Think you’ve got what it takes to impress the AFL?

As part of a national female talent search, league officials will be hosting a testing session at St Ignatius College in Riverview on Sunday, February 21.

It’s part of a campaign to uncover female athletes as the AFL moves closer to establishing a national women’s competition in 2017.

Further talent sessions will be held right around Australia with places in state academies and state league clubs up for grabs.

AFL General Manager Game and Market Development, Simon Lethlean said the testing sessions will seek new talent amongst athletes who are not currently registered as Australian football players.

“We want Australian football to be the sport of choice for female athletes and we know there are many talented footballers who have backgrounds in other sports,” he said.

“We want to engage with these players and give them the chance to enhance their football skills while expanding our talent pool as we look towards the national women’s competition in 2017.”

AFL Female Ambassador and Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce will lead the sessions with state female academy coaches. The AFL has partnered with Rookie Me to conduct the athletic testing.

“This is an exciting time for women’s football and I’m looking forward to travelling around the country and meeting the athletes,” Pearce said.

“Many of the current stars in our game have also competed at the elite level in other sports. If we find more of them through the talent search the standard of our sport can only improve.”

Athletes will experience testing such as; standing and running vertical jumps, agility, 20m sprint and the shuttle run (beep test). 

Participants will also get an opportunity to demonstrate skills including kicking, marking and handballing as well as their decision making, spatial awareness and appetite to compete.

The Sydney testing session will take place from 9am-2.30pm on Sunday. No registration is needed, just simply arrive and have a go.