14 VAFA Women’s stars set to shine as Female Young Guns

The full list is in and 14 VAFA Wilson Women’s players will receive the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of AFLW recruiters as part of AFL Victoria’s Female Young Guns match at Coburg City Oval next Saturday.

Morgan McGregor (Old Brighton), India Tait (Old Brighton), Mietta McDonald (Old Haileybury), Grace Buchan (Caulfield Grammarians), Christine Nancarrow (Collegians), Tash Rappos (St Mary’s Salesian) and Annabel Nichols (Old Carey), Irena Malliaris (Caulfield Grammarians), Matilda Hubbard (Old Carey), Riley Christgoergl (Old Xaverians), Emily Archer (Old Xaverians), Eliza Straford (SKOB Saints), Sarah Kerr (Ivanhoe) and Kate Dempsey (SBMT) will join a host of VFL players who were unable to secure a finals berth for the showcase event.

McDonald, Buchan and Rappos were three key cogs of the victorious inaugural women’s Big V side who defeated AFL Goldfields in July. Rappos’ elite run and carry off the half back line continued post-regular season as she was awarded the BOG medallion for her starring role in the Saints’ thrilling one-point Development Division 1 Grand Final win over West Brunswick.

McDonald was a standout during the Big V’s 49-point win in Ballarat with the elusive left-footer kicking two goals at critical stages of the match; including, a sensational left-foot snap which broke the game open and swung the momentum in the Big V’s favour during the second term. At club level, McDonald was named in the best 10 times and registered 14 majors for the Hearts.

Buchan’s endurance and elite skillset were highlights for both the Big V and Caulfield throughout the year, culminating in her claiming the club Best & Fairest Award ahead of fellow midfield star, Irena Malliaris. She polled 10 votes in the William Buck Premier count for a top eight finish and was named in the Fields’ best in all but one game.

Nancarrow was at the forefront of the Lions’ finals run before they fell to Old Carey by just one point in the Development Division 2 preliminary final. A tough inside midfielder and elite tackler, Nancarrow was named in the Lions’ best 10 times from their 11 matches.

Nichols, who was a part of the Panthers’ unit who knocked off the Lions, is the daughter of former Melbourne FC player and Old Melburnians premiership captain, Jeremy. As such, Nichols possesses an unmatched football IQ, has an innate ability to read the play and offers outstanding outside run for the Panthers.

McGregor and Tait consistently led from the front for Old Brighton as the pair finished equal-third alongside Rappos in the Development Division 1 vote count with 11 each. They polled the full three votes in five games between them and Tait was shortlisted for the Anytime Fitness Rising Star Award despite playing just seven games for the season.

The Female Young Guns match kicks off at 12pm next Saturday at Coburg City Oval and will also act as a curtain raiser to the VFL Women’s preliminary final.