Daisy Pearce
Daisy Pearce (born 27 May 1988) is an Australian rules football coach and former player, widely regarded as a foundational figure in the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition.[1][2] She played 55 games for the Melbourne Football Club from 2017 to 2022, captaining the team in all but one season and leading them to their first AFLW premiership in season seven (2022).[3][4] Her playing accolades include three All-Australian selections, three Melbourne best and fairest awards, and four AFL Players' Association AFLW best captain honors.[3] After retiring as a player, Pearce transitioned to coaching, initially guiding Melbourne's VFL Women's team to a premiership before being appointed senior coach of the West Coast Eagles AFLW side in late 2023.[2][5] In June 2025, she became the first AFLW player inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, recognizing her pioneering contributions to women's Australian rules football.[2][4]Early Life and Background
Childhood and Family Influences
Daisy Pearce was born on 27 May 1988 in Bright, a rural town in north-east Victoria.[1] She grew up in a football-enthusiastic family in the nearby area of Wandiligong, where her father, Daryl Pearce, coached the local junior team and fostered a strong emphasis on the sport within the household.[6][7] Pearce was one of several siblings, including multiple brothers who also played Australian rules football, with at least one brother older and one younger than her, providing early opportunities to engage with the game alongside male peers.[8] Her family's immersion in football culture—described as "footy-mad"—directly shaped her initial passion for the sport, as she participated in informal play and junior activities influenced by her father's coaching involvement.[6] Key familial support, particularly from her father Daryl, proved instrumental in overcoming external discouragement faced by girls pursuing Australian rules football during her youth, enabling her to persist in the male-dominated environment of junior levels.[9] Additionally, her mother's pregnancies with younger siblings, occurring when Pearce was older, sparked an early fascination with childbirth and family dynamics, later influencing her career path in midwifery alongside football.[10] Pearce has referenced childhood insecurities and challenging family circumstances as part of her formative experiences, though specific details remain limited in public accounts.[11]Introduction to Australian Rules Football
Daisy Pearce was introduced to Australian rules football through her family's deep involvement in the sport during her childhood in Bright, a rural town in Victoria's Alpine region. Born on 27 May 1988 into a household where her father coached the local junior team and her brothers actively played, Pearce grew up immersed in football culture, attending games and absorbing the game's dynamics from an early age.[6] This environment, characterized by competitive sibling dynamics and paternal guidance, sparked her initial interest, with much of her early years centered on supporting her older brother Harry's matches.[12] At age five, Pearce formally began playing via Auskick, the Australian Football League's introductory program designed for children under seven to develop basic skills through non-contact drills and fun activities.[10] She quickly advanced to junior competitions, where she competed alongside boys in mixed teams, navigating physical challenges and societal barriers to participation that were common for girls in the pre-AFL Women's era.[10] This progression highlighted her competitiveness and athleticism, traits honed in a male-dominated junior pathway that emphasized endurance, tackling, and ball-handling fundamentals.[9] Pearce's early exposure instilled a foundational understanding of Australian rules football's unique blend of speed, strategy, and physicality, played on an oval field with 18 players per side aiming to score by kicking between goalposts. Despite initial discouragement from some quarters advising against girls playing contact sports, her persistence in juniors laid the groundwork for later achievements, though a relocation to Melbourne at age 14 temporarily paused her involvement as organized women's options were limited and unknown to her at the time.[6][9]Pre-AFLW Playing Career
State League and Representative Experience
