Emma Kearney (footballer)

Last updated

Emma Kearney
Emma Kearney 27.03.21.jpg
Kearney with North Melbourne in March 2021
Personal information
Full name Emma Michelle Kearney
Date of birth (1989-09-24) 24 September 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Hamilton, Victoria
Original team(s) Melbourne University (VFLW)
Draft 2016 priority player
Debut Round 1, 2017, Western Bulldogs  vs. Fremantle, at VU Whitten Oval
Height 165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club North Melbourne
Number 9
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2017–2018 Western Bulldogs 15 0(3)
2019– North Melbourne 67 (10)
Total82 (13)
Representative team honours
YearsTeamGames (Goals)
2017 Victoria 1 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2024 season.
2 State and international statistics correct as of 2017.
Career highlights

AFLW

VWFL/VFLW

Source: AustralianFootball.com

Emma Michelle Kearney (born 24 September 1989) is an Australian rules footballer and former cricketer. A decorated midfielder in the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition, Kearney won the league's best and fairest award while playing for the Western Bulldogs in 2018 and has captained North Melbourne since 2019. She previously played cricket for the Melbourne Stars in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) and for Victoria in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL).

Contents

Early life

Kearney was born in the Victorian town of Hamilton, and raised on a sheep station in nearby Cavendish. [1] She played football through her early years, but was forced to give up the sport at the age of twelve when barred from playing with the youth boys team.

She attended high school at Monivae College in Hamilton. [2]

Australian rules football

State league and representative football

Kearney returned to football while studying a physical education teaching degree at university in Ballarat. [3] She began playing state league football in 2010, joining Melbourne University in the Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL). [3] Kearney won her club's best and fairest award five times, [4] and she was a member of the 2016 grand final team that ultimately lost to the Darebin Falcons. [5]

In 2013, Kearney was a member of the triumphant Victorian team at the AFL Women's National Championship in Cairns. [3] That same year, she was selected by the Western Bulldogs with the tenth overall pick in the first national women's draft, [6] and played for the club in AFL-sanctioned exhibition matches through to the end of 2016. [5]

AFL Women's career

Western Bulldogs

Kearney was signed by the Western Bulldogs as a priority player in August 2016 as part of the inaugural AFL Women's draft. Per the newly formed league's rules, her off-field work at the club made her eligible for the special pre-draft signing. [7] [8] She faced a limited pre-season, missing eight training sessions due to cricketing commitments across the 2016–17 summer. [5]

Making her AFLW debut in the club's inaugural match, in round one of the 2017 season against Fremantle at VU Whitten Oval, Kearney recorded a game-high 23 disposals on the night. [5] [9] In round six against Brisbane at South Pine Sports Complex, she gathered 30 disposals during the match, becoming the competition's first player to achieve the feat. [10] At the end of the 2017 season, Kearney was listed in the All-Australian team and finished equal-first in her club's best and fairest count alongside Ellie Blackburn. [11] [12]

Having re-signed with the Western Bulldogs during the trade period in May 2017, [13] Kearney enjoyed a standout individual 2018 season, winning the league's best and fairest and the AFL Coaches Champion Player of the Year (tied with Chelsea Randall from Adelaide) awards. [14] [15] She also shared in ultimate team success as the Bulldogs defeated Brisbane in the 2018 AFL Women's Grand Final. With five minutes left in the match, Kearney ran down Kaitlyn Ashmore to win a crucial holding-the-ball free kick. She subsequently converted a set shot 30 metres out from goal to give her team a twelve-point lead and help clinch the premiership. [16]

North Melbourne

In April 2018, Kearney accepted an offer to play with expansion club North Melbourne for the 2019 season. [17] In November 2018, she was announced as the inaugural captain of the team. [18] In each of the following three seasons, Kearney finished runner-up in the club's best and fairest award. [19] [20] [21] She also polled well in the 2020 league best and fairest count, receiving eleven votes to place third. [22]

