NEWS
Women’s AFL team goes back-to-back at Uni Games
The RMIT Women’s AFL team has reigned supreme at the Australian University Games for the second year in a row, claiming the gold without conceding a point in the grand final.
The win was the fifth gold in six years for the champion team, who were runners-up at the tournament in 2014.
Overall, the RMIT Redbacks finished seventh at the games in Perth, with three gold, four silver and one bronze medal.
More than 6000 athletes from 42 tertiary institutions competed at the Games, with the University of Western Australia winning overall honours.
The Redbacks won gold for golf and men’s futsal, with 16 RMIT athletes named on the prestigious Green and Gold list as the best in the tournament.
The women’s AFL gold was a highlight, with the Redbacks blitzing the grand final against Australian Catholic University (ACU).
Throughout the games, the team scored an imposing 294 points and conceded just 10 points, with seven points conceded in one game. They were undefeated throughout the tournament, and easily finished on top of the pool.
RMIT dominates in Women's AFL and will have several players in the Australian Women's Football League. Steph Chiocci, pictured representing RMIT in 2013, was drafted at No. 11 for the 2017 AFLW competition. Photo: Alvin Teo
In the semi-finals, Edith Cowan University lost to ACU, 12-2, while the Redbacks defeated Deakin University 30-2. In the grand final they defeated ACU, 19-0.
Five of the team were named on the Green and Gold list: Lauren Brazzale, Cara Moody, Karly Coburn, Nuala Clarke and Sarah Rigden.
It has been a huge month for midfielder Brazzale and defender Stephanie De Bortoli, who were selected in the inaugural Australian women’s football league (AFLW) draft, by Carlton at pick 62 and Melbourne at pick 72, respectively.
Five former Redbacks will play in the AFLW next year: former Western Bulldogs captain Steph Chiocci (Collingwood, pick 11), Christina Bernardi (Collingwood, pick 132), Shae Audley (Carlton, pick 46), Laura Attard (Carlton, pick 140) and Lauren Morecroft (Western Bulldogs, pick 101).
All of these players are products of the Diamond Creek Women’s Football Club, one of the largest women’s football clubs in Australia. Diamond Creek has been closely aligned with RMIT since 2011.
The gold medal-winning futsal team. Photo: Sally Tanner