Victorian Amateur Football Association: Tom Stafford takes the reins of the senior women’s rep squad

Marcellin premiership coach Tom Stafford will guide the Big White V into an interleague tussle with AFL Goldfields next month after being named the VAFA senior women’s rep coach.

Marcellin coach Tom Stafford has been appointed coach of the VAFA’s senior women’s rep squad. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Marcellin premiership coach Tom Stafford will guide the Big White V into an interleague tussle with AFL Goldfields next month after being named head coach of the VAFA senior women’s team earlier this week.

Stafford, who coached the Sheagles to the association’s inaugural women’s premiership in 2017 and then into last season’s grand final, is currently the First XVIII coach at Whitefriars College.

MORE VAFA NEWS

Beveridge denies umpire abuse after son injured

SKOBs getting back to winning ways

VAFA reconsiders alcohol ban

Marcellin’s Magdelene Antypas has been named in the rep squad. Picture: Hamish Blair

“It’s a huge honour and I’m really looking forward to it,” Stafford said. “It’s really exciting to see them put on the Big White V and represent the VAFA.

“Were going to have 55 to 60 girls to start with and then get it down to 30 and then the final 24 for the match.

“I really want to emphasise that whether you make the squad or not you’ll go back to your clubs having trained with the best girls in the competition and you’ll really get something out of the training.”

There is little doubting how far female footy has come in the past few years, both in terms of the numbers participating and in the skill level on display.

“From my experience, (initially) it was all about teaching the fundamentals of the game and it’s been a very congested game,” Stafford said. “Now the girls are so much more skilled.”

He put that improvement down to the development work done at junior level and the influx of players from other sports and the unique skills they have brought to the game.

“Basketballers, they have so much poise and don’t cough the ball up,” he said. “While the soccer players with their penetrating kicking, they really kick through the ball which has been one of the hardest things to teach.”

The VAFA will tackle AFL Goldfields at Elsternwick Park on June 8.

“We played them a couple of years ago and the Ballarat and Bendigo girls will provide tough opposition,” Stafford said.

Old Trinity rep Imogen Barnett marks from behind against St Kevin’s. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

SKOB Saints have the largest representation in the squad, with five players, while Collegians, Kew, Marcellin, Melbourne Uni and Monash Blues have all had four players named.

2019 VAFA women’s squad: Sasha Long (Beaumaris), Ellie Hearne (Beaumaris), Grace Buchan (Caulfield Grammarians), Kate Macqueen (Caulfield Grammarians), Christine Nancarrow (Collegians), Charlotte Pooley (Collegians), Rebecca Rothfield (Collegians), Rachel Rodger (Collegians), Tash Ross-Harris (Fitzroy-ACU), Teresa Zampaglione (Fitzroy-ACU), Madison Lister (Glen Eira), Georgia Scarce (Ivanhoe), Michaela Harding (Kew), Eilish Boyd (Kew), Isabelle Harding (Kew), Joelle Metres (Kew), Magdelene Antypas (Marcellin), Shaylee Taylor (Marcellin), Tessa Zagontinos (Marcellin), Ellie Gavalas (Marcellin), Claudia Maguire (Mazenod), Marinella Salafia (Melbourne Uni), Lucy Watkin (Melbourne Uni), Peggy Fennell (Melbourne Uni), Steph Comelli (Melbourne Uni), Xanthea Dewez (Monash Blues), Ella Stephenson (Monash Blues), Abbie Hansen (Monash Blues), Grace Mills (Monash Blues), Cat O’Brien (Old Brighton), Eloise Defina (Old Camberwell), Rhiannon Green (Old Camberwell), Maggie Wilson (Old Camberwell), Dani Trott (Old Geelong), Sophie Fraser (Old Melburnians), Hannah Stuart (Old Mentonians), Imogen Barnett (Old Trinity), Vanessa Murphy (Old Trinity), Gabby Golds (Old Xaverians), Riley Christgoergl (Old Xaverians), Emily Convey (Richmond Central), April Goldring (RMIT University), Anna Hayes (Scotch Stars), Amy Arundel (Scotch Stars), Mia Cowan (Scotch Stars), Cheree Peters (South Melbourne Districts), Maddy Tilley (St Bedes/Mentone), Olivia Steinfort (St Bedes/Mentone), Stephanie Lawrence (St Mary’s Salesian), Rachel Gill (St Mary’s Salesian), Sarah Cameron (SKOB Saints), Eliza Straford (SKOB Saints), Ellie McLinden (SKOB Saints), Margaret Gleeson (SKOB Saints), Alexandra Hynes (SKOB Saints), Grace Macpherson (West Brunswick), Yolanda Jones (West Brunswick), Melissa Lindsay (West Brunswick), Ilaria Akers (Whitefriars)

Ivanhoe’s Georgia Scarce runs the ball out of the centre. Picture: Phil Skeggs

WHAT A LEADER LOCAL FOOTY SUBSCRIPTION GIVES YOU ACCESS TO

*Match reports, features, player and coach movements and analysis of all the leagues across Melbourne.

*Unprecedented AFL coverage.

*All the latest football news from across the country including Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph and Courier-Mail.

*Latest news and videos from the world’s leading leagues.

*Exclusive digital stories and videos before they go to print.