Kearney earned her fifth consecutive All-Australian selection in 2021, making her one of only two players to manage the accomplishment (the other being Karen Paxman from Melbourne). [21] In June 2021, North Melbourne confirmed she was contracted with the club for the following season. [23]

Kearney was forced to miss the first round of 2022 AFLW season 6 after contracting COVID-19. [24] She returned shortly thereafter and became a consistent player across both the backline and in the midfield. She was named captain of the 2022 season 6 All-Australian team, and her presence in the team made her the only player in the history of the competition to feature in all six of the league's first six representative teams. [25]

Cricket

Cricket information
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
SeasonTeamNo.GamesTotalsAverages (per game) Votes
GBKHDMTGBKHDMT
2017 Western Bulldogs 5704826815017200.00.611.79.721.42.42.97
2018 # Western Bulldogs 5835123†29152†27410.40.615.4†3.619.0†3.45.114±
2019 North Melbourne 9712964514122360.10.313.76.420.13.15.13
2020 North Melbourne 9731915314424310.40.113.07.620.63.44.411
2021 North Melbourne 910431189020828460.40.311.89.020.82.84.64
Career3911155102857951181740.30.413.17.320.43.04.539

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Bates</span> Australian rules footballer

Emily Bates is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Hawthorn Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She previously played for the Brisbane Lions from 2017 to season 7. Bates was selected by the Western Bulldogs in the inaugural national women's draft in 2013, and represented them in the first three years of the exhibition games staged prior to the creation of the league. She represented Brisbane in 2016, the last year that the games were held, and was drafted by the club with the second selection in the 2016 AFL Women's draft prior to the inaugural AFL Women's season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jess Duffin</span> Australian sportswoman

Jessica Evelyn Duffin is an Australian sportswoman. In cricket, she has made 117 international appearances and won four world championships as a member of the Australian women's team. A right-handed batter with a reputation as a big game performer, Duffin was named Player of the Final in both the 2012 ICC Women's World Twenty20 and 2013 Women's Cricket World Cup tournaments. She also won the 2013 Belinda Clark Award for being adjudged Australia's best international women's cricketer over the previous year. Her domestic career has included playing for Victoria in the Women's National Cricket League and captaining the Melbourne Renegades in the Women's Big Bash League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brianna Davey</span> Australian rules footballer

Brianna Iris Davey is an Australian footballer in both the Association football (soccer) and Australian rules football codes. In soccer, she was a goalkeeper for the national women's team the Matildas and played in the W-League for Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City. In 2016, she transitioned from soccer to Australian rules football, and was one of two initial marquee recruits for the Carlton Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She won the inaugural Carlton best and fairest award and was named in the 2017 AFL Women's All-Australian team. Davey served as Carlton captain from 2018 to 2019 before being traded to the Collingwood Football Club. She was appointed Collingwood co-captain alongside Steph Chiocci in 2021, and won the league best and fairest award for the 2021 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AFL Women's</span> Female Australian rules football league

AFL Women's (AFLW) is Australia's national semi-professional Australian rules football league for female players. The first season of the league in February and March 2017 had eight teams; the league expanded to 10 teams in the 2019 season, 14 teams in 2020 and 18 teams in 2022. The league is run by the Australian Football League (AFL) and is contested by each of the clubs from that competition. The reigning premiers are the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellie Blackburn</span> Australian rules footballer

Ellie Blackburn is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Western Bulldogs in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She served as Western Bulldogs co-captain in 2019, and as their sole captain from 2020 to 2023. Blackburn is the Western Bulldogs games record holder with 71 games and equal goalkicking record holder with 29 goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaimee Lambert</span> Australian rules footballer

Jaimee Lambert is an Australian rules footballer playing for St Kilda in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She has previously played for Western Bulldogs and Collingwood

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darcy Vescio</span> Australian rules footballer

Darcy Vescio is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Carlton Football Club in the AFL Women's competition. As a heavily marketed marquee player, Vescio has been referred to as a "household name" in Australia by ESPN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 AFL Women's season</span> Inaugural season of the AFL Womens (AFLW) competition

