157-588: AFLW VWFL/VFLW Daisy Pearce (born 27 May 1988) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW) and is the current AFLW senior coach of the West Coast Eagles . Often regarded as the face of women's Australian rules football , Pearce served as Melbourne captain from the competition's inaugural season in 2017 until her retirement at
314-606: A dominion , leagues were also established in the major cities. This renewed popularity helped encourage the formation of the Australasian Football Council , which in 1908 in Melbourne staged the first national interstate competition, the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival , with teams representing each state and New Zealand. The game was also established early on in the new territories. In
471-441: A 17-point win over Collingwood in one of weeks 4's matches, marking the first time the club won consecutive AFLW matches and the first time it won three matches in a season, after only four matches. Pearce coached West Coast to a 45-point loss to reigning premier Brisbane in the other week 4 match, followed by a 24-point win over Greater Western Sydney in week 5, in which the club recorded its highest AFLW score of 10.4 (64) to place in
628-533: A 56-point loss to Fremantle in a pre-season match simulation and a 32-point loss to St Kilda in a practice match. In week 1, in her first official match as an AFLW coach, Pearce coached West Coast to a one-point win over Richmond, followed by a 16-point loss to Essendon in week 2. She coached West Coast to an eleven-point win over the Western Bulldogs in week 3, overseeing West Coast's best start to an AFLW season with two wins from its first three matches, followed by
785-517: A century. State of Origin rules, introduced in 1977, stipulated that rather than representing the state of their adopted club, players would return to play for the state they were first recruited in. This instantly broke Victoria's stranglehold over state titles and Western Australia and South Australia began to win more of their games against Victoria. Both New South Wales and Tasmania scored surprise victories at home against Victoria in 1990. The term " Barassi Line ", named after VFL star Ron Barassi ,
942-597: A club statement. The appointment made Pearce the third former AFLW player to become a senior coach, following Lauren Arnell and Lisa Webb , and was later named at no. 1 on afl.com.au ' s list of the ten biggest stories of the 2023 AFL Women's season. Pearce first coached West Coast in two unofficial practice matches during the off-season, a two-point win over Gold Coast in April and a 14-point loss to Fremantle in May, followed in August by
1099-483: A corked calf in the opening round, and had sat out training for the entire week leading into round 2. At the end of the season, Pearce was named captain of the 2017 AFL Women's All-Australian team. She won the inaugural Melbourne best and fairest award and AFLPA AFLW best captain award, and was one of three Melbourne players nominated by her teammates for the AFLPA AFLW most valuable player award. She averaged 21.9 disposals,
1256-673: A director on the board of the AFLPA; the association had decided that day to include AFLW players as full members. In September 2018, the VFL Women's best and fairest award was named the Lambert–Pearce Medal to honour Pearce and VWFL founding committee member and former president Helen Lambert. Pearce won the inaugural award in 2016 after winning six Helen Lambert Medals in the VWFL. In December 2023, Melbourne named its AFL Women's best and fairest award
1413-448: A few steps back". Pearce believed that this applied to coaching, saying that while she supported women coaching in football, she wanted "the best coach that's out there" to coach her, describing Stinear as "the best coach for the job" at Melbourne. One of several high-profile players to speak out during the AFLW's 2020–2022 collective bargaining agreement negotiations in 2019, Pearce supported
1570-419: A game for either medical or tactical reasons. Players on the playing surface can be swapped with those on the interchange bench at any time. They must though pass through a designated "Interchange Area". In the event a player fails to pass through this area correctly, or if too many players from one team are found to be on the ground at a time, a free kick will be awarded to the opposing side. While there
1727-532: A goal and receiving praise from coach Jane Lange for her leadership and commitment as Darebin won its fifth consecutive state league premiership and tenth in twelve seasons. In May 2013, the Australian Football League (AFL) announced that a women's exhibition game would be held for the first time during its annual Women's Round, involving AFL clubs Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs . Fifty of
SECTION 10
#17328527993331884-459: A goal from 11 disposals and six marks. Pearce kicked the winning goal in Melbourne's preliminary final win over North Melbourne to help the club progress to the 2022 AFL Women's season 7 Grand Final , its second consecutive grand final appearance. She played in Melbourne's premiership win over Brisbane the following week, one of five inaugural Melbourne players (the others being Sarah Lampard , Lily Mithen , Karen Paxman and Lauren Pearce ; Stinear
2041-399: A mark is taken, a small protected zone is established on the field, extending 10 metres (11 yd) either side of "the mark" and the player who marked the ball, with a small protected corridor between "the mark" and the player. The opposition player is permitted to jump, but is not allowed to move from their position on "the mark". Any other movements result in a distance penalty (50 metres in
2198-415: A midfielder, having achieved most of her recognition playing in that position; her average of 21.9 disposals per game in 2017 was the highest of any player. Upon her return to football in 2020 after the birth of her twins, Pearce began playing solely as a defender before shifting to playing primarily as a forward from midway through the 2021 season; the five goals that she kicked in round 9 of season 6 were
2355-486: A minimum". Pearce was among Melbourne's best players in its win over North Melbourne in round 2 with two goals. In the lead-up to her 50th AFLW game, Pearce said that while she would "love" an AFLW premiership, "It's less about ticking that box and having a premiership than it is about love for the game [...] I think I'll walk away still really fulfilled and feeling like the game has given me so much". She played her 50th game in Melbourne's win over Gold Coast in round 8, kicking
2512-585: A person or as a captain. In 2016, Pearce was named Football Woman of the Year for her work as the AFL's female football ambassador, an AFL talent coordinator and a graduate intern at the Melbourne Football Club. In February 2017, Melbourne unveiled its new AFLW mascot, a costumed human depicting a "young female footy player", named Daisy in honour of Pearce. On 7 March 2017, Pearce became the first woman to be elected as
2669-457: A player and now a young coach, you learn from the coaches you’ve had and he was probably the man I learnt the most from in my time in playing". Former St Kilda player Jarrod Lienert who played under Ratten in Ratten's tenure as senior coach of St Kilda praised Ratten stating “My personal experience with him, I thought he was great, and he had a really good relationship with the players and he’s such
2826-430: A player breaks a rule, a free kick is awarded to the opposing team, from the location that the misconduct occurred, or the ball's current location—whichever is closer to the team's scoring zone. As when a mark is taken, this location is called "the mark", and the same protections regarding the space apply. Brett Ratten Brett Ratten (born 11 July 1971) is an Australian rules football coach and former player in
2983-529: A possible six votes from the two matches. In February 2016, the AFL announced a ten-match national exhibition series to be played throughout the year, in which Melbourne played two games against the Western Bulldogs in March and September, as well as a match against a Brisbane Lions women's team at the MCG in May. Pearce was best afield with 33 disposals and eleven marks in the first match, which Melbourne lost by 20 points, and
3140-555: A proposed hybrid code of Australian football and rugby league , the predominant code of football in New South Wales and Queensland, was trialled without success. In Queensland, the state league went into recess for the duration of the war. VFL club University left the league and went into recess due to severe casualties. The WAFL lost two clubs and the SANFL was suspended for one year in 1916 due to heavy club losses. The Anzac Day match ,
