VFLW 2021 squad

Football Discussion Essendon VFLW
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EDIT: the list below is incomplete, and we’re shared numbers between different players during the year:

  • Isabel Currenti is at #12 (website list is incomplete). Has not played in 2021.
  • Simon Nalder is at #30 (website list is incomplete)
  • In round 9, Ruby Svarc came back from Bears AFLW and was given #41.
  • As of round 10, Yassir (named as #47) has not played but Zali Friswell has played two games in that number and Jemma Finning (originally #41) is set to play one this weekend.
  • In round 10, Lauren Ahrens came back from Gold Coast AFLW and was given #39.
NUMBER PLAYER DOB
1 Courtney Ugle July 22, 1996
2 Felicity Theodore March 14, 2001
3 Monique DeMatteo May 24, 1997
4 Mia-Rae Clifford September 10, 1986
5 Georgia Nanscawen May 27, 1992
6 Alex Quigley September 2, 1996
7 Jessie Davies June 27, 1996
8 Eloise Ashley-Cooper August 1, 2000
9 Marianna Anthony July 26, 1997
10 Eleanor Cornish January 12, 2000
11 Alana Barba September 26, 2001
13 Elizabeth Hosking May 30, 1995
15 Lauren Caruso November 19, 1999
17 Federica Frew June 14, 1996
18 Kendra Heil March 12, 1988
19 Nicole Julian April 19, 1992
20 Cecilia McIntosh June 21, 1979
21 Alex Morcom August 22, 1996
22 Natalie MacDonald December 11, 1998
24 Georgie Prespakis March 13, 2003
25 Lori Stepnell September 15, 1995
26 Taylor Moss November 12, 1993
27 Terira Fry November 13, 2001
28 Emma Mackay September 30, 1990
31 Eloise Gardner July 1, 1998
41 Jemma Finning March 19, 2002
42 Elizabeth Snell March 14, 2002
46 Gloria Elarmaly February 24, 2001
47 Emilia Yassir September 25, 2003

Captain: Georgia Nanscawen

Vice-captain: Courtney Ugle

Leadership group: Georgia Nanscawen (C), Courtney Ugle (VC), Kendra Heil, Mia-Rae Clifford, Eloise Ashley-Cooper

DEVELOPMENT LIST
NUMBER PLAYER DOB
40 Laura Cocomello November 8, 2002
16 Tamsin Crook October 3, 2002
TBC Tahlia Gillard December 12, 2003
44 Grace Dicker January 17, 2001
TBC Zali Friswell December 30, 2003
TBC Shelby Meyers February 24, 2002
TBC Kasey Lennox August 7, 2003
TBC Neve Crowley June 23, 2003
14 Thomay Nicolaou December 1, 1992
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So you can see that some of the stand-out 17yo Calder Cannon girls are simultaneously on our main list (i.e. Prespakis and Yassir). Hopefully that’s indicative we might be the priority straight away. Both of them are midfielders.

Note the rules, as previously posted, are that AFLW-aligned teams must play 5 under-22 players each week and non-aligned teams like us must play 3 under-22s. Note the distinction is by age, and not necessarily saying they must come from the development list.

We wouldn’t struggle to do that, at all (noting that Ashley-Cooper is already in the leadership group, and based on what I saw in 2019 Barba is auto-selected).

Thomay Nicolaou’s DOB appears to be real, but I’m not sure why a 28yo with plenty of footy history is on a development list!

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Notable omissions since 2019 are:

