2025 Division 4 Women’s Team of the Year

Over the coming weeks, VAFA Media will be revealing the Team of the Year for each senior section.

We begin with the 2025 Division 4 Women’s Team of the Year, as compiled by our Div 4 Women’s reporter, Sebastian Tehan, based on feedback and analysis from coaches, VAFA Media and umpires, and acknowledges home & away performance.

Division 4 Women’s enjoyed an enthralling season, full of big scores and big names frequently appearing on the ‘Best Players’ list week-to-week.  

Westbourne Grammarians and Old Yarra Cobras were the standout clubs this year, flying out of the gates with early percentage-boosting wins. Caulfield Grammarians joined the competition mid-way through the season, and did not look back, deservedly finishing in second place.

Ultimately, it was Westbourne and Old Yarra that faced off in the ‘Big Dance’, with the former becoming premiers after a 12-point win.

Here is the Division 4 Women’s Team of the Year for 2025:

Premiers Westbourne had four selections, including the Coach of the Year, Shaun Bradley, and young gun Grace Choate, who polled Coaches’ Votes in 8 matches and was also a prolific goalkicker, hitting the scoreboard 11 times.

She’ll start on a half-forward flank, while Montana Dumesny will line up in the goalsquare, and Jazmyn Mathers will begin on the ball, in what is a powerful and dynamic midfield.

Runners-up Old Yarra Cobras also had four selections in the team – including the Captain of this team, onballer April Jones, as well as League Best & Fairest Jacqui Morton on a half-back flank and Bree Pascoe at full-back, with key forward Hilary Donelan, who won the Division 4 Leading Goalkicker award with 18 majors, despite also spending time in defence. Her ability to swing back if required gives this team even more flexibility.

Preliminary finalists Caulfield Grammarians had four selections, with three of them providing this team with plenty of drive from the middle: ruck Ruby Hong, alongside midfielders Emily Robinson and Caitlin Adams, supplying a forward line that includes Fields team-mate Hannah Buur.

Fitzroy upset the Chargers in the Elimination Final, and the Roys are represented by consistent performer Thea Wilkinson-Shore, who will provide this line-up with plenty of additional run-and-carry.

Port Melbourne Chargers put together a promising first year in their VAFA debut, and are represented by regular best players Alex Gurr and Mili Ledgerwood, who both had consistent seasons.

The Canterbury Cobras contributed a couple of important players to this team – the crafty Stephanie Langley across half-forward, and Amelia Desmond, a pillar in defence.

St Kevin’s also has two selections in this team, with defender Philippa Stephenson joined by Mithanki Winayakan on a wing after both had consistently strong seasons.

The remaining four clubs all had one selection in the line-up: Monash Blues’ Alli Charles, Oakleigh’s Julia Kendall, plus Preston Bullants’ Talia De Santis and West Brunswick skipper Grace McCall.

This team is a force to be reckoned with, and all players deserve their flowers after commendable individual seasons. Congratulations to you all.

A Team of the Year from each senior VAFA section will be published over the coming weeks.