QAFLW Season 2022 - That was the Season that Was

Our season began like those before us with a loss to eventual premiers UQ. It was to be timely reminder that we had a new group with new expectations and many new players who needed to learn how to meet these standards. Some new coaches on board in Chris Norton as an assistant and Landon Inglis as our S&C value added to the incumbent group from 2021.

A slightly lower number of players this season with only 47 of which 36 played senior footy in 2022, 11 debutantes to QAFLW football, 2 U17 players and of this group 1 draftee (Kiara Hillier) and 3 asked to be train on players with the Brisbane Lions (Jazmine Tweddle-O'Donnell, Mikayla Martin, Sara-Jane O'Grady). With the lower squad numbers, we consistently struggled to get 2 full sides each week, especially once our 2 AFLW girls went back to the Lions and Kiara needed to finish up once drafted.

To make finals was a good achievement considering the disruptions faced throughout the year and the relatively young and inexperienced squad. Although it would have been great to go further than the first week, I feel we just ran out of steam in the end.

Highlights for the season were:
 - Lily Postlethwaite joint winner of the Zielke Medal from only 8 games
 - Mikayla Martin, Lily Postlethwaite and Emma Day all selected in the QAFLW team of the year
 - Sophie Peters selected in the NAB Future Stars program - for the best U17 players in the nation.
 - Mikayla Martin winning the Shannon Campbell Maroochydore QAFLW female player B&F in her first season at the football club, having come from UQ.
 - Making finals for the 4th season in a row maintaining a high consistency of performance across the program.

The Maroochydore women's program benefits from a strong junior program at MAFC which we should not take for granted. The senior program is highly respected across the competition by other clubs and the Queensland AFLW coaches for the type of footballers, the way they play the game, and the way our people carry themselves on game day. For that I am incredibly proud.

thank you

Steve Moody
QAFLW Senior Coach

QAFLW Senior Assistants – Leigh Baker, Chris Norton
QAFLW Reserves Coach – Nik Smith
QAFLW Reserves Assistants – Rob Bloom, Brad Saunders