3297-855: A pupil at Rugby School in England, and returned to his homeland a star athlete and cricketer. Two weeks later, Wills' friend, cricketer Jerry Bryant , posted an advertisement for a scratch match at the Richmond Paddock adjoining the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This was the first of several "kickabouts" held that year involving members of the Melbourne Cricket Club , including Wills, Bryant, W. J. Hammersley and J. B. Thompson . Trees were used as goalposts and play typically lasted an entire afternoon. Without an agreed-upon code of laws, some players were guided by rules they had learned in
SECTION 20
#17328527993333454-502: A second-tier status. The VFA merged with the former VFL reserves competition in 1998, adopting the VFL name. State of Origin also declined in importance, especially after an increasing number of player withdrawals. The AFL turned its focus to the annual International Rules Series against Ireland in 1998 before abolishing State of Origin the following year. State and territorial leagues still contest interstate matches, as do AFL Women players. In
3611-460: A select few ways as defined by the Laws of Australian Football, published by the AFL. The ball can be propelled in any direction by way of a kick or a clenched fist (called a handball )—deemed a correct disposal. Failure to dispose of the ball in one of these two methods will result in a free kick to the opposing team. If the ball is not currently in a player's possession, it can be moved legally through
3768-603: A similar situation existing in Western Australia in the sport, the VFL pursued a more national competition. Two more non-Victorian clubs, West Coast and Brisbane , joined the league in 1987 generating more than $ 8 million in license revenue for the Victorian clubs and increasing broadcast revenues which helped the Victorian clubs survive. In their early years, the Sydney and Brisbane clubs struggled both on and off-field because
3925-498: A slightly modified version of the Victorian game in 1879. The South Australian Football Association (SAFA), the sport's first governing body , formed on 30 April 1877, firmly establishing Victorian rules as the preferred code in that colony. The Victorian Football Association (VFA) formed the following month. Clubs began touring the colonies in the late 1870s, and in 1879 the first intercolonial match took place in Melbourne between Victoria and South Australia . To standardise
4082-406: A technique known shepherding when the ball is within 5 metres (5.5 yd) of an opposition player. Shepherding involves the use of a player's body to push, bump or otherwise block an opposition player, providing they do not have possession of the ball. If a player takes possession of the ball that has travelled more than 15 metres (16 yd) from another player's kick, by way of a catch within
4239-592: A teenager, but was disallowed, which played a part in her decision to move to Eltham. At high school, she took up netball , tennis and volleyball, making a national youth squad for the latter, before eventually picking up football again. Pearce began playing with Darebin in the premier division of the Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL) in 2005 at the age of 16, winning the Lisa Hardeman Medal in her first season and going on to play roughly 200 games with
4396-563: A tie with Scott Camporeale in 2000. Ratten was a part of Carlton's premiership team in 1995. He played for Victoria in the State of Origin games in 1996 and 1997. He was awarded All-Australian selection in 1997, 2000 and 2001, firmly cementing his skill in the centre. Ratten was inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2009, statistical analysis company Champion Data announced that Ratten averaged 126.1 ranking points per game during
4553-496: A top-two finish at the end of the home-and-away season. Pearce played in Melbourne's preliminary final win over Brisbane in the first AFLW match played at the MCG to help the club progress to the 2022 AFL Women's season 6 Grand Final , its first grand final appearance. She was named in Champion Data's 2022 AFLW All-Star stats team after leading the competition for score involvements with 1.5 per game and kicking 13 goals in ten games,
4710-427: A uniform code known as "Victorian rules". In 1866, the "first distinctively Victorian rule", the running bounce , was formalised at a meeting of club delegates chaired by H. C. A. Harrison , an influential pioneer who took up football in 1859 at the invitation of Wills, his cousin. The game around this time was defensive and low-scoring, played low to the ground in congested rugby-style scrimmages. The typical match
4867-573: A way that has totally changed the landscape for young women. [Pearce's] knowledge is excellent. God, she is well prepared [...] she has a presence. You can feel it. She has that lovely balance of being engaging, warm and charismatic, but at the same time she is humble and keen to listen and improve. I don't think I've ever had a better captain than Daisy at any level of football. Everyone I talk to, including friends from other teams, always comment on how amazing it must be to be captained by Daisy. Everyone respects her and she always delivers no matter what, as
Daisy Pearce - Misplaced Pages Continue
5024-445: A youth not-for-profit organisation established by former Melbourne player and president Jim Stynes . * denotes rookie listed players Australian rules football Australian rules football , also called Australian football or Aussie rules , or more simply football or footy , is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field , often a modified cricket ground . Points are scored by kicking
5181-419: Is a bit difficult at times". The Brisbane Lions later put the same ban on Pearce, with senior coach Chris Fagan saying that it was a hard decision and either choice was acceptable. In December 2023, Pearce was announced as West Coast 's new AFLW senior coach on a three-year contract, replacing Michael Prior , with the club describing the appointment as "one of the biggest recruiting coups of [its] history" in
5338-709: Is a four-time AFLPA AFLW best captain and three-time Melbourne best and fairest winner, with the latter named in her honour in 2023. The VFL Women's best and fairest award , of which Pearce was the inaugural recipient in 2016, was also named partly in her honour in 2018. Following her playing retirement, Pearce transitioned into coaching. She was as a development coach with the Geelong Football Club 's Australian Football League (AFL) team in 2023, and has served as West Coast's AFLW senior coach since 2024. Outside her playing and coaching career, Pearce became an established media personality in both television and radio. She
5495-746: Is an expert commentator for the Seven Network and 1116 SEN 's AFL coverage; she appeared on the Seven Network program AFL Game Day as a rotating panel member from 2016 until the show's cancellation in 2020 and hosted her own podcast on SEN, This Is Grit , in 2019. Daisy Pearce was born on 27 May 1988 in Bright, Victoria , to parents Daryl and Dee. She has two brothers, Will and Harry; two younger half-siblings, Ruby and Ali, through her mother; and an older half-brother, Aaron, through her father. Her parents separated in 1995 and her mother and brothers relocated to
5652-405: Is analogous to a basketball center and as such rucks are typically the tallest player on the team. Lifting teammates is not allowed so the ruck may only jump to reach the ball. If the ruck does not take possession of the football, it must must be tapped or fisted, which is known as a hit-out. An effective hit-out that passes the ball to a teammate is known as a hit-out to advantage. In the event
5809-404: Is incredible and she leaves viewers with a better appreciation of the game". Pearce was shifted to Seven's Friday night commentary team for the 2022 season, before moving to Thursday nights in 2023 upon commencing her coaching role with Geelong's AFL team. Pearce has advocated for both men and women to commentate and talk about women's football in the media. After Tiffany Cherry spoke out against
5966-455: Is known as the Goal Line. Around the perimeter of the field, two white lines are drawn between the set of behind posts in an arc-shape, marking the field of play. Other field markings include: The 50m arcs, centre square, centre circle and goal square are used at the beginning of each quarter or after each goal. With each team permitted a maximum of six players in each 50m arc, with one in
6123-470: Is no set uniform, the basic equipment for Australian football consists of a guernsey, shorts, socks and boots, with additional pieces of apparel such as headbands and gloves additionally being permitted. Players may wear certain pieces of protective equipment, such as helmets or arm guards, if approved by the relevant controlling body. Mouthguards are strongly recommended for all players. Players are not permitted to wear jewellery, or other materials which
