Women’s football numbers booming in Gisborne as club prepares for second senior season

FOR a town with about 9000 residents, Gisborne punches above its weight division when it comes to female football.

Gisborne teammates Stephanie Brancatisano, Neve Carrigg, Natasha Lee and Carlie Prictor are ready for their 2018 season to start. Picture: James Ross.

FOR a town with about 9000 residents, Gisborne punches above its weight division when it comes to female football.

The Bulldogs fielded their first senior women’s team in the AFL Goldfields competition last year, recording three wins.

Two youth girls sides represented the club in 2017, with Gisborne Blue claiming the Riddell Youth Girls premiership after storming through the campaign undefeated.

“In four or five years, I imagine the Gisborne senior women’s team will have really good numbers and they will have some good skill,” senior women’s co-coach Anthony Carrigg said.

“It’s really promising for the area, that’s for sure.”

Gisborne women's football team celebrate a win last season. Picture: Peter Taylor.

Calder Cannons TAC Cup Girls premiership star Molly Warburton — a silky half-back flanker considered an AFLW draft prospect this year — was best afield in the grand final victory over Sunbury Kangaroos.

Caitlyn Brown, who played as a key defender for the Cannons during their historic 2017 season, kicked 32 goals from 14 games for the successful Gisborne side.

Brown and Warburton have returned to Calder for another season, impressing their new coach Paul Tilley.

“She will be the mainstay (in defence),” Tilley said of Brown.

“She’s very composed and has got very good skills. She will be someone to build around.”

Warburton was crowned the AFL Goldfields Riddell Youth Girls best and fairest last year.

Her talent was recognised with selection in the AFLW academy for 2018 after she was chosen in the AFLW under-18 All-Australian squad.

Carrigg said having a Gisborne junior drafted would be a boon for the club.

Two Gisborne players launch into a tackle last season in the AFL Goldfields Women’s competition.

“That’d be awesome for her (Warburton) and Gisborne,” he said.

While they might not reach the bright lights of AFL Women’s or be privy to the same national exposure, Gisborne’s senior female players share the same passion for the sport.

Natalie Dowdy made history as the team’s first league best-and-fairest last year when she took out the Division 2 award.

The Bulldogs have welcomed more than 20 players to pre-season training as they build towards the start of the 2018 campaign.

“There’s a few youth girls coming from another couple of teams I believe,” Carrigg said.

“They are coming up and have decided they want to come and play at Gisborne.”

Carrigg will share the coaching duties with Lisa Borg this year and is optimistic about his team’s prospects of improving on its fourth-placed finish in Division 2 from last year.

“The experience, having some youth girls come up, and having a few more numbers, you’d be expecting you could get four or five (wins),” he said.

“Maybe even better.”

The club is on the lookout for more senior women’s players for 2018. Contact Anthony on 0438 378 783.