Several Peel Thunderbirds youngsters will find themselves donning black and gold jumpers when they represent Western Australia in the coming months.
Eighteen of the club’s budding stars were named across the state’s under 15s, 16s and 18s women’s football teams in the last week, and are now gearing up to cross the boarder to help WA take on its rivals.
Thunderbirds league team gun Sabreena Duffy highlights the pack, after being named captain of the state 18s.
Her appointment as the team’s on-field leader comes on the back of a blistering start to the 2018 WA Women’s Football League season, in which she has helped Peel to hold second place on the ladder.
She also took out the WAWFL’s rising star award last season, and is preparing for her fourth appearance with the Black Swans’ under 18s.
Thunderbirds league coach Mark Fenton said it was a well-deserved honour for the young gun, who displays leadership beyond her years.
“[Sabreena] is very vocal on the field, and she doesn’t just lead by example,” he said.
“She’s a top-line player, but she’s also great at encouraging her teammates and making sure everyone is playing their role and feeling good in the team.
“There isn’t a more perfect fit for a captain.”
Duffy will be joined in the state 18s by Thunderbirds teammates Courtney Hodder, Sarah Verrier, Kate Bartlett, Sonia Dorizzi, Savannah Ahearn and Maddison Bedford.
Round one of the AFL Women’s under 18s National Championship Series will see the group take to Subiaco Oval for two games against Queensland, with the first being played on Saturday, June 2 before the second kicks off the following Monday.
They will then have a month to prepare for round two, which will see them gracing the turf at Queensland’s Metricon Stadium, home of the Gold Coast Suns.
Also sporting black and gold uniforms will be Peel’s under 16s participants Jacklyn Atkinson, Nel Baxter, Jaide Britton, Kaitlyn Hayes, Emma Innes, Bethlyn Pasco, Courtney Rowley, Abigail Thayer and Elizabeth Vernal.
Pasco, Rowley and Thayer were also chosen to the WA State School Girls under 15s team, alongside fellow Thunderbirds Elissa Cates and Gracie Fenton.
The 16s list will be pitted against one another in a scratch match at Subiaco Oval on June 2, before taking on the State School Girls 15s on June 4.
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
