The Calder Cannons have named Grace Azzopardi and Ava Gerada as co-captains of the girl’s team into the 2024 Coates League season.
Playing in her second season, Azzopardi has become a valuable member of the Cannons outfit.
She had also been a standout player at the Sunbury Lions, where she earned the best first year player award last season.
Azzopardi said she was pleased to be recognised among her peers. The players voted on the leadership with some input from the coaches, but they took the leading role.
“During pre-season one of my goals was to be in the leadership, so it’s a huge honour to be named among the other girls,” she said. “I think it’ll be a good year.”
She said she hopes to spend more time in the midfield this year after spending most of last year on the half back line.
“It’s been one of my goals, I’ve been working on my fitness,” she said.
“We had our practice game last week and I was in the midfield and that went well.”
Gerada, who played her junior football at Westmeadows, is now in her third year at the Cannons.
Entering her draft year, Gerada said she’s trying not to put too much pressure on herself.
“Honestly feeling really honoured that the girls and the coaches have trusted both me and Grace with the role,” she said.
Gerada is likely to move back to the forward line after having a spell in the back line to round out last season.
But it’s AFL midfielder Scott Pendlebury she most admires.
“I’ve grown up watching the boys, I think his skills and him being so consistent throughout the game, I feel like I look up to him the most.
Chloe Baker-West, Amelia Wright and Camryn Bux have also been named in the leadership group.
Meanwhile it was announced in February that Damon Hollow will lead the club’s boy’s team into the 2024 Coates League season.
Hollow first made his under-18s Cannons debut in 2022 and was made a member of the clubs leadership group last year as a bottom aged player.
