Brianna Davey, Collingwood AFLW midfielder, will continue to captain the Pies in 2024.
Davey, who served as single captain for the first time last year, will oversee a seven-person leadership team. Vice Captains Brittany Bonnici and Ruby Schleicher will return to their leadership positions, while Jordyn Allen has been promoted to Vice Captain this year.
Lauren Butler and Mikala Cann, returning leaders, round up the group, with Sabrina Frederick joining as a new member.
Davey had an excellent 2023 season after recovering from an ACL injury the year before, and her performances on the field earned her runner-up in the Club’s Best and Fairest Award.
Brittany Bonnici and Ruby Schleicher, Collingwood AFLW foundation players, will be Vice-Captains for the fourth consecutive season.
Bonnici also returned from an ACL injury in 2023 without missing a step. She received the Club’s 2023 Best and Fairest award and finished 11th in the AFLW Best and Fairest rankings.
Schleicher, a dual All-Australian (2021, 2022), excitedly awaits her comeback to the field following a knee injury suffered late in the 2023 AFLW season.
Allen, the 2022 Collingwood AFLW Best and Fairest winner, is entering her eighth season with the Pies. Allen was promoted to the Pies’ leadership group in 2023 and celebrated her 50th AFLW game last year.
Lauren Butler will begin her second year as a leader. The 23-year-old is a formidable defender, dominating one-on-one battles.
Cann, who is entering her sixth season as a Magpie and second year as a leader, has established herself as the team’s primary midfielder.
Sabrina Frederick, the AFLW’s initial player, has joined the Pies’ leadership group. The dual All-Australian (2017, 2018) is approaching her fourth season in the black and white and is well-regarded among the players. 2023 was perhaps the 27-year-old’s greatest season to date, with him dominating the Pies’ ruck.
Jess Burger, Collingwood’s General Manager of Women’s Football, praised the selected leaders.
“Bri’s leadership continues to evolve, setting new benchmarks for what the team needs from a Captain,” Burger told reporters.
“Her re-appointment as Captain demonstrates our collective confidence in her vision for the team’s future success.
“Ruby and Brit have been cornerstone leaders, and their experience will be invaluable this season. Jordy’s promotion to Vice-Captain marks an exciting new phase in our program, providing more motivation to build our squad.
“Having Lauren and Mikala continue their leadership development with us is amazing to witness.
“We welcome ‘Sabs’ to the gang. Sabs, as a senior player, has been a leader with us since the beginning, despite not having an official title. She exemplifies strong qualities that will manage the team and assure their success.
“This leadership group represents a perfect blend of established experience and emerging talent, positioning us strongly for the season ahead.”
The selection of the Club’s leaders is a program-wide process. The voting procedure included players’ principles and leadership skills both on and off the field. The Club’s Board of Directors made one final recommendation.
Collingwood’s 2024 AFLW leadership group
Captain: Brianna Davey
Vice Captains: Ruby Schleicher, Brittany Bonnici, and Jordyn Allen.
Leaders: Mikala Cann, Lauren Butler, and Sabrina Frederick.
