Carlton’s VFLW connection with the VAFA enhanced

The connection between Carlton’s VFLW team and the VAFA continues to grow, with the coach, assistant coach and 11 listed players all having been involved in the VAFA.

Inaugural William Buck Premier Women’s premiership coach Tom Stafford was unveiled as the Blues new VFLW coach ahead of the 2022 season.

After winning a flag with Marcellin and being awarded the VAFA Women’s Coach of the Year in 2017, Stafford went on to coach the VAFA Women’s Big V representative team in 2019, before being named Carlton coach in November last year.

One of the 11 VAFA players presented with their jumpers by Stafford at last Friday’s 2022 VFLW Season launch was Vanessa Murphy. She’ll make her debut for the Blues on the wing in Saturday’s game against Geelong.

Murphy played for Old Trinity and captained the Women’s Big V side in 2019. She is the daughter of De La Salle’s Shane Murphy, who played representative footy in the 1980’s.

The father-daughter combination of Shane and Vanessa Murphy is a powerful one in VAFA circles, with both having captained their respective Big V representative teams.

Carlton’s VFLW assistant coach, Josh Melican, is a current VAFA coach, in charge of West Brunswick in William Buck Premier Women’s Section.

The 2022 VFLW season begins on Saturday, with Carlton travelling to Geelong to face the Cats at Deakin University, Waurn Ponds at 2:00pm.

Across the VFLW, there is almost 100 VAFA listed players on club lists, plus a further 30 players on club development lists. 11 of the 12 VFLW clubs feature VAFA talent, with Carlton, Port Melbourne, Southern Saints and Williamstown each with 10 or more VAFA players on their lists.

The VAFA Women’s competition remains Australia’s largest women’s football competition, with more than 3,000 players across seven divisions, and the 2022 season kicking-off on the first weekend of April.