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EUFA EURO 2024 - Group Stage ⚽ EPL 24/25 starts Aug 17
Former Collingwood VFLW Coach Chloe McMillan will continue a role with the Club as a full-time Development Coach for the AFL program.
The AFLW girls are still on their off-season break, and I'd assume VFLW would be training, but they tend to train at AIA. I saw one girl coming out from there this evening.It's all a bit quiet on the AFLW front for the Pies after Sam Wright's appointment.
Besides, clickbait like this.... Your club's best 21: Who's in, who's out, who's new
Does anyone have any solid gos at ground level? Personally I haven't seen any PIES AFLW or VFLW training at Vic Park and usually over a summer I'll see some.
Anyone?
Good to get some dates.
Last Season: 2nd (11-6)
Coach: Tom Cashin (1st season, replacing Chloe McMillan)
Fixture: SS (A), PM (A), Box (A), Car (H), Dar (A), Ess (H), Syd (A), Gee (A), WB (H), NM (H), SS (H), Cas (A), Dar (H*), Wil (H)
Plays Twice: Darebin, Southern Saints
VFL Double Headers: 5
Interstate Trips: 1
Summary: Last year’s runners up won’t be seen on home soil until they meet arch-rival Carlton in Round 4, with three challenging away games to kick things off, including the Grand Final rematch against Port Melbourne in Round 2. In fact, the Magpies play six of their first eight on the road, so will be wanting to get through that before they get their trade off with five of the last six at home. Their double-ups include 2022 Grand Finalist Southern Saints and 2023 wooden spooner Darebin, although the Magpies will play their Round 13 ‘home’ game against the Falcons at Genis Steel Oval. Meanwhile, there are only two “single-figure” fixtures – including the Port showdown.
Difficulty Score: 242 (ranked 8th)
FIRST NAME | SURNAME | DOB | HEIGHT | STATUS |
Jordi | Ivey | 10/29/1992 | 175 | VFLW primary list |
Sarah | Ingram | 2/14/2001 | 168 | VFLW primary list |
Erin | McKinnon | 12/15/1998 | 189 | VFLW primary list |
Meg | Ryan | 12/13/1995 | 180 | VFLW primary list |
Marnie | Jarvis | 1/10/2000 | 162 | VFLW primary list |
Kristen | Tyquin | 2/15/1989 | 175 | VFLW primary list |
Kaitlyn | Day | 12/24/1994 | 168 | VFLW primary list |
Akayla | Peterson | 10/02/1994 | 176 | VFLW primary list |
Rebecca | Grant | 3/18/1995 | 171 | VFLW primary list |
Jayde | Van Dyk | 3/28/1996 | 168 | VFLW primary list |
Hannah | Dyson | 1/04/1996 | 174 | VFLW primary list |
Alessia | Francese | 4/22/1998 | 170 | VFLW primary list |
Nikki | Watts | 3/22/2000 | 169 | VFLW primary list |
Hannah | Fosbrooke | 12/18/1998 | 168 | VFLW primary list |
Sachi | Degiacomi | 11/29/2000 | 169 | VFLW primary list |
Michaela | Molenberg | 11/06/2003 | 176 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Ava | Campbell | 7/29/2005 | 173 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Carly | Remmos | 8/16/2002 | 173 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Lilly | Pearce | 12/31/2002 | 186 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Charli | Granville | 2/15/2004 | 165 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Mel | Freeman | 11/27/2000 | 175 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Jade | Hillas | 9/30/2003 | 168 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Kasey | Lennox | 8/07/2003 | 177 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Jemma | Ramsdale | 5/07/2005 | 174 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Frances | Walsh | 9/14/2002 | 160 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Maya | Ellin | 6/08/2005 | 169 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Mikalee | Maroney | 11/14/2005 | 158 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Olivia | Smith | 12/02/2003 | 164 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Melissa | Maizels | 5/10/1993 | 177 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Grace | Osborne | 12/18/2004 | 156 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Jaide | Anthony | 11/20/2003 | 165 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Steph | Williams | 1/27/2002 | 171 | VFLW development list: Cat A |
Geez. Some list turnover, dont think I recognise any from previous years.
