AFL Barwon women’s football guide: Players to watch, coaches comments from every division 1 team
AFL Barwon’s women’s football competition enters a new era with a structure shake-up, with plenty of unknowns surrounding a now-nine team division 1 comp. Get the latest on every club ahead of round 1.
Geelong
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A new era arrives in AFL Barwon’s women’s football ranks.
Throwing away with the three-division system and replacing it with two expanded divisions, the top-grade will be more fiercely contested than ever with nine clubs in the mix as round 1 kicks off this weekend.
For reigning premier Grovedale, the change is welcomed, premiership coach Paul Price declaring the former structure unviable.
But for those forced to make the jump up, there is a sense of the unknown, as reigning division 2 club Anglesea brace for early pain.
“We understand we won the premiership last year, but half the side is gone and making the move to division 1, just we just feel for the safety of our new girls, brand new to playing footy,” new Anglesea coach Kelvin Gray said of the Roos’ concerns.
“The grading games were good, it sort of gave you an indication of where you were sitting.”
Price acknowledged early growing pains, though referenced the Tigers as the easy division 1 beats in their first few seasons in the top-grade before their eventual rise to a premiership.
“It’s not viable to be a six-team competition and your playing everyone every four weeks,” Price said.
“I know we want close games of footy but at times there is going to be a difference in the scoreboard or between the top side and bottom side.
“But if you look at anything, we were that bottom side a couple years ago, we were getting done by 100 points and we just managed to hang in, keep building slowly and we’ve gone to a couple grand finals in a row, won a premiership.
“So as much as there is at times, a little bit of pain, if you have the right people doing the right and implementing the right structures, it can turn around pretty quick.”
St Joseph’s will make the jump to division 1 alongside Anglesea, though aren’t unfamiliar with the standard.
“There is a lot of unknowns for us – we were up in divvy 1 a few years ago but it was a three divvy comp,” Joey’s coach Chris Hickey said.
“Having 10 or 11 teams in div 1 there is a group of us coming up from div 2 and the perennials who have been strong in divvy 1 – where we sit in that tranche is very much unknown to us.
“But we go in optimistic that we’ve set ourselves some goals, to be competitive and enjoy our footy.”
Grovedale became the new benchmark last August when it won its first division 1 premiership, toppling perennial powerhouse Geelong Amateur.
And despite a small “hectic” period where Price stepped back as co-coach Taylah Hassett took the reins, before the former returned to the fold once Hassett took on the Geelong VFLW program, there appears to be no signs of a ‘premiership hangover’ at Burdoo Reserve.
“The girls have certainly trained incredibly well, we haven’t eased off on them, we understand we’re probably more the hunted than the hunter, which is a term we used to love being, where we were out chasing people,” Price said.
“We worked hard to do that but I think for those of them who were there, they certainly enjoyed grand final day … if they get a chance to replicate that, that’s something they want to try and do.
“They’re certainly a driven group … and with the talent they have, one premiership isn’t enough for this group.”
Anglesea
Coach: Kelvin Gray (new).
Captains: Jess Lewis and Ellie Koiker.
Players to watch: Kelsea Gray, Jess Lewis, Ellie Koiker.
Coach says: “Most of the team is brand new so we’re pretty much going back to square one. It’s going to be very challenging, there is not much we can do about playing div 1, so we’ll just have to see how we go.” – Gray
Addy says: Despite the Roos winning the division 2 flag last year, the jump to division 1 will come with major growing pains, four of the Roos’ top five best and fairest placegetters departing the club for various reasons including work and study, while best and fairest Kelsea Gray will need to balance VFLW commitments.
Barwon Heads
Coaches: Shannon Knox and Georgia Watson (both new).
Captains: Ally Duff and Beck McInerney.
Players to watch: Lauren Cleeman, Phoebe Appleby and Candice Goullet.
Coach says: “We’ve had a great pre season and are excited to be heading into round 1. We’ve had a number of players roll over from last season along with some exciting new additions to our squad – we’re thrilled to have 7 of our players earn contracts with Geelong’s VFLW side.” – Watson.
Addy says: Knox’s experience as a development coach at Geelong Falcons is a boon for the Seagulls, who have also landed several recent Falcons’ graduates in the off-season. While they might not be seen every week through VFLW commitments, it should go a long way in raising the ceiling as they aim to better last year’s preliminary final appearance.
Geelong Ammos
Coaches: Tash Irvine and Ray Daffy (Daffy returning).
Captains: Mel Connolly and Cleo Shaap.
Players to watch: Kalani Scoullar, Sachi DeGiacomi, Cheryl DeGroot.
Coach says: “We feel we have a point to prove to ourselves to go one better than we did last season and bring the cup back to Queens Park. It’s been fantastic to see the strength of the competition grow … this has also brought other valuable experiences into play such as triple headers with our men’s team and having a one club feel.” – Irvine.
