AFLW 2023: Essendon co-captain Bonnie Toogood eyes rapid finals success against Geelong

Few expected Essendon to compete so quickly but in just their second season, the female Bombers can do something the men haven’t for 19 years.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 28: (L-R) Georgia Nanscawen, Bonnie Toogood and Madison Prespakis of the Bombers celebrate during the 2023 AFLW Round 09 match between The Essendon Bombers and The Carlton Blues at Windy Hill on October 28, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The streak that hangs over the Essendon male team like a black cloud is nowhere to be seen for the club’s AFLW side.

It’s all blue skies for these Bombers, who will head to Geelong for Sunday’s elimination final carrying the famous club drought of having not won a final in 7008 days.

The barren run can be ended by a rapidly rising AFLW side that has defied the expectations placed on expansion sides.

These Bombers have a vastly smaller streak to end – by winning a final 442 days after first playing an AFLW game.

“What’s really important to understand is that our journey is very different to the men’s journey,” co-captain Bonnie Toogood said.

“We are forging our own path at the moment and we are focusing this weekend on that first final. I think that’s an exciting prospect and the whole club is behind us.

“To represent this club is a proud moment for everyone.”

Essendon player Bonnie Toogood. Thursday, November 9, 2023. Picture: David Crosling

Toogood, who crossed over from the Western Bulldogs to join the upstart Essendon side before last season, got emotional when the club locked in a finals berth last weekend.

The midfielder refused to watch the other games as the fate of their season lay in the hands of rivals, but instead found herself refreshing the AFL app “every two minutes”.

While some expansion sides have battled to find a footing, the Dons were competitive from the start and Toogood was happy to bask in the glow of a finals appearance.

“I had a very proud moment, I shed a slight tear on Sunday as it’s our second year and to make finals after all that hard work, it was a very proud moment,” she said.

“Making the move to an expansion side, you are starting essentially from scratch. But a lot of your teammates who have come over have had a wealth of experience in the competition and we were pretty bullish in saying we want to make finals and make finals soon.”

Essendon midfielders (L-R) Georgia Nanscawen, Bonnie Toogood and Madison Prespakis. Picture: Getty Images

Toogood’s midfield running mate Maddy Prespakis said the almost-instant success was thanks to an even spread in the red and black.

“I have a lot of faith in the club, whether that’s from the admin to our coaches to us,” she said.

“I feel like a lot of that comes down to us as well and the culture we are building.

“We have a really tight-knit group and it takes 31 to get us where we are today. I love this group and everyone who steps on the field plays their role and I think that has got us to where we are today.”

It was an off-season full of running laps at her local oval that launched Toogood from a good player to a genuine star, as she dramatically upped her numbers this year to 19 disposals and 1.5 goals a game.

The Bulldogs premiership player, like her new club, feels this season has just been another step towards even higher levels.

“We are really proud that we have made finals but we want to make this finals series a really successful campaign,” she said.

“This means a lot to get this finals experience so early for our group. There is nothing quite like getting football experience, particularly finals experience, so this is going to go a long way.

“This campaign is what this campaign will be. That is what will be exciting – we are not holding ourselves back and will be serious contenders.”