Danielle Ponter

Danielle Ponter (born 8 January 2000) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Adelaide Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She played for St Mary's and Essendon in her junior career, typically as a forward. Ponter was selected with pick 48 in the 2018 AFL Women's draft and made her debut in round 2 of the 2019 season. She was nominated for the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award in round 4.

Danielle Ponter
Ponter running during a practice match
Ponter playing for Adelaide in January 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-01-08) 8 January 2000
Place of birth Darwin, Northern Territory
Original team(s) St Mary's (NTFL)
Essendon (VFLW)
Draft No. 48, 2018 AFLW draft
Debut Round 2, 2019, Adelaide vs. Carlton, at Ikon Park
Height 161 cm (5 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current club Adelaide
Number 15
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2019– Adelaide 45 (46)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the S7 (2022) season.
Career highlights
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Early life

Ponter was born in Darwin, Northern Territory.[1] She had a strong footballing background as part of the noted Rioli–Long family;[2] she is the niece of former Essendon player Michael Long and the cousin of former Hawthorn footballer Cyril Rioli.[3] Ponter began playing for St Mary's at 11 in the under-16 female division of Northern Territory Football League (NTFL), in the 2011–12 season.[3][4] She won the Sharyn Smith Medal, the division best and fairest, in four consecutive seasons.[4]

"The things she can do with a footy are phenomenal. I don't know if I've seen any other young player like her."

Aasta O'Connor, AFLW talent manager[3]

Ponter competed at the 2014 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships for the Thunder Devils (a combined Northern Territory–Tasmania team) at 14.[3] She competed at the next three championships[3] and additionally played for the Central Allies in a state of origin match in 2017[5] and 2018.[6] Ponter attended the 2018 AFLW draft combine[7] and was a member of the 2018 AFLW Academy, one of twenty-nine seventeen-year-old prospects.[8] She played for Essendon's VFL Women's side in 2018, kicking six goals in six matches.[3] Ahead of the 2018 AFLW draft, prospects nominated a state or region they wished to play in; Ponter chose South Australia, meaning Adelaide, as the only South Australian club, was the only team with an opportunity to select her.[3]

AFLW career

Ponter was drafted by Adelaide with pick 48 in the 2018 AFLW draft, their fifth selection.[7] She continued to play in the NTFL prior to the 2019 AFL Women's season. She was not selected for the opening round of the 2019 season; coach Matthew Clarke acknowledged she was "pretty stiff to miss out".[9] Ponter made her debut the next round, playing as a defender in contrast to her usual position of forward in her junior career.[10] This made her the first member of the Rioli–Long family to play top-level women's Australian rules football.[7] She returned to the forward line in round 4 and received a nomination for the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award after kicking two goals.[10]

References
  1. O'Connor, Callum (19 May 2018). "VFLW: Back home". essendonfc.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  2. Cherny, Daniel (20 October 2018). "A Long story with a new footy twist". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  3. Black, Sarah (19 October 2018). "Rioli-Long lineage set to continue in AFLW". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  4. "AFLW: Adelaide call NT talent Danielle Ponter". afc.com.au. Telstra Media. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  5. Arnold, Caitlin (25 August 2017). "AFLW State of Origin U18s Allies squad confirmed". aflnswact.com.au. AFL NSW/ACT. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  6. "Central Allies". womens.afl. Telstra Media. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  7. Morris, Grey (23 October 2018). "Danielle Ponter gets the thumbs up from AFLW club Adelaide after her No.48 draft selection". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  8. "AFLW: 2018 Academy prospects revealed". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  9. Morris, Grey (8 February 2019). "St Mary's young gun Danielle Ponter to make her AFLW debut for the Crows against Carlton". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  10. Black, Sarah (26 February 2019). "Great footy bloodlines in round four Rising Star nominee". womens.afl. Telstra Media. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
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