6280-493: Is officiated by at least five match officials, known as an umpire . These match officials are placed into three categories based upon their roles and responsibilities, with varying minimum numbers of Umpires required depending on position: At AFL level, a video score review system is utilised. Only umpires are permitted to request a review, and only scoring shots and potential scoring shots are permitted to be reviewed. An Australian rules football may only be propelled forward in
6437-482: Is paid. Players can tackle using their hands or use their whole body to obstruct opponents. Dangerous physical contact (such as pushing an opponent in the back ), interference when marking, and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks, distance penalties , or suspension for a certain number of matches depending on the severity of the infringement. The game features frequent physical contests, spectacular marking , fast movement of both players and
Daisy Pearce - Misplaced Pages Continue
6594-783: Is used. The ball must be inflated to a pressure of 69 kilopascals (10.0 pounds per square inch). There are no defined laws regarding what material a ball must be made from, but standard AFL match-used balls are produced by Sherrin using cowhide leather. While there is no standard colour of the ball, red and yellow are most common and the only colours used at AFL level. Yellow is used for games beginning after 3 pm or in an enclosed stadium, due to its greater visibility, and to assist score reviews. Unlike other forms of football which are played on rectangular fields, Australian rules football playing fields are oval-shaped, and are between 135 and 185 metres (148 and 202 yd) long and 110 and 155 metres (120 and 170 yd) wide. At either end of
6751-461: The 2006 Ladies' International Rules Series which, as of 2016, remains the only women's series to have taken place. In June 2007, at the age of 19, she was one of two VWFL representatives, alongside Shannon McFerran , named to play in the E. J. Whitten Legends Game ; Pearce was named in the Victorian team while McFerran was named for the All Stars, marking the first time female players were included in
6908-428: The 2009 AFL finals series . His contract was extended until the end of 2011 as a result of this improved performance. Late in the 2010 season , Ratten came under scrutiny as senior coach when Carlton had several big losses, but the club nevertheless reached the finals again, finishing eighth. Ratten began coaching from the boundary line rather than the coaches' box during the season. Carlton were however eliminated by
7065-475: The Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's only fully professional competition, is the nation's wealthiest sporting body. The AFL Grand Final , held annually at the Melbourne Cricket Ground , is the second-highest-attended club championship event in the world . The sport is also played at amateur level in many countries and in several variations . Its rules are governed by the AFL Commission with
7222-487: The Australian Football League (AFL). He played 255 games for the Carlton Football Club between 1990 and 2003, including the club's 1995 premiership. He then served as Carlton's senior coach from 2007 to 2012. After a seven-year stint as an assistant coach with Hawthorn and St Kilda , in 2019 he was appointed as St Kilda's senior coach, a role he held until his sacking at the end of the 2022 AFL season . Ratten
7379-594: The Daisy Pearce Trophy to honour Pearce, a three-time recipient of the award, and by August 2024, the club had named its academy for its first- to third-year AFLW players the Daisy Pearce Academy. Pearce studied a Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery at La Trobe University , graduating in 2010 and receiving a Distinguished Alumni award in 2019. She worked as a midwife at Box Hill Hospital and lived in Eltham at
7536-674: The Melbourne suburb of Eltham while Daisy remained with her father in Wandiligong , near Bright in the Alpine Shire area, where she attended Bright P-12 College . When Pearce was a teenager, she returned to live with her mother and the rest of the family, and attended Eltham High School . As a child, Pearce supported the Carlton Football Club , and one of her favourite players was Carlton premiership player and former captain Brett Ratten . She
7693-536: The Melbourne Football Club under senior coach Neale Daniher for the 2004 AFL season , before leaving to take a head coaching role at the Norwood Football Club in the Eastern Football League 's second division for two seasons. Ratten returned to the Carlton Football Club as an assistant coach under senior coach Denis Pagan for the 2007 AFL season . On 24 July 2007, Pagan was sacked during
7850-701: The Nine Network in February 2018 for failing to stand up for gender equality after being replaced by Clint Stanaway as host of the Nine program Women's Footy , Pearce said, "I enjoy seeing men working across and well-informed football commentators talking about [women's football]... why can't we see men working across the AFL Women's competition?" She said that if there was a belief that only women should call AFLW games and only men should call AFL games, "It's almost as if we are taking
8007-401: The Seven Network , she was refused entry into Richmond 's change rooms following its round 1 draw against Carlton due to her coaching position, a decision which Richmond senior club advisor Neil Balme later clarified was a sign of respect for Pearce's intelligence: "I know I'd trust her to the point that (gathering intelligence is) not what she is there for [...] but to be able to do both jobs
SECTION 50
#17328527993338164-466: The Sydney Swans in the elimination final in the 2010 finals series . In the 2011 season , he took the team to fifth and an elimination final victory against Essendon, the club's first finals win for 10 years. However, Carlton were eliminated by the West Coast Eagles in the semi-finals in the 2011 finals series . There had been speculation that renewal of Ratten's contract beyond 2011 was contingent on
8321-407: The field umpire has deemed to be either potentially dangerous or increase the risk of injury to other players. Australian rules football is played with an ellipsoid ball, between 72 and 73 cm (28 and 29 in) in long circumference, and 54.5 and 55.5 cm (21.5 and 21.9 in) in short circumference. For women's competitions, a smaller ball size of 69 and 53 cm (27 and 21 in)
8478-429: The inaugural national women's draft in 2013 for the first women's exhibition game. Pearce was a marquee signing for Melbourne's AFL Women's team leading into the competition's first season in 2017. At AFLW level, Pearce is a three-time AFL Women's All-Australian (including as captain of the 2017 team and vice-captain of the 2018 team ) and captained Melbourne to its first AFL Women's premiership in season 7. She
8635-530: The medial collateral ligament (MCL) in her right knee in the opening two minutes of Melbourne's close win over Brisbane the following week after her leg was caught underneath her in a tackle, which ruled her out of Melbourne's qualifying final win against Fremantle and preliminary final loss to Adelaide. Following the preliminary final, Pearce placed second in that year's AFLPA AFLW best captain award behind Western Bulldogs captain Ellie Blackburn ; she revealed
8792-438: The oval ball between the central goal posts (worth six points), or between a central and outer post (worth one point, otherwise known as a "behind"). During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field and use any part of their bodies to move the ball. The primary methods are kicking , handballing and running with the ball. There are rules on how the ball can be handled; for example, players running with
8949-419: The 2000–2009 decade, the highest of any player in the league. During his time in football, he had eight arthroscopes on his right knee, three arthroscopes on his left knee and a medial ligament. His shoulder was also badly damaged in 2003, which ultimately led to Ratten announcing his retirement from his playing career in the middle of the 2003 season. After Craig Bradley chose to step-down as captain at
9106-596: The 2010s, the AFL signalled further attempts at expanding into markets outside Australian football's traditional heartlands by hosting home-and-away matches in New Zealand, followed by China. After several failed bids since the early 1990s for a Tasmania-based AFL team, the Tasmania Football Club secured the 19th AFL license in 2023, and is set to compete by 2028. In a standard match, a team may consist of anywhere between 14 and 18 players who may be permitted on