Collingwood VFLW list
FIRST NAME SURNAME DOB HEIGHT STATUS Jordi Ivey 10/29/1992 175 VFLW primary list Sarah Ingram 2/14/2001 168 VFLW primary list Erin McKinnon 12/15/1998 189 VFLW primary list Meg Ryan 12/13/1995 180 VFLW primary list Marnie Jarvis 1/10/2000 162 VFLW primary list Kristen Tyquin 2/15/1989 175 VFLW primary list Kaitlyn Day 12/24/1994 168 VFLW primary list Akayla Peterson 10/02/1994 176 VFLW primary list Rebecca Grant 3/18/1995 171 VFLW primary list Jayde Van Dyk 3/28/1996 168 VFLW primary list Hannah Dyson 1/04/1996 174 VFLW primary list Alessia Francese 4/22/1998 170 VFLW primary list Nikki Watts 3/22/2000 169 VFLW primary list Hannah Fosbrooke 12/18/1998 168 VFLW primary list Sachi Degiacomi 11/29/2000 169 VFLW primary list Michaela Molenberg 11/06/2003 176 VFLW development list: Cat A Ava Campbell 7/29/2005 173 VFLW development list: Cat A Carly Remmos 8/16/2002 173 VFLW development list: Cat A Lilly Pearce 12/31/2002 186 VFLW development list: Cat A Charli Granville 2/15/2004 165 VFLW development list: Cat A Mel Freeman 11/27/2000 175 VFLW development list: Cat A Jade Hillas 9/30/2003 168 VFLW development list: Cat A Kasey Lennox 8/07/2003 177 VFLW development list: Cat A Jemma Ramsdale 5/07/2005 174 VFLW development list: Cat A Frances Walsh 9/14/2002 160 VFLW development list: Cat A Maya Ellin 6/08/2005 169 VFLW development list: Cat A Mikalee Maroney 11/14/2005 158 VFLW development list: Cat A Olivia Smith 12/02/2003 164 VFLW development list: Cat A Melissa Maizels 5/10/1993 177 VFLW development list: Cat A Grace Osborne 12/18/2004 156 VFLW development list: Cat A Jaide Anthony 11/20/2003 165 VFLW development list: Cat A Steph Williams 1/27/2002 171 VFLW development list: Cat A
When Collingwood’s VFLW team takes to the field at Moorabbin on Friday night in the opening game of the 2024 season, only the side’s uniform and name will connect this group of players to the last incarnation of Magpies who played in the second-tier women’s league.
Collingwood lost to Port Melbourne by two goals in the 2023 grand final late last July, and not one of the 21 Magpies from that game have returned to the club this season.
Indeed just one player from Collingwood’s 2023 VFLW list – Marnie Jarvis – remains on the Pies’ books in 2024.
It is at face value a bizarre turn of events for a side that topped the ladder at the end of the home and away season, and has been among the strongest clubs in the VFLW era, winning the premiership in 2019 and being one of two sides left standing in the Covid-cruelled 2021 campaign.
What has happened at Collingwood is unique in part, but also emblematic of deeper issues about the purpose of the state league as AFLW heads towards full-time professionalism.
The genesis of the Magpie exodus can be drawn back to a post on the womensfootballvic Instagram page on November 2 last year.
The page, which has more than 5000 followers, posted a graphic with related text to report that Collingwood was in discussions with Williamstown around a “merger,” which would be similar to the alignment deal between Port Melbourne and Richmond in VFLW, as well as several arrangements both current and past in the VFL men’s competition.
The news sent a shockwave through Collingwood’s playing group, some of whom had been training as top-up players with the side’s AFLW squad.
Clarity was sought by VFLW players to the club’s hierarchy. Later on November 2, a statement was posted on behalf of Pies chief executive Craig Kelly, head of women’s football Jess Burger and the then football operations manager Clare Pettyfor in a player WhatsApp group.
The message confirmed that the club was exploring various models around the future of Collingwood’s involvement in the state league as part of broader reviews from the AFL and the club into the direction of the VFLW. The message committed to keep players informed of any updates.
Just three days later, on Sunday November 5, a message from Burger confirmed the internal review was complete, and following discussions with the AFL, Collingwood would retain its standalone structure for 2024, with emails around season timing and processes to follow in the coming days.
Despite the club’s efforts to smooth things over, it soon became clear that a significant proportion of the Magpies’ VFLW squad would depart the club.
