So is the leadership group - Toogood, Prepakis and Cain?
“A” best 21 – no Frew for you!
IN BUILDING its inaugural list, Essendon was able to recruit the most experience of any new team this year.
With an average of 15.2 games across the playing group, there are established players littering every line.
B: E.Gamble D.Marshall
HB: M.Busch I.Ayre C.Phillips
C: S.Van De Heuvel J.Vogt S.Cain
HF: A.Clarke P.Scott G.Gee
F: D.Bannister B.Toogood
Foll: J.Borg M.Prespakis J.Zanchetta
I/C: S.Alexander A.Radford J.Wuetschner A.Barba O.Barton
Emerg: M.Van Dyk J.Doonan
Building a list
Up forward is where Essendon looks strongest, boasting Daria Bannister , Bonnie Toogood , Sophie Alexander , Georgia Gee and Jess Wuetschner, who have kicked 115 goals combined across their 171 games. They will be supported by top end draftees Amber Clarke and Paige Scott while a number of the Bombers’ midfielders are also adept at pushing forward and hitting the scoreboard.
Maddy Prespakis is a young star who will no doubt be a key cog through the middle of the ground, but several recruits from the club’s VFLW program will prove to be vital. Alana Barba is fresh off a best-on-ground performance in Essendon’s Grand Final win, and former Lion Jordan Zanchetta 's contested work is impressive.
Hard running duo Sophie Van De Heuvel and Steph Cain look set to take their place on opposing wings, and as their ruck fleet develops Jorja Borg 's VFLW experience will see her take the number one role, likely with support offered by Jacqui Vogt .
Experienced duo Ellyse Gamble and Cat Phillips will lead the backline, and in their return to AFLW Bella Ayre and Danielle Marshall will also find a home in defence.
In the mix
VFLW fixtures Joanne Doonan , Federica Frew , Renee Tierney and young Caitlin Sargent are all very stiff to miss out in the forward line, due to nothing but the depth and experience on offer. Each will be pressing hard for a place in the side with Wuetschner’s place looking most vulnerable at this stage.
Ashleigh Van Loon will snap up any midfield opportunity that opens up, raw ruck Steph Wales may get a look in should coach Natalie Wood want more support for Borg, and the versatility of Mia Van Dyk offers some flexibility to cover players across all lines as needed.
Captains:
Bonnie Toogood and Steph Cain
Vice(s):
Jacqui Vogt and Georgia Nanscawen
2 Likes
I don’t believe you: Georgia has no vices.
Deputies? Assistants?
By essendonfc.com.au - 1 hr ago
Essendon Football Club is proud to announce Bonnie Toogood and Steph Cain have been named as inaugural co-captains of the AFL Women’s program.
It was revealed at the Bombers’ AFLW meeting on Tuesday evening that the pair will be supported by Jacqui Vogt and Georgia Nanscawen in a four-player leadership group.
An AFLW premiership player, Toogood played 37 games across her five seasons at the Western Bulldogs.
Captaining alongside Toogood is Cain, who moved to the NEC Hangar from Fremantle after 44 games.
Leadership group member Vogt will use her past experience as a professional soccer player for Melbourne Victory in the W-League as well as her 17 games at AFLW level for St Kilda.
Already a Premiership captain with Essendon’s VFLW side, Nanscawen will be influential from the sidelines after tearing her ACL in the VFLW Grand Final.
The 2021 Lambert-Pearce medallist has captained the club’s VFLW side for the past two years and has been a key pillar of the Bombers’ midfield.
Senior coach Natalie Wood said the experienced pair would complement one another with the strengths they bring to the leadership position.
“Both Steph and Bonnie are highly respected members of this group, so to have them supporting one another in the dual role will be beneficial for the entire program,” Wood said.
"Both players are ready to embrace this opportunity ahead. We are confident they will continue to set high standards across the playing group and lead by example.”
Toogood said she was extremely proud to be the inaugural co-captain alongside Cain in a historic year for the club.
“As a lifelong Bombers supporter, I am extremely proud to be named the inaugural co-captain of Essendon’s AFLW team,” Toogood said.
“We are building such a special culture here and I look forward to working with Natalie, Steph, the playing group and coaching staff to develop the foundations of a successful program.”
Cain, who moved from her home state of Western Australia to join Essendon, said she was honoured to lead the Bombers in their inaugural year.
“I feel extremely privileged to be named the first captain of Essendon’s AFLW side, alongside Bonnie,” Cain said.
“Since moving to Victoria, the Bombers have been extremely supportive of me and I can’t wait to lead this special group throughout first year in the competition.”
2 Likes
2 Likes
P.S. There is a video embedded in that captaincy article that they haven’t released on its own link yet. It only shows captains being announced, not the vices.
1 Like
Odd question, but do they sell AFLW jumpers for guys?
I said I’d buy one and I would. I have to get a #6 for Dani.
They’re not selling anything but AFLM jumpers, as far as I can see.
Our women have no vices
Coach is sneaky.
3 Likes
It’s a disgrace that Courtney Ugle hasn’t been given a contract
1 Like
Phone training:
Alexander Alexander Ayre Ayre Barba Alana Barton Alana Barton Borg Borg Borg Borg Busch Busch Busch Busch Cain Cain Cain Clarke Clarke Doonan Fede Frew EGamble EGamble EGamble EGamble (stupid name that is a non-capitalised word) GGee GGee GGee GGee DaniMarshall Morcs CatPhillips CatPhillips CatPhillips Prespakis (phone still remembers this one from last year) Radford Sargent Sargent PaigeScott PaigeScott PaigeScott PaigeScott Tierney Toogood SophieVDH SophieVDH SophieVDH SophieVDH MiaVanDyke MiaVanDyke MiaVanDyke vanLoon vanLoon vanLoon vanLoon (bloody Dutch people) Vogt Vogt Vogt Vogt Wales Wales Wales Wales LilyRoseWill LilyRoseWill LilyRoseWill LilyRoseWill Wuetschner Wuetschner Wuetschner Wuetschner Wuetschner Zanchetta AshleyCooper Nanscawen
(tags subject to change… but not LilyRoseWill, that’s awesome. And the phone has forgotten it already, WTF?!?)
LilyRoseWill LilyRoseWill LilyRoseWill LilyRoseWill LilyRoseWill LilyRoseWill nope broken FFS
Williamson Williamson Williamson Williamson Williamson Williamson BORING!
Phone training report incoming?
For the record, the leadership team was voted in, with each player nominating 5 others.
1 Like
I think the winner is chocolate (which I would agree).
A bottle of something. That is my bail out every time (as long as they drink).
Otherwise, money. The universal gift voucher.
if you’re interested, I just had a go at something similar for this season.
Players with 10+ shots at goal (top 30 by accuracy)
And Essendon players who have had a shot at goal
(edit - might be more relevant in the AFLW thread!)
2 Likes