The Australian football community is abuzz with excitement as the 2023 AFL Academy Girls squad prepares to represent the nation in an epic clash against the Under 23 All-Stars team. The event is slated to take place at the famed Marvel Stadium on Sunday, June 18, providing a thrilling prelude to the Round 14 AFL match between North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.
With the opening kick-off set for 1:45pm AEST, spectators will be treated to a display of young talent before the main AFL game gets underway at 4:40pm.
The Academy Girls team is a veritable who’s who of the country’s most promising draft-age footballers. These rising stars, all 17 years of age as of January 1, 2023, will be eligible for selection in the next AFLW Draft following the 2023 AFLW season.
Among these promising talents are standouts such as Glenelg’s Piper Window, the recent recipient of the SANFLW Best and Fairest award, and Shineah Goody of Woodville-West Torrens, who earned the MVP title at the 2022 AFL National Championships – U18 Girls.
The AFL Academy Girls program aims to provide these young athletes with the training and experience they need to make the leap into elite football. The team is set to participate in the final camp of the 2023 program in Melbourne next week, culminating in the much-anticipated match against the Under 23 All-Stars.
The All-Stars team will feature players from Victoria, Northern Territory, and Tasmania, handpicked by all 18 AFLW clubs. These talented young women have been turning heads this year in the Coates Talent League and rebel VFLW. The All-Stars coaching panel is an impressive lineup of current and former AFLW players, led by head coach Tanya Hetherington, assistant coach of the Sydney Swans AFLW team.
As Tarkyn Lockyer, AFL National Academy Manager, expresses it: “The match is a significant opportunity for these future stars to showcase their talents and represent their country, and also for the All-Stars to shine on the state league level.”
Fans can catch the match live and free on the AFL website, bringing this display of future AFLW talent directly to screens nationwide. Join in and watch the future of women’s Australian football unfold!
