Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to offer my huge congratulations to Sale teenager Holly Whitford, who, at just 19 years of age, has made her debut for the Australian Football League women's team Collingwood. Getting me over my antipathy towards Collingwood, I have to say, is a great achievement for young Holly. She appeared on the weekend in front of a record 41,000 spectators, which is a real credit to the AFL women's game. Unfortunately, they lost to Fremantle, but I'm sure young Holly will have a great and distinguished career in the women's league. Holly is a former Sale Catholic College student. She played footy with Sale City as a young girl growing up, and also with Gippsland Power. She was one of the recipients of our Local Sporting Champions grant a few years ago, which I'm sure helped her as she progressed her sporting career. Holly was draft pick No. 2 in the rookie draft a couple of weeks ago, and her progress from the rookie list through to the senior team in just a fortnight is something she should be very proud of, and I'm sure her family and friends are equally as proud of Holly for that achievement.

The Whitford name is well known around the Sale football community. Her uncle John 'Porky' Whitford was a young fellow who I played footy with growing up, and her father, Billy, was a very good footballer as well in Sale. I think he played with Sale and Sale City. The Whitford name is certainly well known in football circles in Sale for the men's game. Now, it's great to see young Holly being a role model for young girls aspiring to play AFL women's football.