AFLW

[Booney]

AFTER eight seasons, 66 games and countless team and individual achievements, NAB AFLW champion Erin Phillips OAM will retire from elite football.

Port Adelaide captain Phillips will hang up her boots following Saturday’s game with a long list of accolades to her name, including three premierships, two league best and fairest medals and All-Australian honours on three occasions.

Regarded as one of the best cross-code athletes in Australian sport, the 38-year-old is also one of the most decorated players in the AFLW.

Phillips began her AFLW career at the age of 31 with the Adelaide Crows, where she co-captained the club’s first four campaigns.

She is a two-time Adelaide Crows Club Champion and was named best on ground in two grand finals.

In her first season at Alberton at the age of 37, Phillips finished runner-up in the club’s best and fairest count and this year, she became just the 12th AFLW player to reach 1000 career disposals.

“Erin is a formidable athlete and an exemplary leader,” Port Adelaide head of AFLW Juliet Haslam said.

“I still recall the day she called to tell me she had made the decision to play for Port Adelaide. I clearly remember her asking if her dad’s number 22 guernsey was available. It was such a thrill.”

But Phillips never wore the number 22, instead the former basketballer donned the famed number 1 guernsey after being voted the club’s inaugural AFLW captain.

“Erin has given everything she has to this club,” Haslam said.

“She is a proud Port Adelaide person and her commitment to her craft is second to none. We are so pleased to have shared in the last two seasons of her career. It’s been wonderful to watch her lead our group as captain, and we look forward to seeing what she will do next.

“We wish Erin all the very best in her retirement. Erin, Tracy and their children, Brooklyn, Blake, Drew and Londyn will always be part of the Port Adelaide family.”

Prior to switching to football, Phillips enjoyed a successful basketball career in Australia, Europe and the United States, collecting two WNBA championships, one WNBL championship and on three occasions being named in the WNBL all-star five, and once a EuroLeague all-star.

The proud mother of four also claimed an Olympic silver medal, a Commonwealth Games gold, as well as a gold and a bronze in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

Known as a hardworking, team-first person, Phillips will forever leave her mark on Port Adelaide’s AFLW program, and on the league.

“The time is right for me to call time on my football career,” Phillips said.

“I am so grateful to Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Football Club for giving me the opportunity to play the game I have loved since I was little.

“To share the last two years of my career with the Alberton crowd has been an incredible experience. I have given everything I had left to this club and I’m so grateful to our members and fans for their support, through the highs and lows.

“It has been a true privilege to lead this team and I can’t wait to see what this group will achieve in the coming years.

“It’s been an amazing ride and I’m looking forward to the next chapter. For me, that will mean giving my body a rest and spending more time with my family.

“I am so grateful to be finishing my playing days at Port Adelaide.”

Phillips will play her final AFLW game on Saturday, November 4 against GWS from 2:35pm. Port Adelaide will also mark Pride Round this weekend, celebrating the beauty and diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community.

[Wedgie]

Good luck to Erin, an absolute legend.

[Brodlach]

Even though she has shown she is a superstar player I guess AFLW came a decade too late to show her true ability. A younger Phillips would have been unstoppable.

Will make a great coach when she is ready.

[amber_fluid]

Even though she has shown she is a superstar player I guess AFLW came a decade too late to show her true ability. A younger Phillips would have been unstoppable.

Will make a great coach when she is ready.

She is by far the best player to have played AFLW.
No one even comes close to her.

[Brodlach]

Even though she has shown she is a superstar player I guess AFLW came a decade too late to show her true ability. A younger Phillips would have been unstoppable.

Will make a great coach when she is ready.

She is by far the best player to have played AFLW.
No one even comes close to her.

I agree, superstar

[Booney]

They can name the medal after her now.

[Booney]

“I got the memo from Port Adelaide … all the No.1s retire this year" Erin Phillips

[Booney]

Even though she has shown she is a superstar player I guess AFLW came a decade too late to show her true ability. A younger Phillips would have been unstoppable.

Will make a great coach when she is ready.

She is by far the best player to have played AFLW.
No one even comes close to her.

I agree, superstar

At U14 level she was rated the best talent in junior football in SA.

[Rik E Boy]

If she aint a legend, who is? Way ahead of her time in terms of skill. Won everything there was to win and influenced the woman's game massively. Women's football owes her a debt.

regards,

REB

[locky801]

Wonderful career, one of the best ever in AFLW

Glad she got to captain and play for her beloved Port before the injuries took their toll.

As others have said will make a fantastic coach one would think

[Eagles2014]

They can name the medal after her now.

Absolutely should happen.

Unfortunately due to being a South Aussie cant see it happening.

Just as big a push in Melbourne for Daisy Pearce to get the honour

[MW]

They can name the medal after her now.

Absolutely should happen.

Unfortunately due to being a South Aussie cant see it happening.

Just as big a push in Melbourne for Daisy Pearce to get the honour

It's a tricky one. Should Erin be named after the 'norm smith' or the 'brownlow'? Cant be both...even though she owns both multiple times...

I think they will name one of them the Phillips-Pearce award . Likely for the 'brownlow'.

[Booney]

While she deserves the highest honor I think the GF BOG is the one that it should be.

The league MVP/Brownlow probably needs more time to have a name on it, the GF BOG could happen right away though. IMO.

[cracka]

While I don't watch much AFLW & I can see the skills improving each year, she is still the only one that can (for lack of a better term) kick like a bloke. By that I mean her hand placement, ball drop & connection of ball to boot

[mots02]

Even though she has shown she is a superstar player I guess AFLW came a decade too late to show her true ability. A younger Phillips would have been unstoppable.

Will make a great coach when she is ready.

She is by far the best player to have played AFLW.
No one even comes close to her.

I agree, superstar

At U14 level she was rated the best talent in junior football in SA.

She was good, but I can assure you she wasn't rated the best junior talent in SA at 14.

[Wedgie]

Always nice smashing the Hawks, well done girls, Cats are in the finals!
Love the rainbow guernseys too, proud to be a member!

Big day in the women's game, Port farewelled Erin Phillips appropriately and this Brisbane v Melbourne game is a ripper with a lot riding on it!

[Wedgie]

phillips.jpg (35.98 KiB) Viewed 4474 times

[Wedgie]

WEEK ONE FINALS FIXTURE

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 11

First Qualifying Final
Adelaide v Brisbane, 2.35pm local (3.05pm AEDT), Norwood Oval

First Elimination Final
Gold Coast v Sydney, 6.15pm local (7.15pm AEDT), Heritage Bank Stadium

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 12

Second Elimination Final
Geelong v Essendon, 1.05pm AEDT, GMHBA Stadium

Second Qualifying Final
Melbourne v North Melbourne, 3.05pm AEDT, Ikon Park

[woodublieve12]

Rapt with the Swans improvement. Second year finals after being smashed all last year

[locky801]

Crows women again struggling to impact on the scoreboard