Darwin’s Danielle Ponter earns accolades from game’s best

A legend of the game and one of the best to ever take the field, Daisy Pearce says the sky’s the limit for Darwin superstar Danielle Ponter.

Danielle Ponter of the Crows in action during the 2023 AFLW First Qualifying Final match between The Adelaide Crows and The Brisbane Lions. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images).

As Darwin superstar Danielle Ponter continues to set the competition alight, she has earnt the praise of one of the game’s greats.

During a visit to the Top End capital on Wednesday, Daisy Pearce said she’d been left in awe of Ponter, who had the skillset to be the next big thing.

And the former Melbourne Demon’s captain and 2022 Premiership winner didn’t mince her words when singing the Territorian’s praises.

“She could be anything,” the three-time All Australian said.

“I mean she already is.

“She’s got all the weapons and yeah, the consistency of her game.

“She’s always had that incredible talent and innate game sensibility to kick a goal but just her consistency through games to be able to impact through quarters and for four quarters.”

Daisy Pearce of the Demons celebrates with family during the 2022 AFLW Grand Final. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Knowing a thing or two about what it takes to become a champion and what it means to have a positive impact on the community, the 35-year-old said Ponter already has the making of a future great.

“She’ll just continue to rise now and become, if she’s not already, one of the superstars of the game,” Pearce said.

“To have someone from Darwin, an Indigenous player be named in the All Australian Squad this year, I mean, it’ll have a huge impact here in the Territory.

“It’s pretty cool to hear some of the girls (academy players) say she actually came back (to Darwin) and played in the NTFL last year when her AFLW season finished.

“She pulled on the St Mary’s colours and came back and played here which meant the world to these girls.

“She’ll feature heavily in the rest of Adelaide’s finals campaign, including Saturday night.”

Ponter selected in All Aussie Squad

Danielle Ponter has spread her wings and flown to the top of the pack in the AFLW this season.

Off the back of a stellar regular season that saw her Adelaide Crows crowned minor premiers, the 23-year-old Darwin product has added to her list of achievements, with a selection into the 2023 AFLW All Australian Squad.

The sharp shooting forward kicked an impressive 16 goals in 10 matches, amassed a very handy 30 clearances and finished the season averaging 11.4 disposals per game.

A career high, Ponter’s 16 goals has her now sitting on 46 goals in 45 games, with her freakish long-range Round 2 goal nominated for the 2023 Rebel AFLW Goal of the Year.

Selected at 48 in the second round by the Crows back in 2018, the St Mary’s alumni has already achieved greatness in her short career.

The forward already been named as the AFL Women’s Premiership Player twice, 2019 and 2022, and is now in the running to be one of the 21 players selected in the final team.

Ponter will learn her fate Monday, 27 November at the 2023 W Awards, where the All Australian Team and Goal of the Year will be announced.