AFLW 2024: Port Adelaide gun Matilda Scholz will improve rapidly, says coach

Port Adelaide’s AFLW coach expects far more to come from a 19-year-old sensation after one of the competition’s best ever marks.

Port Adelaide ruck Matilda Scholz flies for a huge mark in the Power’s win over Collingwood at Alberton Oval on Thursday night. Picture: Sarah Reed / Getty Images

Port Adelaide coach Lauren Arnell says Matilda Scholz’s breathtaking mark was only a “small sign” of what’s to come from the teenage star after she lifted her side into the top eight.

The 19-year-old ruck flew over a pack to take one of the best overhead grabs in AFLW history late in the third quarter of the Power’s eight-point win over Collingwood.

The mark of the year contender and calm set shot goal came amid a 15-disposal, six-tackle performance to lead the Power to three consecutive AFLW wins for the first time.

Scholz was also one of Port Adelaide’s most influential in the previous victories over Carlton and West Coast, with Arnell lauding her continual improvement after finishing third in the best and fairest in her debut season.

Matilda Scholz takes an absolute hanger! ✈️#AFLWPowerPiespic.twitter.com/0uKrDUfoH1

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 10, 2024

“I think certainly the last three or four weeks of footy, Matilda Scholz has really come on,” Arnell said.

“She’s still super young, she only just came into our side last year as a very fresh-faced teenager.

“The more she learns each week around preparation and diligence and how she prepares for each game, has been really impressive in how she can apply it, so I’m really pleased with her progress. I loved seeing her take that grab and more so finishing with the goal after.

“It was very impressive, and I think just a small sign of what Matilda’s capable of.”

Scholz played down the third-quarter grab, but said she was pleased to see work on her contested marking start to pay off.

Port Adelaide teenager Matilda Scholz soars over a pack to mark and kick a vital goal in the Power’s win over Collingwood on Thursday night. Picture: Sarah Reed / Getty Images

“I’ve been really working on my marking all season – they haven’t been sticking for me, so I’m pretty happy,” she told Fox Footy after the game.

“It was a bit of a fluke, but I’m pretty happy with it.”

With a 4-4 record at the end of their compressed run of games, the Power will face 18th-placed Gold Coast, St Kilda (seventh) and GWS (16th) to finish the season.

Arnell played down their interest in a maiden finals appearance, as they also awaited scans for equal leading goalkicker Julia Teakle after a knock to her knee early in the Thursday night clash.

The coach believed the 21-year-old had only “jarred” her knee and hoped she would be available to face the Suns next Saturday.