainslee Elliott Monash Blues 61

Kristina Krithararis West Brunswick AFC 61

Femke Russell Melbourne University Women‘s Football Club 61

Rosie Sheppard De La Salle OC 61

Michelle Booth Fitzroy FC, North Brunswick AFC 60

Sarah Cameron St Kevins OB 60

Samantha Khong Hawthorn AFC 60

Brigette Snell St Kevins OB 60

Isabelle Tomas AJAX Afc, Caulfield Grammarians 60

Georgia Aanensen Ivanhoe AFC 59

Jasmine Ballestrin Oakleigh AFC 59

Tania Carpinteri Marcellin OC 59

Hilary Collett Fitzroy FC 59

Greta Drane Hawthorn AFC 59

Caroline Edwards Old Geelong 59

Ruby Hong Caulfield Grammarians 59

Monique Horsley Collegians 59

Annie Mack West Brunswick AFC 59

Catherine McBeth Jephcott St Kevins OB 59

Hayley Mrocki AJAX Afc 59

Bridie Murphy Fitzroy FC, Melbourne University Women‘s Football Club 59

Hannah Nicholls Hawthorn AFC 59

Georgina Rule Old Geelong, De La Salle OC 59

Eliza Cole Brunswick Football Club 58

Sarah Collins Beaumaris FC 58

Eloise Defina Old Camberwell Grammarians 58

Georgia du Plessis Hawthorn AFC 58

Gabby Golds Old Xaverians 58

Samantha Kerr Old Mentonians 58

Stephanie Mancuso Therry Penola AFC 58

Hannah Pastore Old Haileybury 58

Marinella Salafia Old Trinity Grammarians, Melbourne University Women‘s Football Club 58

Angela Snowdon Brunswick Football Club 58

Susie Worthington Fitzroy FC, North Brunswick AFC 58

Alice Cooney Uhs-Vu Afc, West Brunswick AFC 57

Rebecca Dee St Bedes / Mentone Tigers AFC, Richmond Central AFC 57

Victoria Hamilton Melbourne University Women‘s Football Club 57

Jacqui Morton Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club 57

Mandy Naylor Hampton Rovers AFC 57

India Tait Old Brighton Grammarians 57

Old Brighton's Indi Tait. (Supplied)

