Amber Ward

Amber Ward
Personal information
Full name Amber Ward
Date of birth (2001-10-12) 12 October 2001 (age 23)
Original team(s) North Adelaide, (SANFLW)
Draft Undrafted free agent
Debut 30 January 2021, West Coast vs. Adelaide, at Lathlain Park
Height 176 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Medium defender
Club information
Current club Adelaide
Number 3
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2021–2022 West Coast 14 (0)
S7 (2022)– Adelaide 04 (0)
Total 18 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the S7 (2022) season.
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Amber Ward (born 12 October 2001) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Adelaide. She was selected by the West Coast Eagles as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 AFL Women's draft, and made her AFL Women's debut in round 1 of the 2021 AFL Women's season.

Career

Ward formerly played soccer, only beginning to play Australian rules football three years before being signed with West Coast in 2020.[1][2]

She represented South Australia in the 2018 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships, and the Central Allies (South Australian and the Northern Territory) in the 2019 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships.[1]

In the SANFLW, Ward played for North Adelaide Football Club. She nominated for the 2019 AFL Women's draft, but wasn't picked.[3] She nominated again for the 2020 AFL Women's draft, and was selected by the West Coast Eagles as an undrafted free agent. Players that are not drafted from their nominated state by the end of the draft can be approached and signed by clubs outside of their state as undrafted free agents, as long as those clubs have room on their team.[4][2]

She made her AFL Women's debut in the first round of the 2021 AFL Women's season, on 30 January 2021, playing against Adelaide.[1] Ward was one of three former North Adelaide players making their debut in 2021 for West Coast.[5] She continued through the season to play all nine matches.[1]

In June 2022, she was traded to Adelaide.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Amber Ward". West Coast Eagles. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b Dickinson, Rhys (8 October 2020). "AFLW: Eagles swoop on dynamic SA duo". West Coast Eagles. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  3. ^ Black, Sarah (22 September 2020). "Crows cheer squad to Crows backline? SA star in mix for dream move". womens.afl. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  4. ^ Black, Sarah (8 October 2020). "Last four AFLW list spots filled by South Australians". womens.afl. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  5. ^ Reilly, Eliza (28 February 2021). "South Australian SANFLW trio Amber Ward, Lauren Gauci and Katelyn Pope join forces at AFLW's West Coast Eagles". The West Australian. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  6. ^ "AFLW: Crows complete trade deals". Adelaide. Telstra. 8 June 2022.