Sophie Molan Explained

Sophie Molan
Birth Date:24 March 2001
Originalteam:GWV Rebels (NAB League Girls)
Draftpick:number 7 draft pick
Debutdate:Round 1, 2020
Height:175 cm
Position:Midfielder
Years1:2020–2022 (S7)
Games Goals1:24 (1)
Statsend:2022 season 7
Careerhighlights:AFLW
  • Inaugural Richmond AFLW team: 2020

Junior

  • Under-18 All-Australian: 2019
  • NAB League Girls Team of the Year: 2019
  • GWV Rebels captain: 2019

Sophie Molan (born 24 March 2001) is an Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition.

Early life, junior and state-league football

Molan grew up in the Victorian country town of Ballarat. She played junior football with boys teams at the Mount Clear Football Club, before switching to the Lake Wendouree Football Club in later years.[1] During her junior years she was also a talented basketball player, who represented the Victorian Country state team at under 16 level in 2016.[2] [3]

Molan attended high school at Ballarat's Loreto College where she was best on ground in a Herald Sun Shield Intermediate premiership victory in 2017.[4] [5]

Molan played representative football at NAB League level with the Greater Western Victoria Rebels, and captained the side in her draft year in 2019.[6] That year, she was named to the competition's Team of the Year.[7]

At the 2019 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships, Molan was a standout performer for the Victorian Country side, averaging 16 disposals a game and earning selection to the All-Australian side.[8] [9]

She made her debut at VFL Women's level that same year, playing a total of six matches with the Rebels-aligned including a losing grand final.[10] [11] [3]

AFL Women's career

Molan was drafted by Richmond with the club's first pick and the seventh selection overall in the 2019 AFL Women's draft.[12]

Molan made her debut in the club's inaugural match, a round 1 home game against Carlton at Ikon Park.

In March 2023, Molan was delisted by Richmond.[13]

Player profile

Molan plays as a tall ball-winning inside midfielder and is adept at handballing clear of stoppage situations.[14] [6]

Statistics

|- style="background:#EAEAEA"| scope="row" text-align:center | 2020| | 1 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 16 || 31 || 47 || 6 || 16 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 2.7 || 5.2 || 7.8 || 1.0 || 2.7|-| scope="row" text-align:center | 2021| | 1 || 9 || 0 || 0 || 35 || 43 || 78 || 8 || 25 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 3.9 || 4.8 || 8.7 || 0.9 || 2.8|- style="background:#EAEAEA"| scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2022 (S6) | | 1 || 5 || 1 || 1 || 15 || 17 || 32 || 7 || 13 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 3.0 || 3.4 || 6.4 || 1.4 || 2.6 |- style="background:#EAEAEA"| scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2022 (S7) | | 1 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 17 || 21 || 1 || 6 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.0 || 4.3 || 5.3 || 0.3 || 1.5 |- class="sortbottom"! colspan=3 | Career[15] ! 24! 1! 1! 70! 108! 178! 22! 60! 0.0! 0.0! 2.9! 4.5! 7.4! 0.9! 2.5|}

Notes and References

  1. News: Hopkins . Ben . Molan, Wood describe emotional draft day . 31 January 2020 . Bega District News . The Courier . Australian Community Media . 23 October 2019.
  2. News: Molan Family – a part of the Basketball Journey . 31 January 2020 . Basketball Ballarat . 2017.
  3. News: Balmer . Matt . How Bulldogs guidance helped ‘young pup’ burst into top-ten calculations . 31 January 2020 . Fox Sports . News Corp Australia . 21 October 2019.
  4. Web site: Herald Sun Shield Intermediate Premiers . Loreto College . 31 January 2020.
  5. News: Calafiore . Siobhan . Football: Loreto prevails in grand final bid . 31 January 2020 . The Courier . Australian Community Media . 22 August 2017.
  6. News: Kalac . Grace . Molan ‘honoured’ to be Richmond’s first ever AFLW draftee . 31 January 2020 . Richmond FC . Telstra Media . 23 October 2019.
  7. News: Taylor . Sophie . 2020 AFL Women’s team preview: Richmond . 31 January 2020 . Aussie Rules Draft Central . 15 January 2020.
  8. News: Molan named in All Australian under-18 football side . 31 January 2020 . The Courier . Australian Community Media . 26 July 2019.
  9. News: Sophie Molan named in ALL Australian Team . 31 January 2020 . GWV Rebels . 25 July 2019.
  10. News: VFLW Report: NT Thunderstruck by dominant Dogs . 31 January 2020 . Western Bulldogs . Telstra Media . 27 July 2019.
  11. Web site: Sophie Molan . Aussie Rules Draft Central . 31 January 2020.
  12. News: Navaratnam . Dinny . Draft recap: All of your club's picks . 31 January 2020 . AFL Media . Telstra Media . 22 October 2019.
  13. Web site: Richmond AFLW List Update. Telstra. Richmond. 16 March 2023. Richmond Football Club has advised AFLW players Sophie Molan and Saraid Taylor that they will not receive playing contracts for the 2023 season..
  14. News: Black . Sarah . Under-18 Championships: 14 players who enhanced their draft prospects . 31 January 2020 . AFL Media . Telstra Media . 16 July 2019.
  15. Web site: Sophie Molan. Australian Football. 18 March 2020.