  • Kirby Hicks – 177cm key defender, formed a great combo with her initials buddy, Kendra Heil. Maybe those 13 broken arms and broken back eventually caught up with her.
  • Hayley Bullas – now at WCE AFLW. Was nominally our best midfielder at the start of last year but then missed the second half of the year with injury… and that didn’t stop us improving.
  • Maddy Collier – flanker also at WCE.
  • Molly Warburton – tough defender
  • Shae Audley – classic rover
  • Ruby Svarc – winger now at the Bears (amazing speed but rarely did enough damage with it in her 12 games with us)
  • Chloe Laan – beautifully hip-and-shouldered Mackrill
  • Stassi, Moreen, and Puruntatameri – please let us be able to bring some Tiwi girls down later in the year! We only got 14 games out of them collectively, but Moreen was on the fringe of ripping games apart as a tall forward and Stassi was regularly featured in the VFLW Plays of the Week as a forward pocket.
  • Georgia Patrikios – well, we only had her for four games, but there’s a reason she got drafted into the AFLW at #5.
  • Alex Anderson – ditto only four late games, after she finished her AFLW season with the Bears.
  • Krstel Petrevski – Mo22ie’s niece is now doing tricks at Melbourne AFLW. Only played 3 late games for us.
  • Lauren Ahrens – KPP/midfielder with a booming kick, yet another one on this list playing AFLW in QLD or WA.

Warburton played all 14 games; Hicks, Collier and Audley 13. They’re big holes to fill.

I didn’t include Maighan Fogas above as a big loss, despite her 13 games across HF and mid.

While that looks like a pretty terrifying set of outs to cover, there are obviously new players (one of which kicked a team record five goal haul last week vs Darebin) and some returning players who only featured partially in 2019 who definitely have the potential to significantly improve our season:

  • Alana Barba (3 late games on the HBF displaying serious class; if she could move into the midfield I think she could do a lot of damage)
  • Alex Quigley (missed the first half of the season; reliable goal kicker)
  • Monique DeMatteooooooooooooo (similar role as Quigley, only played 7 of 14)
  • Courtney Ugle (ex-captain, injured the last six weeks)
  • Federica Frew (came in for the second half of the season, midfielder)

Not sure if the rules remain as they were in 2019, but there is also the possibility we get some AFLW players added mid-season (maybe some of the ones who are listed as gone above). However, the increased overlap of the two leagues this year might reduce the number of players who do that. You’d want travelling interstate to be normalised by then, too.

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Thanks @theDJR great write up.

Yes, we have some massive changes but I think we are on the way up and our new C and VC will set the tone and lead by example. Good season ahead.

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!!!

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And she came third in the league best-and-fairest last year!!!

I’ve said this before, but this arguably just shows how clueless/biased the umpires are, given she came ninth in the team B&F…

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No Steph Hird as a development player,i was hoping she kicked on.

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Fossil

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I think we need to drop some C-Bombs on the disrespectful people here.

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Improved list from the other thread:

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I’m not expecting the team to be named tonight (SportsTG aren’t even acknowledging there’s a Round 3 yet), so I thought I’d report how our Calder Cannon-listed players are doing in the NAB Girls league so far.

Spoiler: very well.

Round 1, Calder beat Sandy 6.4.40-3.6.24

Goal Kickers: S. Meyers, T. Read, M. McLeod, A. McDonald, T. Gillard
Best Players: T. Gillard, G. Prespakis, E. Nickolaus, E. Yassir, L. Bateman, I. Rowland

Gillard is the 190cm 17yo. Can’t find much on ex-Doutta Star Shelby. Prespakis and Yassir are gun mids.

Those who are paying attention will realise the SportsTG site doesn’t do enough quality control (we kicked 6 goals, but only 5 are listed above). I can see elsewhere it wasn’t one of ours that kicked the sixth goal.

Round 2, Calder lost to Oakleigh 4.4.28-6.8.44

Goal Kickers: Z. Friswell, O. Manfre
Best Players: E. Yassir, G. Prespakis, O. Manfre, T. Gillard, Z. Friswell, K. Lennox

Friswell is another midfielder.

Lennox is a tall (at least 174cm) defender who takes the kick-outs. More on her at:

Round 3, Calder beat Bendigo 4.5.29-2.3.15

Goal Kickers: O. Manfre, C. Clayton , G. Prespakis, P. Poultney
Best Players: G. Prespakis, Z. Friswell, E. Nickolaus, I. Rowland , A. McDonald, M. Styles

Round 4, Calder beat Northern 4.5.29-3.2.20

Goal Kickers: A. Magri 3, H. Cashmore
Best Players: Z. Friswell, T. Gillard, A. McDonald, M. McLeod, G. Prespakis, R. Smith

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NAB Girls Team of the Week wins:

  • Round 1: Yassir centre, Gillard CHF, Prespakis bench.
  • Round 2: Prespakis wing, Gillard bench.
  • Round 3: Prespakis centre, Yassir bench.
  • Round 4: Prespakis HFF, Friswell bench.
  • As of the end of round 4, Prespakis was second in the league B&F, having scored 16 of a possible 20 votes. The other three Cannons with votes are all on our list: Yassir (7), Gillard (6), and Friswell (2).