Pearce began her senior playing career with the Darebin Falcons in the Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL) in 2005, continuing through its transition to the VFL Women's (VFLW) competition until 2016.[3][10] She captained the team from 2008 to 2016, leading them to 10 premierships across the VWFL and VFLW eras.[3] Pearce earned six Helen Lambert Medals as the Falcons' best and fairest player, along with the VFLW best and fairest award in one season, and the Lisa Hardeman Medal in 2005.[3] In the 2016 VFLW Grand Final on September 18, she contributed significantly as Darebin defeated Melbourne University.[13] On the representative front, Pearce captained the Victoria under-19 team at the 2007 AFL Women's National Championships, where she was named to the All-Australian team and awarded most valuable player.[14] That same year, in June 2007, she represented the VWFL as one of two players selected for Victoria in the E. J. Whitten Legends Game, a charity exhibition pitting Victoria against a combined rest-of-Australia side.[14] These performances underscored her early leadership and skill in interstate and state-level competitions prior to the professional AFLW era.[9]Exhibition Matches and Early Recognition
Pearce was selected as the first overall pick in the inaugural AFL women's draft conducted on 11 June 2013 between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs to assemble teams for a series of exhibition matches aimed at promoting women's Australian rules football.[15] As captain of the Melbourne team, she led them to victory in the debut exhibition game against the Bulldogs on 30 June 2013 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, gathering possessions and demonstrating leadership that highlighted her as a standout performer.[16] The exhibition series continued annually, with Melbourne maintaining dominance over the Bulldogs in subsequent fixtures, including wins in 2014 and 2015.[17] In 2015, Pearce captained Melbourne in two NAB AFL Women's exhibition matches, recording a match-high 30 disposals in one contest and earning the most valuable player medal for the second consecutive year in the series.[17] Her performances across these games, which drew increasing crowds and media attention, culminated in her receiving five of six possible votes to win the AFL's best female player award for 2015.[18] These exhibitions provided Pearce with early national visibility, building on her Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL) dominance with the Darebin Falcons, where she had already secured multiple best-and-fairest honors, including the Lisa Hardeman Medal in 2005 and 2014.[2] Her captaincy and on-field excellence in the pre-AFLW showcases positioned her as a marquee figure in the push toward a professional women's competition, with AFL officials and media recognizing her as a key driver of the sport's growth.[19]AFLW Playing Career
Inaugural Seasons (2017-2019): Midfield Dominance and Pregnancy Hiatus
Pearce served as the inaugural captain of the Melbourne Demons in the AFL Women's league, which commenced in February 2017, and quickly asserted dominance in the midfield alongside teammates such as Karen Paxman and Claudia O'Dea.[19] In the opening season, she participated in all seven matches, amassing 153 disposals at an average of 21.9 per game—the highest in the competition—comprising 79 kicks and 74 handballs, while also averaging 5.1 tackles.[1] [20] Her performance earned her a place in the All-Australian team and the Melbourne best and fairest award, underscoring her leadership and ball-winning prowess in a nascent competition.[3] The 2018 season reinforced Pearce's midfield preeminence, as she again featured in every one of Melbourne's seven games, averaging 18.1 disposals and 12.7 kicks, ranking second and sixth league-wide respectively.[21] She secured a second consecutive All-Australian selection and Melbourne best and fairest honor, with her consistent output—totaling 89 kicks—highlighting her tactical acumen and endurance despite the physical demands of the role.[1] [3] As captain, Pearce's on-field direction and contested possession contributions were pivotal to the Demons' competitive standing, though the team fell short of finals contention. On August 31, 2018, Pearce announced her pregnancy with twins, opting for a hiatus that encompassed the entire 2019 season to prioritize maternity.[22] She and partner Ben O'Neill welcomed daughter Sylvie and son Roy on February 18, 2019, just prior to the season's start, marking a temporary shift from her playing duties while maintaining her affiliation with the club.[23] This break interrupted her streak of full-season participation but reflected her commitment to family amid a burgeoning professional career.Return and Adaptation (2020-2021): Positional Changes and Challenges
Pearce returned to competitive AFLW play in season 5 (2020) after missing the 2019 season due to the birth of twins Sylvie and Roy on February 13, 2019.[24] She resumed training with Melbourne in July 2019, approximately five months postpartum, and featured in a pre-season practice match against Collingwood on January 24, 2020.[25] As the first AFLW player to return following maternity leave, Pearce shifted from her established midfield role to half-back to manage physical demands and leverage her experience in reading the game.[19] This adaptation emphasized structure and positional awareness over contested ball-winning, with Pearce noting increased on-field communication about team setups compared to her pre-hiatus play.