Nightcliff Tigers junior footballer Peggy Rock has her eyes on the AFLW

MEET Peggy Rock, the Nightcliff Tigers junior superstar. She’s just won her team’s best and fairest title, and has her eyes set on the AFLW

MEET Peggy Rock, the Nightcliff Tigers under 12s superstar.

The 11-year-old’s just won her team’s best and fairest title playing as a midfielder and half back and was part of the Nightcliff group that won six of their 12 games this season.

Most importantly, she’s loved every minute of it.

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“I love playing with my friends, kicking goals and having fun,” Peggy said.

“We didn’t make the Grand Final but we still had a good year.

“I try my best throughout the whole season, I do what’s best for the team.”

Peggy is among a generation of rising female athletes with plenty of role models to look up to at local and national levels.

Nightcliff Tigers junior Peggy Rock is part of a generation of girls growing up playing footy with an abundance of stars to look up to and a clear path to the top level. Photograph: Che Chorley

“One of the Nightcliff Tigers is my teacher – Ms Field – and she plays really well,” she said.

“She’s good and I want to be good like her, I want to be like some of the teammates in her team one day.”

Playing against boys has clearly never been an issue for Peggy, with her best and fairest award proof she can match it with both girls and boys on the field.

“I have a brother I play with so playing with boys has always been pretty normal for me. He’s 13,” she said.

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The future is bright for Peggy and while she prefers watching AFL, she has hopes of one day joining the AFLW and making a name for herself beyond the Nightcliff Tigers.

“If I keep playing my junior footy and try my hardest I might get there,” she said.

“Practice and practice makes perfect.”