Some commentary on players this year:

  • Prespakis: "Proved she can continue to put out really high quality performances even when being tagged, still being a dangerous stoppage player throughout the night. Her composure with ball in hand really did look a class above, especially in the early stages of the game, where she just took that extra half second to fully balance herself before a kick or see a teammate a little further out to handball to. Her confidence in taking opponents on was again a highlight, stepping around oncoming tacklers with ease and then delivering well to a teammate.”
  • Gillard: "After missing the game against the Pioneers she was thrown straight back into the Number 1 Ruck duties, looking comfortable throughout and leading the hitouts for the night. It’s a cliche in footy but having a ruck height player that plays as another midfielder is a luxury for any team, and Gillard is the perfect example of that, with cleanliness below her knees and good agility, her follow up work from her taps is elite. Her read of the play makes her a really good loose player down the line, who can then utilise her kick to set up teammates going forward.”
  • Yassir: "Her work rate was a real highlight throughout the game, would regularly be seen involved in the backline and then get the ball near the forward line a minute or so later. Particularly impressed with her marking overhead around the ground as well, even under immediate pressure, she would just back herself to hold it even against a spoiler. Had her regular zip about the ground.”
  • Friswell: "A workhorse throughout the day, she is another one that positioned herself well behind the ball and took some good grabs that turned into quick and damaging transition plays. Showed off her speed when chasing players and looking to win the ball, where her skills with it were more often than not very good. She even got herself an impressive run from the defensive 50 mark to the other end of the centre square, taking three bounces along the way.”
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Old article on Alana Barba:

Article on Jemma Finning:

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P.S. Happy birthday to Felicity Theodore (20) and Elizabeth Snell (19). It’s the second dual birthday for the year.

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Prespakis has been named in the centre for NAB League’s week 6 Team of the Week. She had 29 disposals, was named BOG, and is now leading the League B&F with 21 votes from a potential 25.

Just abandon the Calder Cannons already, please!

(By my calculation, the under-age CC players on our list might only become available four games before the VFLW finals: the interstate championships use up four weeks mid-season, and Calder are currently on track to play finals.)

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GIPPSLAND POWER 0.2 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 (14)
CALDER CANNONS 2.0 | 4.5 | 5.8 | 7.13 (55)

By: Declan Reeve

A dominant Calder Cannons put away Gippsland Power by 41 points on Sunday, in a game where inaccuracy from the Cannons saw them almost double their goals kicked in behinds. Despite the scoreline, the Power battled hard and were unfortunate not get on the scoreboard more with the Cannons’ defence switched on all day despite it not being down there too often.

It is no surprise that superstar Georgie Prespakis was a big contributor for the day, leading all comers for disposals, and being assisted well by the likes of Olivia Manfre, Reese Sutton and Emelia Yassir , with Neve Crowley being moved forward and leading the game for goals with three.

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Cannons lose 35-42 under lights in round 6 to Eastern Ranges.

Our Gillard, Prespakis, and Yassir all kicked a goal.

Bests: Prespakis, Friswell, McDonald, Gillard, Yassir, Bateman

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Photos from the belated jumper presentation are up. Unfortunately it is not a complete set of photos as they did in 2019 (was very useful to learn who’s who and still useful, click here!).

What they do reveal is that Isabel Currenti, last seen in some pre-season training shots, is still around (albeit demoted to #12).

Not clear if she is recently added, or like Simone Nalder, they just couldn’t be stuffed including her in the squad list on the website.

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Good to see Simon Madden making his long arms useful in the video below:

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23 posts were split to a new topic: Calder Cannons v Western Jets - a look at some EFC VFLW-listed players