Captain of three seasons Caitlin Bunker, a member of the 2019 premiership side, departed for the standalone Darebin Falcons, as did fellow leadership group members Katie Lee and Riley Christgoergl. Best and fairest Jess Bates returned to South Australia, best first-year player Eva Nikolitsas was one of a group who headed to the Southern Saints – St Kilda’s VFLW side – while others joined North Melbourne, Williamstown, Box Hill and the Western Bulldogs. Some left the league altogether. Only 24-year-old Jarvis, formerly of Carlton’s VFLW team, stayed.
Undoubtedly what has happened at Collingwood is an extreme example, but it’s understood the Magpies were not the only AFL club who discussed a VFLW alignment at the end of 2023.
With the AFLW season and pre-season expanding in recent years, as well as being switched to a Spring timeslot, the VFLW cannot serve an AFL reserves function to that of its men’s equivalent, which also begins this weekend.
Come AFLW season, the VFLW will be wrapped up, meaning non-selected players have needed to rely on scratch matches similar to those played in the Covid AFL men’s hubs.
Christgoergl, previously captain of the Bulldogs VFLW side, provided Code Sports with extracts of the email she sent to Collingwood officials after declining their offer to play in 2024.
“Firstly thank you for the offer for me to continue my football at Collingwood,” Christgoergl wrote.
“After a lot of thought and processing I have decided to not return to Collingwood for the 2024 season. I have been offered a paid contract elsewhere and will be accepting that opportunity. My season at Collingwood was a welcome step up. With access to elite facilities, amazing staff who supported and educated for the love of it and a playing group so incredibly unique in personalities and closeness. It was an absolute pleasure to represent the group and the club as a leader and an on-field player. I couldn't see myself leaving. Unfortunately with what has unfolded in the past couple of weeks, I feel like I have no choice.
“I cannot stand by a club once again who were so willing to dissolve their VFLW program. Western Bulldogs did this prior to the 2022 season and I stayed and completely regretted it. I have sympathy for AFL clubs who have to stretch minimal resources across two programs that don't line up and I agree with the league needing to amend this immediately. However there is a choice to keep players and staff in the dark, a choice to neither confirm or deny rumours of a merger and a choice to not acknowledge the impact this has had on both staff and players. This was the choice made by the club and the people above our program. I cannot put on a jumper and represent or lead at a club that treats people like that.”
The Magpies pointed to the lack of cohesion between AFLW and VFLW in a statement issued to this masthead ahead of the VFLW season.
“As per every AFLW season, Collingwood assessed all areas of the club’s women’s football programs and pathways,” the club said.
“Together with the AFL, the club explored a number of different models for the second-tier system due to the current misalignment of the AFLW and VFLW seasons. One of those models explored was an alignment with another VFLW club, similar to how other AFLW programs are set up across the state.
“Following this process, the club elected to continue with a standalone Collingwood VFLW program and it is important to note all players and program staff were kept updated and communicated with.
“The club will continue to invest in, develop and progress women’s football programs both on and off the field.”
The AFL declined to comment for this story other than to note that veteran football administrator Geoff Walsh was looking at VFLW as part of a wider review into competitive balance across the men’s and women’s games.
Christgoergl said she wanted her story to help bring attention to the VFLW’s plight.
“I’m sharing my experience in the hope that it will drive positive change in the AFLW and the AFLW aligned clubs to ensure that female sport continues to move forward and not backwards,” she said this week.
“I believe we need to shed more light on AFL clubs and the AFL on the minimal growth that the VFLW has had. This league is one below the AFLW and should be treated with that level of respect.
“A lot of attention and resources have gone into the AFLW league, as it should. However we need to walk the walk with women’s development in AFL across all levels to ensure we have consistent and upward growth in the women’s game.”
I had heard the rumours of a merger late last year. Would have been tough.
I still think the AFL has stuffed up the scheduling, VFLW and AFLW. The two levels should ideally play the same season, so that there is more interaction between the teams. Maybe it’s a cost thing for the club? Also - and I may be wrong - but the AFLW season seemed to attract more attention and support when it was played early in the year rather than later. When fans were keen to see some footy, rather than tiring of it, especially if your AFL team performed poorly.I don't get to any VFLW games, thanks to those that post bits of news.
The AFL says it wants to promote the Women's game but they are appalling with its promotion when the seniors aren't playing.
Hopefully when the seniors start training in June there will be a bit more.