The 2017 AFL Women's season was the inaugural season of the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition, the highest-level senior women's Australian rules football competition in Australia. The season ran from 3 February to 25 March, comprising a seven-round home-and-away season followed by a grand final contested by the top two clubs. Eight Australian Football League (AFL) clubs featured in the inaugural season: Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma Zielke</span> Australian rules footballer

Emma Zielke is a retired Australian rules footballer who played for the Brisbane Lions in the AFL Women's competition. She was the club's inaugural AFLW team captain, leading the club in 2017–2018 and 2020–2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steph Chiocci</span> Australian rules footballer

Stephanie Chiocci is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the St Kilda Football Club and Collingwood Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). Chiocci served as Collingwood captain for the duration of her Collingwood career from 2017 to 2022 (S7), including as co-captain alongside Brianna Davey from 2021 to season seven, following which she moved to St Kilda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebony Marinoff</span> Australian rules footballer

Ebony Marinoff is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Adelaide Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She is a three-time AFL Women's premiership player, seven-time AFL Women's All-Australian and dual Adelaide Club Champion winner. In 2017, Marinoff won the inaugural AFL Women's Rising Star award and represented The Allies in the inaugural AFL Women's State of Origin match, and in 2024, she won the AFL Women's best and fairest, AFLPA AFLW most valuable player, AFLPA AFLW best captain and AFLCA AFLW champion player of the year awards. Marinoff has served as Adelaide co-captain since 2024, and is the Adelaide and AFL Women's games record holder with 93 games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma King (footballer)</span> Australian rules footballer

Emma King is an Australian rules footballer playing for the North Melbourne Football Club in the AFL Women's competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa Hickey</span> Australian rules footballer

Melissa Hickey is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club and the Geelong Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She served as Geelong captain in the club's first two AFL Women's seasons. She also played in the Victorian Women's Football League/VFL Women's for eleven seasons, representing the St Albans Spurs, Darebin and Geelong. In the VWFL/VFLW, Hickey won seven premierships, represented Victoria on three occasions and featured in the VFL Women's team of the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elise O'Dea</span> Australian rules footballer

Elise O'Dea is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Carlton Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She served as Melbourne co-captain for the 2019 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paxy Paxman</span> Australian rules footballer

Karen "Paxy" Paxman is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). A defender, 1.70 metres (5.6 ft) tall, Paxman plays primarily on the half-back line with the ability to push into the midfield. She first played football at sixteen years of age and won a premiership and league best and fairest in her first year. She played in the premier division of the Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL) from the 2008 season and won three VWFL premierships with St Albans and Darebin, in addition to a VFL Women's premiership with Darebin. Her accolades in football include three league best and fairests, state representation on four occasions, best-on-ground in a grand final, and five-time AFLW All-Australian honours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana Hooker</span> Australian rules footballer

Dana Hooker is an Australian rules footballer playing for the West Coast Eagles in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She previously played for the Fremantle Football Club from 2017 to 2019. Hooker is a dual AFL Women's All-Australian, and was the inaugural Fremantle fairest and best winner in 2017 and inaugural West Coast Club Champion in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richelle Cranston</span> Australian rules footballer

Richelle Cranston is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs in the AFL Women's (AFLW).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 AFL Women's season</span> Second season of the AFL Womens (AFLW) competition

The 2018 AFL Women's season was the second season of the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition, the highest-level senior women's Australian rules football competition in Australia. The season featured eight clubs and ran from 2 February to 24 March, comprising a seven-round home-and-away season followed by a grand final contested by the top two clubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooke Lochland</span> Australian rules footballer

Brooke Lochland is a former Australian rules footballer and former speed skater. Lochland played for the Western Bulldogs and the Sydney Swans in the AFL Women's (AFLW). In 2018, she played in the Bulldogs' AFL Women's premiership team, was the AFL Women's leading goalkicker for that season and was named in the 2018 AFL Women's All-Australian team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirsty Lamb</span> Australian rules footballer

Kirsty Maree Lamb is an Australian rules footballer playing for Port Adelaide in the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition. She has previously played for the Western Bulldogs Lamb previously played cricket for Victoria in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) and for the Melbourne Renegades in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL).

