THE LAST time Ashleigh Guest was involved with the Melbourne Football Club women’s team, it was as a staff member.

Working as part of the club’s community team, Guest had played a role in organising the women’s team program, ensuring the players had the best possible AFL experience.

Now, the pacy midfielder has earned the opportunity to wear the red and blue in her own right, after she was selected in Melbourne’s team for this Sunday’s match against the Western Bulldogs.

“I had to pinch myself the next morning when I woke up because I didn’t feel like it was real – I’m still trying to let it sink in a bit,” Guest told melbournefc.com.au.

 “I was at my Women’s Academy training and Michelle (Cowan) came up to me – I thought we were going to be talking about work, so I didn’t really know what was happening.

“And then she said [I was in the team] and I was in shock, so it was really exciting.

“It was a really great way to find out, having Michelle tell me individually.”

It’s been a slow and steady rise to AFL selection for Guest, who is entering her ninth season of football.

Having previously made her mark as one of Victoria’s top young softball players between the ages of 14 and 22, Guest soon found that she “fell out of love with the game and fell in love with footy” after starting the latter at the age of 18.

“My mum wouldn’t let my brothers or I play footy until we were a bit older,” she said.

“So I started playing at St Kilda for a year then I moved across to the VU Western Spurs and I’ve been playing there for the past eight seasons.

“I played state footy in 2011 and then took a bit of a break from the higher level stuff and just focused on club footy and university for a bit.”

Having completed her studies, Guest is working towards forging a full-time career in the football industry and started working casually at Melbourne in 2015.

She said her part-time employment at the club gave her an insight into the professionalism and dedication required to make it as an AFL footballer.

“Last year, I worked with (community manager) Debbie Lee to organise the structure around what would happen when the women’s team came to Melbourne,” Guest said.

“So that gave me a good insight into what Melbourne are all about in terms of their women’s program and how elite and professional it is.”

Meanwhile, Guest continued to work on her own game and when she was selected for the AFL Victoria Women’s Academy at the end of 2015, made the most of her opportunity and worked hard on improving her skills and physical fitness.

“Last season, things went up a notch in terms of the professionalism around footy at every state league premier division club,” she said.

“I really felt it start to take off last year and then this pre-season getting into the Academy, it’s been really professional.

“It’s been hard work but it’s been really rewarding – I’ve never done anything like it, so the program that surrounds the program is really good – it’s really improved my footy and my strength.”

Melbourne community manager Debbie Lee has coached Guest at VWFL level for the past two seasons and said her hard work to improve her game had put her in the frame for selection.

“I think in the last year she’s really applied herself – certainly at club level she’s improved her overhead marking and her foot skills,” Lee told melbournefc.com.au.

“She’s taken on board what she’s learned at the Academy and used that – there’s been a real improvement from her and she deserves the opportunity that she’s got.”

Lee said Guest’s speed and endurance made her a versatile member of the Melbourne squad.

“She’s got some really good fitness and another attribute she’s got is her speed,” she said.

“We think she can really bring that run off the half back flank but if we also need some assistance in the middle, she can go through there for five or 10 minutes.

“She’s really taken the next step with her footy.”

Heading into her first week of playing for Melbourne, Guest said she was keen to learn from her new, more experienced teammates.

“I’m looking forward to playing with Daisy Pearce,” Guest said.

“I played with her in state football in 2011 and with her professionalism and the way she goes about her footy, I feel like I’m going to be able to learn a lot off her.

“I’m really looking forward to playing with all those players that have been retained for Melbourne, because they’re just that step above.

“You want to get to that point, so it’s going to be really good to learn from them.”


Ashleigh Guest working at the Melbourne Football Club (Photo: Matthew Goodrope)