9263-570: The 2011 championships. In March 2016, the VFL Women's (VFLW) was launched and Darebin was named among ten teams from the VWFL to participate in Victoria's new state league competition. Pearce won the inaugural VFL Women's best and fairest award and played in the first VFLW premiership in 2016 as Darebin defeated Melbourne University. She played in Darebin's grand final win over Diamond Creek in 2017, kicking
9420-546: The 2013 grand final and 30 points in the 2014 grand final; Pearce was best afield in the latter. She featured in Darebin's third consecutive grand final win over Diamond Creek in 2015. During her career in the VWFL, Pearce won the Darebin best and fairest award five times and the Helen Lambert Medal as the VWFL's best and fairest player six times. Pearce was a member of the Australian team that played against Ireland in
9577-503: The 2019 season; she was retained as an inactive player, and Elise O'Dea and Shelley Scott were eventually announced as co-captains in her place. Pearce continued to mentor and work with Melbourne players in an unofficial assistant coach role when they returned for pre-season training in November 2018, and gave birth to twins in February 2019. By April, she was back to her playing weight, and later that month, she re-signed with Melbourne for
SECTION 60
#17328527993339734-450: The 2020 season. In July 2019, Pearce returned to the club to train three days a week as part of what she called her "pre-pre-pre-season" for 2020, adding that she was surprised by how her body had responded after her twins' birth, and resumed training with her Melbourne teammates three weeks later. In August, Pearce was announced as an assistant coach to Dermott Brereton for the Victorian team in that year's E.J. Whitten Legends Game. Pearce
9891-525: The AFL Players Association and the AFL's deal to gradually extend the length of AFLW seasons over the three-year period and played down talks of a crisis developing after a group of players considered splitting from the AFLPA to create their own players union. She believed that broader talks between the AFLPA and AFLW players, which would allow more players to speak directly to the AFLPA, would result in an agreement that would satisfy all players. "[If]
10048-437: The AFL Players Association tell us that moving forward 'we're going to improve communications [...] because we've acknowledged there's some challenges with communicating with part-time girls', I trust that they'll do that". Pearce is often regarded by media as the face of women's Australian rules football and is highly regarded across the football industry for her professionalism, football knowledge and leadership, both on and off
10205-461: The AFL). The player who was awarded the mark may then choose to either dispose of the ball over "the mark" or may choose to attempt disposal via a different method, in which case the field umpire will call "play on"—a verbal instruction to continue play. "Play on" may also be called if the umpire deems the player awarded the mark to be taking an unreasonable amount of time to dispose of the football. Once
10362-432: The AFLW era" and "the face of a social movement as well as a sport". Daisy's just the complete package and by playing at Darebin with her, I see how hard she works off the field [...] I couldn't think of a better partner in crime to start that (AFL Women's journey) with. [Pearce] has been a generational player and a generational leader. Talk about a story of breaking glass ceilings [...] she has just done it by being good in
10519-421: The AFLW using 17 minutes per quarter. For any given match, two timekeepers are appointed to officiate the duration. The timekeepers record all relevant statistics for the match, such as total quarter duration and score by each team. Additionally timekeepers are required to sound a siren prior to and at the conclusion of each quarter until such time they are acknowledged by the field umpires. To stop and recommence
10676-624: The ANFC, and later the Australian Football Championships (AFC) ran a night series , which invited clubs and representative sides from around the country to participate in a knock-out tournament parallel to the premiership seasons, which Victorian sides still dominated. With the lack of international competition, state representative matches were regarded with great importance. Due in part to the VFL poaching talent from other states, Victoria dominated interstate matches for three-quarters of
10833-720: The Australian colonies in the first half of the 19th century. Compared to cricket and horse racing , football was considered a mere "amusement" by colonists at the time, and while little is known about these early one-off games, evidence does not support a causal link with Australian football. In Melbourne , in 1858, in a move that would help to shape Australian football in its formative years, private schools (then termed " public schools " in accordance with nomenclature in England) began organising football games inspired by precedents at English public schools . The earliest match, held on 15 June,
10990-524: The British Isles, "others by no rules at all". Another milestone in 1858 was a 40-a-side match played under experimental rules between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College , held at the Richmond Paddock. Umpired by Wills and teacher John Macadam , it began on 7 August and continued over two subsequent Saturdays, ending in a draw with each side kicking one goal. It is commemorated with a statue outside
11147-552: The Carlton Football Club, after Ken Hands and Norm Clark . Ratten was then replaced by Mick Malthouse as Carlton Football Club senior coach. On 5 October 2012, Ratten accepted an assistant coaching position at the Hawthorn Football Club under senior coach Alastair Clarkson . He commenced in November 2012 and subsequently was part of the club's 2013, 2014 and 2015 premiership coaching panel. Ratten left
11304-468: The Hawthorn Football Club at the end of the 2018 season. In 2019, St Kilda Football Club appointed Ratten as an assistant coach under senior coach Alan Richardson . Upon Richardson's resignation during the middle of the 2019 season after Round 17, 2019, Ratten was appointed the caretaker senior coach of St Kilda Football Club for the remainder of the 2019 season. In September 2019, after
11461-517: The Irish game evolved in a similar direction. Another theory, first proposed in 1983, posits that Wills, having grown up among Aboriginals in Victoria, may have seen or played the Aboriginal ball game of Marn Grook , and incorporated some of its features into early Australian football. There is only circumstantial evidence that he knew of the game, and according to biographer Greg de Moore's research, Wills
11618-615: The MCG at the Parade Hotel, owned by Bryant, and drafted ten rules: "The Rules of the Melbourne Football Club" . These are the laws from which Australian football evolved. The club aimed to create a simple code suited to the hard playing surfaces around Melbourne, and to eliminate the roughest aspects of English school games—such as "hacking" (shin-kicking) in Rugby School football—to reduce the risk of injuries to working men. In another significant departure from English public school football,
11775-555: The MCG, and the two schools have since competed annually in the Cordner–Eggleston Cup , the world's oldest continuous football competition . Since the 1920s, it has been suggested that Australian football may have been derived from the Irish sport of Gaelic football . However, there is no archival evidence in favour of a Gaelic influence, and the style of play shared between the two modern codes appeared in Australia long before
11932-576: The Melbourne rules omitted any offside law . "The new code was as much a reaction against the school games as influenced by them", writes Mark Pennings. The rules were distributed throughout the colony; Thompson in particular did much to promote the new code in his capacity as a journalist. Following Melbourne's lead, Geelong and Melbourne University also formed football clubs in 1859. While many early Victorian teams participated in one-off matches, most had not yet formed clubs for regular competition. A South Yarra club devised its own rules. To ensure
12089-572: The North Melbourne Football Club at the end of the 2023 season. On 27 September 2023, it was announced Ratten returned to Hawthorn Football Club in an assistant coaching role as Head of Coaching Performance & Development under senior coach Sam Mitchell . Ratten's 16 year old son Cooper was killed in a car crash on 16 August 2015. Former Carlton player Heath Scotland , who played under Ratten in Ratten's tenure as senior coach of Carlton praised Ratten, stating “For me, as