Tessa Vandergriff Ivanhoe AFC 57

Daniella Abraham AJAX Afc 56

Alice Angley St Mary‘s Salesian 56

Julia Bortoli Mazenod OC 56

Chloe Brown St Kevins OB 56

Yve Clerehan Tyndall Melbourne University Women‘s Football Club 56

Bree Doyle St Kevins OB 56

Clare Fernandes Whitefriars Football Club 56

Margaret Gleeson St Kevins OB 56

Laura Hallam Old Geelong, De La Salle OC, Caulfield Grammarians 56

Tahlia Hayes Brunswick Football Club 56

Elizabeth Hodgetts Old Carey Grammarians, St Kevins OB 56

Jessica Joyce St Kevins OB 56

Abbie McNamara Marcellin OC 56

Esther Potts Kew FC 56

Annabel Rafferty Old Geelong 56

Jordan Shanks Old Haileybury 56

Olivia Steinfort St Bedes / Mentone Tigers AFC 56

Maggie Wilson Old Camberwell Grammarians 56

Cassandra Blake Fitzroy FC 55

Rachael Cox Old Xaverians 55

Chelsea Frawley Old Haileybury 55

Monica Gray Brunswick Football Club 55

Clover Hart Swinburne University AFC, De La Salle OC, St Mary‘s Salesian 55

Scarlett Kennedy Williamstown CYMS 55

Alexa Madden Fitzroy FC 55

Jessica Marget AJAX Afc 55

Brooke Mckay Old Geelong 55

Tess Neaves Old Mentonians 55

Angela Payne Canterbury Football Club 55

Charlotte Peak Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club 55

Cheree Peters South Melbourne Districts, Caulfield Grammarians 55

Maddison Stone Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club 55

Emit Taylor Brunswick Football Club 55

Jessica Ashcroft Fitzroy FC, North Brunswick AFC 54

Ellie Birrell Therry Penola AFC 54

Elise Burton St Mary‘s Salesian 54

Brydie Charman Mazenod OC 54

Eliza Cooper St Bedes / Mentone Tigers AFC 54

Sasha Dougherty Brunswick Football Club 54

Erin Gogerly Fitzroy FC 54

Anja Marshallsay Marcellin OC 54

Lucy Morley Old Scotch 54

Zali Rayment St Mary‘s Salesian 54

Sophie Ryan Therry Penola AFC 54

Ciara Scott Old Mentonians 54

Hannah Singleton Collegians 54

Sophie Straford St Kevins OB 54

Jennae Wakefield Marcellin OC 54

Jane Williamson Brunswick Football Club 54

Selina Wilmott Kew FC 54

Sophie Ambrose Old Brighton Grammarians 53

Lily Barr Kew FC 53

Thea Brown Beaumaris FC 53

Megan Brydon South Melbourne Districts 53

Erin Bunter Mazenod OC 53

Lauren Haringsma Beaumaris FC 53

Matilda Hubbard Old Carey Grammarians, West Brunswick AFC 53

Adrienne Jones St Mary‘s Salesian 53

Sophie Joubert Old Geelong, Mazenod OC 53

Claudia Lacey Old Trinity Grammarians, Old Xaverians 53

Madeleine Leyden Old Haileybury 53

Lucy McLaren Melbourne University Women‘s Football Club, Therry Penola AFC 53

Emily O‘Beirne Kew FC 53

Elly Obradov St Mary‘s Salesian 53

Mia Sutherland Fitzroy FC 53

Abbey Walton Mazenod OC 53

Brianna Young Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club, Kew FC 53

Tess Beagley Williamstown CYMS 52

Emilia Bisogni Ivanhoe AFC 52

Blaire Bunter Mazenod OC 52

Julia Emily Caplan AJAX Afc, Caulfield Grammarians 52

Hilary Donelan Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club 52

Tara Donnan Kew FC 52

Emily Johnson South Melbourne Districts, Elsternwick AFC, Hampton Rovers AFC 52

Yvonne Parker Old Carey Grammarians, Collegians, Kew FC 52

Ellen Russell Old Haileybury 52

Rachel Smith Whitefriars Football Club 52

Fiona Tansley Ivanhoe AFC 52

Laura Walkden Oakleigh AFC 52

Isabelle Worth AJAX Afc, St Kevins OB 52

Kate Anderson Hawthorn AFC 51

Brittany Croagh St Kevins OB 51

Amy Dillon Brunswick Football Club 51

Kristy Ebbott Hampton Rovers AFC 51

Danielle Frawley Old Haileybury 51

Deborah Jarvis Beaumaris FC 51

Natarsha Kemp Therry Penola AFC 51

Irena Malliaras Caulfield Grammarians 51

Maggie Minchin Oakleigh AFC 51

Nicola Pigott Mazenod OC 51

Melissa Poulton Old Trinity Grammarians 51

Jessica Roberts West Brunswick AFC 51

Emily Scott Hawthorn AFC 51

Samantha Stewart St Johns OC, Old Carey Grammarians, Old Haileybury, Collegians, Caulfield Grammarians 51

Courtney Taylor Marcellin OC 51

Alexandra Theodosi Old Scotch 51

Hannah Walravens South Melbourne Districts 51

Angie Wang-Hartman Marcellin OC 51

Elena Wedgwood St Kevins OB 51

Sophie Anghie Old Scotch 50

Taryn Bates Marcellin OC, Whitefriars Football Club 50

Amy Benifer Old Xaverians 50

Maya Burstin AJAX Afc 50

Scarlett Dunell St Kevins OB 50

Nadia Eldred Beaumaris FC 50

Charlotte Grieve Marcellin OC 50

Gabrielle Henderson Old Xaverians 50

Catherine Hoh Bulleen Templestowe AFC, Marcellin OC 50

Bianca Horsley Collegians 50

Jacqui Krienke Bulleen Templestowe AFC, Old Trinity Grammarians 50

Taylor Leslie Aquinas OC 50

Morgan Lowe St Kevins OB 50

Georgie Lupson St Kevins OB 50

Tayla McAlroy St Bedes / Mentone Tigers AFC 50

Stephanie McMurray De La Salle OC 50

Vanessa Murphy Old Trinity Grammarians, Old Xaverians 50

Michaela Pearson Whitefriars Football Club 50

Natasha Reeve Old Ivanhoe Grammarians, Marcellin OC 50

Eliza Roughead Marcellin OC 50

Georgia Scarce Ivanhoe AFC 50

Nicole Shue St Mary‘s Salesian 50

Madison Sorrenti Old Xaverians 50

Madeleine Spaulding Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club 50

Anna Townshend St Kevins OB, Albert Park AFC 50

Siena Visentini Old Brighton Grammarians 50

Old Brighton's Sienna Visintini. (Supplied)

Tessa Zagontinos Marcellin OC 50