Young AFLW star scores Sports Award
Published 21 January 2021
She’s the young AFL player who is kicking goals both on and off the field; and now 19-year-old Lily Postlethwaite can add the title of Moreton Bay 2021 Australia Day Sports Award Winner to her trophy cabinet.
Mayor Peter Flannery said the dynamo midfielder was a fantastic role model for local girls who might aspire to play and pursue sport as a career.
“Growing up on a farm in Caboolture, the rising star hadn’t even considered playing AFL until she was 12-years-old,” Mayor Flannery said.
“But that didn’t stop Lily from making her way to the top of the ladder, debuting for the Brisbane Lions in the AFL Women’s League in 2020.
“Showing talent from a young age, Lily was a stand out in Oztag, NRL and touch football before she made the switch to AFL thanks to the encouragement of her father.
“In 2018, Lily represented Queensland as the caption in the AFL Women's U18 Championships and was selected for the All-Australian team.
“But her breakthrough season was 2019 when she won the Queensland Women’s AFL Rising Star Award before being drafted by the Brisbane Lions with the third pick in the 2019 AFL Women's draft.
“Lily has made us marvel with joy at what you can do on a sporting field and that’s something special in uncertain times we are experiencing with the coronavirus.”
Lily Postlethwaite said was a surreal feeling to be drafted for Brisbane Lions in the AFLW.
“My first year playing in the AFLW was a cool experience, I was lucky enough to play all seven games in the season,” Lily said.
“With everyone improving, I think the 2021 season will only be bigger and better, and getting the premiership is at the top of our tasks for 2021.
“I’m very honoured to receive the Australia Day Sports Award as it means a lot to me growing up in the region and with sport has been such a big part of my life.
“I love that there is sport everywhere I go in Moreton Bay, you can have a kick or a run, and there’s always something active you can do.”
Following her career since the beginning, Local Councillor Adam Hain (Div 3) said he was very proud of Lily’s achievements.
“I’ve known Lily since she was a young girl as her dad is a mate of mine that I played footy with in the local Masters League,” Cr Hain said.
“Lily used to come to training when she was about ten and would run around the paddock with us.
“That’s where she found her love for Aussie Rules, and the rest is history.
“She’s a fantastic role model that will inspire a new generation of female sporting superstars in Moreton Bay.”