12246-409: The SANFL's Port Adelaide (1997), the only pre-existing club outside Victoria to join the league. In 2011 and 2012, respectively, two new non-Victorian clubs were added to the competition: Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney . The AFL, currently with 18 member clubs, is the sport's elite competition and most powerful body. Following the emergence of the AFL, state leagues were quickly relegated to
12403-538: The Week in the same rounds. At the end of the season, Pearce was named vice-captain of the 2018 AFL Women's All-Australian team, and again won the Melbourne best and fairest award and AFLPA AFLW best captain award. She was again nominated by her teammates for the AFLPA AFLW most valuable player award. Melbourne signed Pearce for the 2019 season during the trade and signing period in May. However, on 31 August, Pearce announced her pregnancy with twins, which would result in her missing
12560-452: The Western Bulldogs, the first to be played at the MCG in May and the second to be played at Etihad Stadium in August. Pearce was named among Melbourne's best players with 23 disposals in the first match, which Melbourne won by eight points, and was best afield with 30 disposals in the second match, which Melbourne won by four points. Later that year, she was named as the inaugural winner of the club's best female player award, polling five out of
12717-493: The advice of the AFL's Laws of the Game Committee. Australian rules football is known by several nicknames, including Aussie rules, football and footy. In some regions, where other codes of football are more popular, the sport is most often called AFL after the Australian Football League , while the league itself also uses this name for local competitions in some areas. Primitive forms of football were played sporadically in
12874-516: The annual Big Freeze at the 'G event to raise funds for motor neurone disease (MND) research, sliding into the ice bath at the MCG in costume as the titular character from the Australian animated series Bluey . The 2021 edition of the event raised more than $ 10 million for Neale Daniher 's charity, Fight MND. Following her 50th AFLW game in 2022, which coincided with season 7's Pride Round, Pearce decided to sell her specially-designed guernsey at auction and donate all funds to The Reach Foundation ,
13031-439: The annual charity match. Pearce captained the Victoria under-19 team at the 2007 AFL Women's National Championships ; she was named in the championships' All-Australian team and won the award for joint-player of the tournament. Pearce was named in the leadership group for the Victorian senior team at the 2009 championships and was again named in the championships' All-Australian team. She was named deputy vice-captain for Victoria at
13188-561: The annual game between Essendon and Collingwood on Anzac Day, is one example of how the war continues to be remembered in the football community. The role of the Australian National Football Council (ANFC) was primarily to govern the game at a national level and to facilitate interstate representative and club competition. In 1968, the ANFC revived the Championship of Australia , a competition first held in 1888 between
13345-414: The ball must intermittently bounce or touch it on the ground . Throwing the ball is not allowed, and players must not get caught holding the ball . A distinctive feature of the game is the mark , where players anywhere on the field who catch the ball from a kick (with specific conditions) are awarded unimpeded possession . Possession of the ball is in dispute at all times except when a free kick or mark
13502-472: The ball, and high scoring. The sport's origins can be traced to football matches played in Melbourne , Victoria , in 1858, inspired by English public school football games . Seeking to develop a game more suited to adults and Australian conditions, the Melbourne Football Club published the first laws of Australian football in May 1859. Australian football has the highest spectator attendance and television viewership of all sports in Australia, while
13659-442: The case of Sydney , denial of access to grounds, the influence of university headmasters from Britain who favoured rugby, and the loss of players to other codes inhibited the game's growth. In 1896, delegates from six of the wealthiest VFA clubs— Carlton , Essendon , Fitzroy , Geelong, Melbourne and South Melbourne —met to discuss the formation of a breakaway professional competition. Later joined by Collingwood and St Kilda ,
13816-435: The clock, the field umpires are required to signal to the timekeepers to indicate when the clock should be stopped or restarted. Between each quarter, a break is observed to allow players a rest period. Two six-minute breaks are observed between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. A longer 20-minute break is observed between the second and third quarter, commonly known as half-time . Each game
13973-409: The club from 2008 to 2016 and playing around 200 games until her final match in 2017. She is a ten-time premiership player (seven times as captain), seven-time league best and fairest winner in the VWFL and VFL Women's (VFLW) competitions and five-time Darebin best and fairest winner. She represented Victoria at both under-19 and senior level, and was recruited by Melbourne with the first selection in
14130-522: The club winning a final and his contract was extended to the end of 2013 after the season. Carlton's on-field performance under Ratten in the 2012 season was inconsistent and the club missed the finals, finishing in tenth position on the ladder with eleven wins and eleven losses, after setting pre-season expectations of a top four finish. After the second-last round of the season in Round 22, 2012 after Carlton suffered an upset loss against Gold Coast Suns and
14287-493: The clubs formed the Victorian Football League (VFL), which held its inaugural season in 1897 . The VFL's popularity grew rapidly as it made several innovations, such as instituting a finals system, reducing teams from 20 to 18 players, and introducing the behind as a score. Richmond and University joined the VFL in 1908, and by 1925, with the addition of Hawthorn , Footscray and North Melbourne , it had become
14444-490: The code took hold during a series of gold rushes . Likewise, when New Zealand experienced a gold rush , the sport arrived with a rapid influx of Australian miners. Now known as Australian rules or Australasian rules, the sport became the first football code to develop mass spectator appeal, attracting world record attendances for sports viewing and gaining a reputation as "the people's game". Australian rules football reached Queensland and New South Wales as early as 1866;
14601-491: The competition's seventh season taking place later in the year. In August, Pearce was named at no. 25 in Sarah Black's season 7 list of the top 30 players in the AFLW and was named as Melbourne captain for a sixth season. She kicked a goal from eight disposals in Melbourne's round 1 win over Adelaide, playing a negating role on Adelaide defender Sarah Allan as part of her role to "keep [Adelaide's] intercept (possession) game to
14758-468: The end of 2001, Ratten was awarded the club's captaincy in 2002, a position he held until his own retirement. After his retirement, in the middle of the 2003 season, the captaincy was passed to Andrew McKay for the rest of the season. Ratten played a total of 255 games and kicked 117 goals for Carlton from 1990 to 2003. He was also a member of Carlton's 1995 premiership team. After retiring from playing, Ratten spent one year as an assistant coach at
14915-456: The end of season 7, having previously captained the club in the women's exhibition games staged prior to the 2016 creation of the league. She captained Victoria in the inaugural AFL Women's State of Origin match in 2017, where she was adjudged best afield. Pearce began her state league career in 2005 with the Darebin Falcons in the Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL), captaining
15072-519: The end of the 2019 season, Ratten was re-appointed as full-time St Kilda Football Club senior coach. In his first full season as St Kilda senior coach in the 2020 season , the competition was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic , with the season first suspended between March and June and then largely relocated to Queensland as the pandemic took hold in Victoria. Despite being based in Noosa Heads for
15229-409: The field of play, it is deemed as a mark . To be awarded a mark, it must be deemed that the player sufficiently controlled the ball and took possession prior to it being touched, touching the ground, or in the case of a contest, being spoiled by an opponent. Upon a mark being taken, one opposition player may choose to stand on the point on the field where the mark was taken, known as "the mark". When
