The Peel Thunderbirds will watch the first ever round of the AFL Women’s competition this weekend with an enormous sense of pride.
Not only has their sport come of age in the form of a national league, but they will be cheering on ex-teammates set to debut for the Fremantle Dockers.
Tayla Bresland, Kira Phillips and Demi Okely were all recruited by the Dockers in the inaugural AFL Women’s draft in October and will don purple jerseys in season 2017.
Bresland and Okely look certain to debut in Fremantle’s round one clash against the Western Bulldogs in Melbourne, but Phillips’ status remains questionable as she continues her recovery from injury.
Peel Thunderbirds league coach Mark Fenton said the club was ecstatic to watch the start of the season.
“It’s fantastic to see how far the girls have gone with the sport – we can’t wait to watch them give it their all,” he said.
“They’ve worked so hard to get to where they are and they won’t be the last Thunderbirds to reach the AFL level.
“To see the start of the league brought forward from 2020 to 2017 shows a real demand for women’s sport and this one will be a weekend to remember.”
The Thunderbirds will also be cheering on Brisbane’s Sabrina Frederick-Traub and Greater Western Sydney’s Emma Swanson who spent time at the club.
Fremantle go into the AFL Women’s season as premiership favourites, ahead of the Bulldogs in second.
Player profiles found on the AFL Women’s website describe Bresland as a key defender with the ability to beat the country’s top forward, Okely as a running machine and Phillips as a key forward with untapped ability.
The game kicks off at 4.35pm WA time, and will be broadcast live on 7Mate.
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
