2025 Division 2 Women’s Team of the Year

VAFA Media is revealing the Team of the Year for each senior section, and it’s time to turn our attention to Division 2 Women’s, as compiled by our reporter, Lachie Moir, based on feedback and analysis from coaches, umpires and VAFA Media.

The Division 2 Women’s premiership went all the way to the final siren on Grand Final Day, with La Trobe University entering as underdogs against a Parkside team that had won 11 on the trot.

But the Trobers found a way and prevailed in a low-scoring 3-point thriller to collect their first women’s senior premiership and erase the disappointment of their loss in the 2024 Division 3 decider.

Old Carey finished the home & away season as minor premiers, but fell short in both their finals, while UHS-VU also tasted finals footy this season.

Here is the Division 2 Women’s Team of the Year for 2025:

La Trobe had five selections, including premiership coach Samantha Greene as the Coach of the Year, and midfielder Jess Lowry as the Captain of the Year. Jess and Makayla D’Angelo (who finished fourth in the League Best & Fairest) both polled Coaches’ Votes in 11 matches this season, highlighting their remarkable consistency.

They are joined in this line-up by team-mates Kaitlyn Ritchie and Steph Casta down back – no surprise, given the Trobers were clearly the #1 ranked Defence in the competition all season.

Runners-up Parkside had four selections in the team, headlined by Maisie Welsh (who finished third in the League B&F) in the middle, with Hannah Baird behind her at centre half-back, then Ella Smallcombe and Martina Zeevaarder ahead of her up forward.

Zeevaarder booted 23 goals for the season, as did the player alongside her in this team – Old Carey’s Amy McCormack, who is one of three Panthers in this side, with Rising Star nominee Lia Kelvie, and Kellie McLeod, who finished 8th in the League Best & Fairest.

Hawthorn also has three representatives, led by League Best & Fairest Emogen Johnson, who enjoyed a stellar season between the arcs. She’ll link up with team-mate Georgie Shugg, who will start across half-back and look to feed Tessa Bodin up forward – Tessa proving good for a goal per game this season.

MCC has three team members as well, with Anna Harris and Nikita Rogers lining up alongside each other at half-forward. Anna booted 19 goals in 9 games this season, polling Coaches’ Votes in 7 of them, and finished 7th in the League Best & Fairest, while Nikita got the nod from her coaches in 8 of her 10 games. They are joined in the line-up by Isabella Jeffrey across half-back.

The following clubs all had one selection in the team: Box Hill North gun Lilly Griffiths (who finished second in the League Best & Fairest by a single vote), UHS-VU’s Abbey Mills (who finished fifth), Natasha Derksen from Aquinas and De La Salle’s Poppy Palma (who finished equal ninth), and Brunswick ruck Emma McTaggart, after a consistent season that saw her poll coaches’ votes in 7 of her 11 games.

It’s a powerful line-up with talent across all lines, and we congratulate all who have earned their selection.

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