15386-401: The field, as well as being a role model for current and future female footballers. Herald Sun journalist Jay Clark wrote that Pearce had "set the standard in training and professionalism [in women's football] for years" and that her contributions "over more than a decade [made] her a living legend of the women's game", while SEN broadcaster Gerard Whateley called Pearce "the defining figure of
15543-413: The field, two sets of posts are erected in a straight line to indicate the scoring areas on the field, each with two kinds of posts, named the goal posts and the behind posts respectively. The goal posts are placed first, located 6.4 metres (7.0 yd) apart from each other, with a behind post being placed a further 6.4 metres to the side of each goal post. The name for the field line between two goal posts
15700-409: The finals were cancelled with no premiership awarded due to the pandemic. Pearce was selected in the initial 40-woman squad for the 2020 AFL Women's All-Australian team , and was voted as the AFLPA AFLW best captain and nominated by her teammates for the AFLPA AFLW most valuable player award for the third time. Leading into the 2021 season, Pearce was named as Melbourne captain for a fourth season, and
15857-489: The finals. Ratten was sacked as senior coach of St Kilda on 13 October 2022 at the end of the 2022 season, after a club review in the wake of a disappointing 2022 season where the Saints under Ratten won 11 games and lost 11 to finish 10th on the ladder, missing out on the finals. Ratten was then replaced by Ross Lyon as St Kilda senior coach, who returned in his second stint as Saints senior coach. On 24 November 2022, It
16014-495: The first exhibition game, which Melbourne won by 32 points in front of a crowd of almost 8,000. A second exhibition game between the two clubs, again played as a curtain raiser to the men's match and this time at Etihad Stadium , was announced in June 2014; Pearce was named among Melbourne's best players in its 46-point win. In February 2015, the AFL announced that two women's exhibition games would be played that year between Melbourne and
16171-618: The first match in Darwin . The game went on to become the most popular sport in the Territory and build the highest participation rate for the sport nationally. Both World War I and World War II had a devastating effect on Australian football and on Australian sport in general. While scratch matches were played by Australian " diggers " in remote locations around the world, the game lost many of its great players to wartime service. Some clubs and competitions never fully recovered. Between 1914 and 1915,
16328-526: The formation of the Adelaide Football Club , the oldest football club in Australia outside Victoria. It devised its own rules, and, along with other Adelaide -based clubs, played a variety of codes until 1876, when they uniformly adopted most of the Victorian rules, with South Australian football pioneer Charles Kingston noting their similarity to "the old Adelaide rules". Similarly, Tasmanian clubs quarrelled over different rules until they adopted
16485-399: The fourth AFLW player overall to kick five goals in a match; she received the maximum ten coaches' votes, was selected in womens.afl ' s Team of the Week for round 9 and polled the maximum three AFL Women's best and fairest votes. She was among Melbourne's best players in its win over Carlton in round 10, kicking two goals and alternating between attack and defence to help Melbourne secure
16642-540: The game. At the halfway point of the season, Pearce was equal-third in the competition for average score involvements with 4.4 per game. She was among Melbourne's best players in its win over Brisbane in round 7, shifting back into defence during the match to record 15 disposals; she received five coaches' votes and was selected in womens.afl ' s Team of the Week for round 7. Pearce was among Melbourne's best players with five goals in its record-breaking win over Fremantle in round 9, becoming Melbourne's first AFLW player and
16799-435: The goal square and four players in the centre square with one in the centre circle. If this is breached, a free kick is awarded. A game lasts for 80 minutes, split into four-quarters consisting of 20 minutes playing time, with the clock being stopped for stoppages in play such as scores, or at the umpire 's discretion, e.g. for serious injury. Leagues may choose to employ shorter quarters of play at their discretion, such as
16956-456: The inaugural AFL Women's season in 2017. Pearce was announced as the club's first AFLW captain in January 2017. She made her AFL Women's debut in Melbourne's inaugural match in round 1 against Brisbane at the club's home ground, Casey Fields , and was listed among her team's best players in the loss, recording 19 disposals and nine tackles. Pearce was among Melbourne's best players in every game for
17113-424: The knees (a low tackle or a trip ) or above the shoulders (a high tackle ), the team with possession of the football gets a free kick. Furthermore, tackles deemed to be dangerous by the umpire and those conducted from front-on while an opposition player has their head over the football are deemed to be prohibited contact, and will incur a free kick against the offending player. Additionally, players may perform
17270-487: The ladder with 10 wins and 12 losses, missing out on the finals. Under Ratten's coaching, Carlton returned to the finals after a long period of poor performances under Pagan. Carlton reached the finals in the 2009 season , Ratten's second season, finishing seventh and ending a seven-year finals drought, the longest in the club's history. However, Carlton were eliminated by the Brisbane Lions in their elimination final in
17427-445: The length of the season, Ratten took the Saints to their first finals series since 2011, winning their elimination final against the Western Bulldogs at The Gabba by three points before losing and being eliminated by Richmond , the eventual premiers, in a semi-final. In the 2021 season , the Saints under Ratten fell back with on-field performance and finished 10th on the ladder with 10 wins and 12 losses and therefore missing out on
17584-453: The middle of the season. Ratten was then appointed as caretaker senior coach of Carlton for the remainder of the 2007 season. Carlton under Ratten lost the remaining six games of the 2007 season to finish in 15th place on the ladder. On 20 August 2007, Ratten was re-appointed as full-time Carlton Football Club senior coach, when he signed a contract until the end of 2009. In the 2008 AFL season , Carlton under Ratten finished in 11th place on
17741-467: The most in a game by a Melbourne AFLW player. In October 2021, Pearce was among eight women, including five current and former AFLW players, selected in the AFL's women's coaching academy for 2022; she completed a national AFL level three coaching accreditation course as part of the academy, designed to "accelerate the next generation of female coaches" in Australian rules football, and was mentored by former Darebin and St Kilda coach Peta Searle as part of
17898-403: The most of any player in the inaugural season. Melbourne re-signed Pearce for the 2018 season during the trade and signing period in May. She then captained Victoria in the inaugural AFL Women's State of Origin match on 2 September in front of a crowd of 9,400, where she was adjudged best afield with 37 disposals in the 97-point win. In January 2018, Pearce was re-elected as Melbourne captain. She
18055-548: The new national capital Canberra both soccer and rugby had a head start, but following the first matches in 1911, Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory became a major participation sport. By 1981 it had become much neglected and quickly lagged behind the other football codes. Australian rules football in the Northern Territory began shortly after the outbreak of the war in 1916 with
18212-492: The next day that she had suffered a small tear to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee in the round 9 game, and that she would have surgery to repair the MCL while allowing the ACL to heal naturally. Pearce was named as Melbourne captain for a fifth season leading into season 6, continuing in her forward role from midway through the previous season. Stinear said that she was
18369-401: The phasing out of many of the game's kicking styles and the increasing use of handball; while presentation was influenced by television. In 1982, in a move that heralded big changes within the sport, one of the original VFL clubs, South Melbourne, relocated to Sydney and became known as the Sydney Swans . In the late 1980s, due to the poor financial standing of many of the Victorian clubs, and
