IN JULY of 2021, Tahlia Gillard made her leap into the AFLW world during the National Draft.
She joined the Demons at pick No.42, seen as a promising young talent with height, versatility and natural athleticism thanks to backgrounds in both netball and softball.
Now, 16 months on and in her second season at the Demons, the youngster is proving just how much of a rising star she is.
After debuting in Round 7 of last season, the 18-year-old has played every match in the current AFLW season, cementing herself as a key member of Melbourne’s defensive group.
This on-field presence was recognised during Round 9, the defender nominated for the AFLW Rising Star Award for a performance that saw her help restrict Essendon from scoreboard impact, resulting in an impressive 41-point win for the Dees.
“I feel like there’s a lot of trust within the backline, and I really enjoy playing alongside those girls,” Gillard told Melbourne Media.
“They bring a lot of confidence out in me and I back them immensely and likewise they back me, which is handy.”
Gillard’s development is a testament to her hard work both on and off the track, which the Demon says has been ignited by the leadership of experienced teammate Libby Birch.
Birch, who has been a part of the league since its inception in 2017, is a two-time All-Australian defender and a member of Melbourne’s leadership group alongside Daisy Pearce, Kate Hore and Tyla Hanks.
“Libby has been amazing,” Gillard said.
“She is one of the best defenders [in the league], if not the best.
“Her leadership and how she pushes me to be the best I can, she’s really sped up my development in the backline.
“I think we work really well as a partnership down back [too].”
Gillard and the rest of the Melbourne group will spend the next week gearing up for their preliminary final clash against North Melbourne, in which the side will be battling it out for a spot in the AFLW Season Seven Grand Final.
“We want to ensure we come into this finals series as best we can and know our game plan as best we can,” Gillard said.
“Come Monday, we’ll do a review of the [North] game and work out where their strengths are and how we can minimise that and then how we can really implement our game plan.”
You can get tickets to the Saturday final here, with kick-off scheduled for 3:10pm (AEDT) at IKON Park.