References

  1. 1 2 Nicholson, Larissa (12 August 2015). "Meet Emma Kearney: AFL player, state cricketer, teacher". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  2. ↑ "#20 Emma Kearney". Victorian Women's Football League. SportsTG. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 O'Neill, David (26 June 2014). "Cavendish export Emma Kearney leads the way in footy and cricket". The Weekly Times. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  4. ↑ "Awards | Melbourne University Women's Football Club". MUWFC. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Navaratnam, Dinny (10 February 2017). "From Big Bash to teaching to AFLW, weary Kearney can still find the pill". AFL Media. Bigpond. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  6. ↑ Twomey, Callum (16 May 2013). "Pearce the first pick in AFL's inaugural women's draft". AFL Media. Bigpond. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "Kearney chosen as Dogs' priority player". Western Bulldogs. Bigpond. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  8. 1 2 Matthews, Bruce (25 August 2016). "Envious Bulldog reunites with teammate for women's league". AFL Media. Bigpond. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  9. ↑ Cavanagh, Chris (5 February 2017). "Bulldogs star Emma Kearney lights up Whitten Oval in first AFLW game". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  10. ↑ Cheadle, Josh (11 March 2017). "Lions topple Dogs to lock in AFLW Grand Final spot". AFL Media. Bigpond. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  11. ↑ Navaratnam, Dinny (28 March 2017). "Lions, Crows dominate AFLW All Australian team - AFL.com.au". AFL.com.au. BigPond. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  12. ↑ @bulldogsw (19 May 2017). "Your winners of the 2017 Western Bulldogs AFLW Best and Fairest!! #RealStrength" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. ↑ "AFLW: All the clubs' full lists after trade period - AFL.com.au". afl.com.au. Telstra Media. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  14. ↑ Navaratnam, Dinney (27 March 2018). "W Awards: Dogs star named League B&F". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  15. ↑ "AFLW: Tie in coaches' champion player vote". afl.com.au. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  16. ↑ Cherny, Daniel (24 March 2018). "Bulldogs win thrilling AFLW grand final". The Age. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  17. 1 2 Cherny, Daniel (4 April 2018). "AFLW star Kearney walks out on Dogs to join North". The Age. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  18. ↑ Black, Sarah (2 November 2018). "AFLW: Superstar recruit named Roos' inaugural captain". AFL.com.au . Telstra Media.
  19. ↑ Hopkins, Ben (9 April 2019). "Jenna Bruton named Kangaroos best and fairest". The Courier. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  20. ↑ Wood, Lauren (24 April 2020). "Inside footy's weirdest awards night". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  21. 1 2 "AFLW: Garner goes back-to-back". nmfc.com.au. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  22. ↑ "Young Blue caps incredible rise with top gong". afl.com.au. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  23. ↑ "AFLW: Roos eye the future". nmfc.com.au. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  24. ↑ "AFLW Rd 1: Kangaroos captain Emma Kearney ruled out of season opener".
  25. ↑ Anna Harrington (5 April 2022). "Emma Kearney makes AFLW All-Australian history, as Mimi Hill named Rising Star". The New Daily.
  26. 1 2 "Emma Kearney". Melbourne Stars. Cricket Network. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  27. ↑ "Stars sign Cameron, Lanning for WBBL02". WBBL. Cricket Australia. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  28. 1 2 "Emma Kearney". Cream of the Crop. Cream Communications. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  29. ↑ Sewell, Eliza (7 December 2016). "AFLW players asked to prioritise cricket training over football". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  30. ↑ Gearin, Mary (6 December 2016). "Cricket administrators 'threatened' by AFL, women players asked to prioritise cricket". ABC.com.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  31. ↑ "Shierlaw earns AFLW contract". saints.com.au. St Kilda Football Club. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  32. ↑ "Emma Kearney". Australian Football. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.