18526-407: The player has disposed of the ball, or "play on" is called, normal play resumes. Rucking is the only specialist skill and is performed by a ruck, the term for designated players from each side to which umpire sends the ball to commence play. Only a nominated ruck may contest ball-ups and throw-ins. They are the only player allowed within the 10 metre circle at a centre bounce. Functionally the role
18683-429: The player penalised for ' holding the ball ', except if the umpire deems there was a lack of prior opportunity to do so. The ball carrier may only be tackled between the shoulders and knees from the front or side. If the player forcefully contacts the opposing in the back while performing a tackle, the opposition player will be penalised for a push in the back . If the opposition tackles the player with possession below
18840-436: The playing surface at any given time. Each team may have up to four interchange (reserve) players who may be swapped for those on the field at any time during the game. Although some leagues in less populated areas may use as few as 12 players. In addition, some leagues notably including the AFL, have each team designate one additional player as a substitute who can be used to make a single permanent exchange of players during
18997-580: The preeminent league in the country and would take a leading role in many aspects of the sport. The time around the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901 saw Australian rules undergo a revival in New South Wales, New Zealand and Queensland. In 1903, both the Queensland Australian Football League and the NSW Australian Football Association were established, and in New Zealand, as it moved towards becoming
19154-521: The premiers of the VFA and SAFA. Although clubs from other states were at times invited, the final was almost always between the premiers from the two strongest state competitions of the time—South Australia and Victoria—with Adelaide hosting most of the matches at the request of the SAFA/SANFL. The last match took place in 1976, with North Adelaide being the last non-Victorian winner in 1972. Between 1976 and 1987,
19311-551: The record-breaking premiership season of 1995, including a game in round 17 against Fitzroy when he amassed 44 disposals, but failed to poll a single Brownlow vote from the umpires for the entire season. In the 1999 season, Ratten was credited with 265 clearances, which (as of 2021) remains the highest on record by a considerable margin – the next-highest is only 192. Ratten won the Robert Reynolds Trophy (Carlton best and fairest) on three occasions: 1995, 1997, and in
19468-427: The season, womens.afl journalist Sarah Black named Pearce at no. 5 on her list of the top 30 players in the AFLW. Pearce played her first AFLW match in 694 days in Melbourne's win over North Melbourne in round 1, playing in a new role as a defender. Pearce was named among Melbourne's best players in five of its six home-and-away matches for the season; she polled eight coaches' votes in round 2 and five in round 3, and
19625-519: The season; she was named by the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) as "Player of the Week" for round 4 after recording 29 disposals and six tackles in Melbourne's win against Carlton and was awarded the maximum three votes for the AFL Women's best and fairest award in Melbourne's round 6 match against Adelaide . Following the home-and-away season, she revealed that she played the first two rounds with an injury after sustaining bone bruising and
19782-467: The sport across Australia, delegates representing the football associations of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland met in 1883 and updated the code. New rules such as holding the ball led to a "golden era" of fast, long-kicking and high-marking football in the 1880s, a time which also saw players such as George Coulthard achieve superstardom, as well as the rise of professionalism , particularly in Victoria and Western Australia , where
19939-467: The sport experienced a period of dominance in the former, and in the latter, several regions remain strongholds of Australian rules, such as the Riverina . However, by the late 1880s, rugby football had become the dominant code in both colonies, as well as in New Zealand. This shift was largely due to rugby's spread with British migration, regional rivalries and the lack of strong local governing bodies. In
20096-401: The strongest he had ever seen her; Pearce said that she had focused more heavily on weights and more of a strength and power focus over running during the pre-season. She polled the maximum three AFL Women's best and fairest votes in Melbourne's round 1 win over the Western Bulldogs and was among Melbourne's best players in its loss to Adelaide in round 4, kicking two of the team's three goals for
20253-414: The substantial TV revenues they generated by playing on a Sunday went to the VFL. To protect these revenues the VFL granted significant draft concessions and financial aid to keep the expansion clubs competitive. The VFL changed its name to the Australian Football League (AFL) for the 1990 season , and over the next decade, three non-Victorian clubs gained entry: Adelaide (1991), Fremantle (1995) and
20410-587: The supremacy of the Melbourne rules, the first-club level competition in Australia, the Caledonian Society's Challenge Cup (1861–64), stipulated that only the Melbourne rules were to be used. This law was reinforced by the Athletic Sports Committee (ASC), which ran a variation of the Challenge Cup in 1865–66. With input from other clubs, the rules underwent several minor revisions, establishing
20567-468: The time. Pearce gave birth to twins with her partner, firefighter Ben O'Neill, in February 2019 via a caesarean section . Her son was diagnosed with dextrocardia while she was pregnant. In October 2020, Pearce and her family relocated to Porepunkah , near Bright, and she divided her time between there and Melbourne, before relocating with her family to Perth to commence her AFLW coaching career with West Coast in 2024. In June 2021, Pearce participated in
20724-414: The top eight on the ladder after six matches; however, West Coast would lose its final five matches of the season to finish 13th. Updated to the end of the 2024 season . Pearce is an expert commentator for the Seven Network's AFL coverage on television and AFL Nation's AFL coverage for 1116 SEN on radio. In 2016, Pearce began appearing as a panel member on the Seven Network program AFL Game Day ; she
20881-413: The top female footballers in Australia were selected in the inaugural national women's draft later that month to play for the two clubs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in a curtain raiser to the AFL match between the clubs in June; Pearce was recruited by Melbourne with the first selection in the draft, and was later named as Melbourne's captain. She was adjudged best afield with 28 disposals in
21038-504: The twelve-month program. By March 2022, Pearce was considering an assistant coaching role for Geelong 's AFL team; she had earlier been offered the position of Essendon 's inaugural AFLW coach and turned it down after serious consideration. Later that month, she joined the AFL Academy as a coach of its women's program. In June 2022, Pearce accepted a coaching position at Geelong as part of the AFL's women's coaching acceleration program. She
21195-412: The usage of other means, such as punching. While in possession of the ball, players may run with the ball, but are required to either bounce or touch the ball on the ground at least once every 15 metres (16 yd). Tackling is a technique employed by players used to force opposition players to dispose of the ball when they are in possession. Failure to dispose of the ball when legally tackled may see
21352-512: The women-only football club. In 2007, Darebin went through the VWFL season undefeated, defeating Melbourne University in the grand final, and Pearce was named among the best players in the grand final. Darebin would go on to win five VWFL premierships in a row, before losing to St Albans in the grand final in 2011; Pearce, who had by then become captain, was named Darebin's best player in the loss. In 2013 and 2014, Darebin went through both seasons undefeated, defeating Diamond Creek by 49 points in
21509-429: Was "almost solely influenced by his experience at Rugby School". A loosely organised Melbourne side, captained by Wills, played against other football enthusiasts in the winter and spring of 1858. The following year, on 14 May, the Melbourne Football Club was officially established, making it one of the world's oldest football clubs . Three days later, Wills, Hammersley, Thompson and teacher Thomas H. Smith met near
