Exciting small forward Ashley Sharp has been nominated for the NAB AFL Women’s Rising Star after an impressive performance against GWS last Saturday in Sydney.
The 19-year-old kicked three goals against the Giants, while laying four tackles alongside her nine possessions.
Drafted with pick 20 from Swan Districts, Sharp arrived at Fremantle with credentials after kicking six goals and earning the best on ground performance during the 2016 WAWFL Grand Final.
After a tough two games to open her AFLW career, Sharp said she was pleased to perform at her best on the national stage.
“To be nominated is really great,” Sharp said.
“I feel I had an average first two games, so to be able to play well and get noticed is something I’ll definitely keep with me forever. It’s just an honour.”
Impressively, two of Sharp’s three goals came from her non-preferred left foot.
Even her easier goal was set up by a moment of brilliance, using her body to push a GWS defender out of position before running into an open goal.
But Sharp’s best moment came in the opening term, snapping a goal over her shoulder to extend Fremantle’s lead.
After going winless in the opening three rounds, Fremantle would need a victory in each of the remaining games of the season, and rely on other results going their way, to finish in the top two and make the Grand Final.
But despite being up against the wall, Sharp said senior coach Michelle Cowan said there were a lot of positives to take from the weekend.
“There were pros and cons from the game as we played better than we have the last two weeks,” Sharp said.
“But to get the draw instead of the win really hurt.
“Overall as a team, Michelle said that we’ve shown we can play good football and we are improving week on week, so there was a lot of positive feedback as a team.”