Addy says: The Ammos go from two teams to one in 2025, but their top-grade side has been the standard-setter of recent years. Will be determined to atone for last year’s grand final defeat. And with their best players on the park, should be well placed to at least be there in the final game of the season.
Grovedale
Coach: Paul Price.
Captain: Emily Worpel.
Players to watch: Madisen Maguire, Ella McDonald, Ella Emond.
Coach says: “We haven’t changed too many things and it was business as usual. I think there will be 6-8 changes from last year’s grand finals side … some of the younger girls out of (last year’s) division 3 side will come into our senior side.” – Price.
Addy says: The reigning premiers will challenge again, despite some of their best players now linked to Geelong’s VFLW program, including league best and fairest ruck Janessa FitzGerald. Appear to have topped up well, Ruby Bowers returning to the club, as hasMaguire, a former AFLW player at Geelong, after time spent with North Melbourne’s VFLW side.
Lara
Coaches: Keeley Hardingham and Taiya Morrow (both new).
Captains: Kara Stacey and Lily McKane.
Players to watch: Kara Stacey, Lokki Gillett, Victoria Paape-Silva.
Coach says: “We will be a young fast team. Wanting to improve against the better teams with a more even division. Use the outside and our speed, we want it to be about having fun and enjoying the experience of footy. A lot of juniors are coming into the senior side which we’re excited to see.” – Hardingham.
Addy says: The Cats were largely competitive last year despite their 2-8 record, with a seven-point win over eventual prelim finalists Barwon Heads a highlight and very few blowouts. With another year into a young group, should prove a test for several higher ranked sides.
St Joseph’s
Coach: Chris Hickey.
Captains: Paris Stokes and Katherine Kvant.
Players to watch: Holly Alexander, Rorri Phibbs, Monique Martin.
Coach says: “We’re quite a young side again this year … a number of under 19s have come up into the senior squad. We think we’ll see some light and shade, we think we have the capacity to be quite good on our day but we might struggle against some of the really strong sides, but we’ll wait and see. We maintain our emphasis on culture, and enjoying it and supporting each other.” – Hickey.
Addy says: The Joey’s were the benchmark of last year’s division 2 regular season with an unbeaten record, before several injuries curtailed their premiership aspirations. You’d expect some growing pains alongside Anglesea as the two promoted clubs, though the Joey’s are not unfamiliar with the top grade. Have landed handy recruits in Phibbs and Martin, the latter the league’s reigning division 3 best and fairest at Modewarre, who is hoping to test her footy in the top grade.
St Mary’s
Coach: Alf Della Monica.
Captains: Lucy Della Monica and Tahlitha Samkakai.
Players to watch: Susie Ryan, Lucy Della Monica, Dani Stewart
Coach says: “Our young girls coming up from our under-19 premiership-winning team, I’m excited to see the enthusiasm they will bring. We have gone from one team last year to two with 54 players on our list. Pre-season has been great and has been mainly centred around building skills and connections.” – Della Monica
Addy says: The Saints’ successful junior program and recent U19 premiership should pay dividends for the club in the long run, and with greater depth at the club with two sides, should prove a finals contender again after bowing out by just eight points in last year’s elimination final.
Thomson
Coach: Simon Cavallo.
Players to watch: Phoebe Monahan, Emily Kenshole, Paris Lightfoot.
Captain: Belle Murphy-Bowen.
Coach says: “We’re one of only three clubs in Geelong to have a second women’s team, in only our third season. We have retained the majority of last year’s list, only losing 3-4 to relocation, pregnancy and retirement. I think we’re pretty determined as a group, having something to play for again.” – Cavallo.
Addy says: The Tigers would have played finals last year if not for a points issues – the team forfeited wins for exceeding the cap – so we expect the Tigers’ on-field play to challenge the best sides again in their second year in the top-grade.Have landed a talented recruit inLightfoot, who has captained Bond Uni in the QAFL in recent years.
Torquay
Coach: Nicole Graves.
Captains: Rachel Munroe and Vanessa Rischetelli.
Players to watch: KJ Skerke, Lila Burns, Lila Richards.
Coach says: “We are looking to be much more competitive in 2025. Our group has developed considerably over the pre-season so we are looking forward to putting more pressure on the competition. Some of the younger ones coming up from our 2024 under-19s program and other returning players will give us much better depth.” – Graves.
Addy says: Stepping up to division 1 last year despite their initial reluctance, the Tigers were forced to bear the brunt of that to finish the season 0-10. Will hope to take the next step, with either a handful of wins, or more competitive score lines against the better sides.
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Originally published as AFL Barwon women’s football guide: Players to watch, coaches comments from every division 1 team
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