21666-545: Was a 20-per-side affair, played with a ball that was roughly spherical, and lasted until a team scored two goals. The shape of the playing field was not standardised; matches often took place in rough, tree-spotted public parks, most notably the Richmond Paddock ( Yarra Park ), known colloquially as the Melbourne Football Ground. Wills argued that the turf of cricket fields would benefit from being trampled upon by footballers in winter, and, as early as 1859, football
21823-524: Was a boundary rider for Seven's coverage of the AFL Grand Final in 2018 and 2019. In 2021, she became the first woman to provide special comments for Seven's coverage of the grand final, and was widely praised by fans and media for her commentary. Pearce won the award for Best Opinion/Analysis – TV/Radio at the 2021 Australian Football Media Association Awards, with the AFMA commenting: "Daisy's football knowledge
21980-478: Was allowed on the MCG. However, cricket authorities frequently prohibited football on their grounds until the 1870s, when they saw an opportunity to capitalise on the sport's growing popularity. Football gradually adapted to an oval-shaped field, and most grounds in Victoria expanded to accommodate the dual purpose—a situation that continues to this day. Football became organised in South Australia in 1860 with
22137-463: Was also the caretaker senior coach at North Melbourne during Alastair Clarkson 's leave of absence. Originally from Yarra Glen , Ratten made his debut for Carlton Football Club in the fifteenth round of the 1990 season. In a career lasting 14 years, Ratten played mainly as an in-and-under midfielder. His unobtrusive style often escaped the attention of media and umpires early in his career. Famously, he won Carlton's best and fairest award in
22294-445: Was also their inaugural coach) to do so. In January 2023, Pearce announced her playing retirement. Team Individual Pearce was known for being a smart, skilled and composed player who directed play on-field. Longtime Melbourne coach Mick Stinear described Pearce as an "on-field coach" while teammate Shelley Heath described her as "essentially another coach on the ground". Pearce began her AFL Women's career playing primarily as
22451-479: Was among Melbourne's best players in four of its first five matches of the season, polling the maximum three AFL Women's best and fairest votes in Melbourne's loss to Fremantle in round 3. Pearce polled a game-high nine votes for the AFL Coaches Association (AFLCA) AFLW champion player of the year award in rounds 1 and 3 and the maximum ten votes in round 5, and was selected in afl.com.au ' s Team of
22608-482: Was announced as caretaker senior coach of North Melbourne. In doing so, he became the first coach in VFL/AFL history to be appointed as a caretaker senior coach three times. Ratten coached North Melbourne as caretaker senior coach for a total of 10 games in the 2023 season before Clarkson resumed his role as senior coach in Round 21, 2023 against Melbourne. Ratten then returned to being an assistant coach. Ratten then left
22765-478: Was announced that Ratten joined the North Melbourne Football Club in a part-time role as assistant coach in the role of midfield coach, supporting fellow assistant coach in the role of midfield and line coach Jordan Russell under senior coach Alastair Clarkson . In May 2023, it was announced that Clarkson would step away from his role as North Melbourne senior coach indefinitely, and Ratten
22922-514: Was between Melbourne Grammar and St Kilda Grammar. On 10 July 1858, the Melbourne-based Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle published a letter by Tom Wills , captain of the Victoria cricket team , calling for the formation of a "foot-ball club" with a "code of laws" to keep cricketers fit during winter. Born in Australia, Wills played a nascent form of rugby football while
23079-435: Was coined by scholar Ian Turner in 1978 to describe the "fictitious geographical barrier" separating the rugby-following parts of New South Wales and Queensland from the rest of the country, where Australian football reigned. It became a reference point for the expansion of Australian football and for establishing a national league. The way the game was played had changed dramatically due to innovative coaching tactics, with
23236-559: Was enrolled in the Vickick program, which later became Auskick , and played junior football alongside boys as a child. Her father was a coach at the Bright Football Club, which allowed Pearce to begin training with the under-13 boys team from the age of eight; she played alongside her brother Harry and future Collingwood premiership defender Ben Reid . Pearce needed dispensation from the local league to continue playing alongside boys as
23393-416: Was mathematically eliminated from finals contention, Ratten was sacked as senior coach of Carlton after his contract was terminated at the end of 2012, one year early. Including his six games as caretaker coach, Ratten coached 120 games for Carlton, recording 60 wins, a draw and 59 losses, bringing a winning percentage to 50 percent. He was the third person to both play and coach over 100 senior games for
23550-626: Was named among Melbourne's best players in its 71-point win over Brisbane. She was Melbourne's best player in its 39-point loss to the Bulldogs in September; the match was watched by an average audience of 387,000 people in Melbourne, which was greater than the average viewing audience for every Saturday night game during the 2016 AFL home-and-away season, as well as a national audience peak of over one million people. In July 2016, Pearce and Melissa Hickey were announced as Melbourne 's two marquee players for
23707-435: Was named among Melbourne's best players in its win over St Kilda in round 6 after moving to the forward line and kicking two goals, and was selected in womens.afl ' s Team of the Week for that round. Pearce was named among Melbourne's best players in round 8 after kicking a goal and setting up the match-winning goal in the club's close win over Fremantle, which assured its position in that year's finals series. She injured
23864-425: Was named by Sarah Black at no. 9 on her annual list of the top 30 players in the AFLW. Prior to the opening game of the season, Pearce said that she had been "squeezed out of the midfield, officially" and would continue to primarily play at half-back while still making small appearances in the midfield. Pearce polled the maximum three AFL Women's best and fairest votes in Melbourne's round 1 win against Gold Coast . She
24021-479: Was named in the 2022 AFL Women's season 6 All-Australian team , her third All-Australian selection, and was voted as the AFLPA AFLW best captain for the fourth time in her career. Pearce played in Melbourne's loss to Adelaide in the grand final, playing a key role in defence and on the wing. Following the grand final, she won her third Melbourne best and fairest award by a single vote. In May, Pearce said that she would continue playing for "at least one more" season, with
24178-402: Was one of four current AFLW players and nine women overall to receive a position at a club; the program enabled the successful women to start their role anytime before 2025, which allowed Pearce to continue playing until she decided to begin in the role. Pearce began her role as a development coach with Geelong in February 2023, having signed a four-year contract. While in her commentary role for
24335-486: Was reinstated as Melbourne captain in January 2020. Coach Mick Stinear said, "With her knowledge of our game plan, and her ability to instruct, support and give feedback on and off the field, she's just the ideal person to lead this group". She ran a personal best time over two kilometres in the lead-up to the season. Later that month, Pearce made a successful return to football, playing the first three quarters of Melbourne's practice match win against Collingwood. Leading into
24492-457: Was selected in womens.afl ' s Team of the Week for round 2. After round 6, the last two home-and-away rounds were abandoned and a modified finals series was brought forward due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic , allowing Melbourne to qualify for finals for the first time. Pearce was among Melbourne's best players with 22 disposals in its semi-final win over Greater Western Sydney , before
24649-668: Was set to continue in the role in 2020 before the show was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2018, Pearce began appearing on the SEN morning shows SEN Breakfast (with Garry Lyon and Tim Watson ) and Whateley (with Gerard Whateley ), and in 2019, she hosted This Is Grit , a weekly podcast series on SEN focusing on sportswomen. In 2021, she co-hosted The W Show for AFL Media alongside Nat Edwards, where they analysed and discussed AFL Women's news and topics. She previously provided special comments for radio network Triple M in 2017 and has written columns for newspaper The Age . Pearce
#332667