[26] In the truncated 2020 season, limited to seven rounds before cancellation due to COVID-19, Pearce captained Melbourne across six matches from half-back, averaging 10.3 disposals and 0.7 clearances per game—a sharp decline from her 2018 midfield average of 4.4 clearances.[27] The defensive role reduced her exposure to stoppages but highlighted challenges in rebuilding speed and endurance post-pregnancy, amid a faster-evolving competition.[28] Balancing motherhood with training intensified these hurdles, as Pearce managed twin care without formal maternity leave from her midwifery role, relying on family support to sustain elite performance.[29] Season 6 (2021) saw further positional versatility, with Pearce transitioning forward mid-season to exploit her kicking precision, contributing to Melbourne's improved form.[30] She played all 11 games, kicking three goals while grappling with inconsistent output in contested situations, reflective of ongoing adaptation to bodily changes and tactical shifts.[21] Critics noted her reduced midfield dominance as a limitation, though her leadership stabilized the team during a 5-6 finish.[28] These years underscored Pearce's resilience, prioritizing long-term sustainability over immediate statistical peaks.Final Year (2022): Scoring Surge, Premiership Win, and Retirement
In the 2022 AFL Women's Season 7, Pearce played all 10 home-and-away games for Melbourne, primarily as a forward, marking a shift from her earlier midfield roles and resulting in a career-high 13 goals.[21] This scoring surge included a club-record five goals in Round 9 against Fremantle on March 4, contributing to Melbourne's record 88-point victory, the largest margin in AFLW history at the time.[31] Her goal involvements placed her equal-third in the competition at the season's midpoint, showcasing renewed effectiveness in attack despite prior injury challenges.[32] Pearce's leadership as captain guided Melbourne to a preliminary final win, securing their first grand final appearance. On November 27, 2022, the Demons defeated minor premiers Brisbane Lions 2.7 (19) to 1.9 (15) in a low-scoring, four-point upset victory at Adelaide Oval, claiming the club's maiden AFLW premiership.[32][33] In the decider, Pearce contributed through forward pressure and handballs, including a key play to teammate Alana Paxman, while her tactical versatility allowed drops into defense when needed. This triumph delivered premiership medals to five inaugural Demons players, fulfilling a long-held team ambition.[32] Pearce won her third Melbourne best and fairest award for the season, recognizing her on-field impact and captaincy. Following the premiership, she announced her retirement from playing on January 17, 2023, after 55 AFLW games, citing a "very full heart" and plans to pursue coaching, including an assistant role at Geelong.[33][34] The decision came after resuming training but reflecting on her extensive career, including state league contributions, prioritizing transition over another playing season.[35]Cumulative Statistics and Key Metrics
Daisy Pearce appeared in 55 AFL Women's matches for the Melbourne Football Club across seven seasons from 2017 to 2022, retiring after the Demons' season 7 premiership victory.[33][21] Her career totals include 725 disposals at an average of 13.2 per game, reflecting a transition from high-volume midfield output in early seasons to a forward role emphasizing scoring in her final years.[21] She recorded 47 goals and 42 behinds, with a notable surge of 13 goals in season 6 alone following a positional shift.[21][36] Defensively and in contests, Pearce amassed 160 tackles (averaging 2.9 per game) and 71 clearances, while contributing 115 marks and zero hitouts, underscoring her ground-ball focus over ruck duties.[21] She gained 9,200 metres from kicks, averaging 167 per game, and won 47 free kicks while conceding 42.[21] In her debut season (2017), Pearce led the competition with 21.9 disposals per game (153 total), dropping to 18.1 in 2018 amid increasing physical demands and team roles.[21][20]| Statistic | Career Total | Per Game Average |
|---|---|---|
| Games Played | 55 | - |
| Kicks | 471 | 8.6 |
| Handballs | 254 | 4.6 |
| Disposals | 725 | 13.2 |
| Marks | 115 | 2.1 |
| Tackles | 160 | 2.9 |
| Goals | 47 | 0.9 |
| Behinds | 42 | 0.8 |
| Clearances | 71 | 1.3 |
Individual Honours and Team Accolades
Pearce earned three All-Australian selections during her AFLW career, named to the team in 2017 as captain, 2018, and 2022 following her transition to a forward role.[30][38] She also secured Melbourne's AFLW best and fairest award on three occasions: the inaugural honour in 2017, again in 2018, and her third in 2022 as club captain.[37] Additionally, Pearce was voted the AFL Players' Association AFLW Best Captain four times, reflecting peer recognition of her leadership.[3] On the team front, Pearce captained Melbourne in five of the league's first six seasons (2017–2018 and 2020–2022), serving as inaugural skipper and leading the Demons to their first AFLW premiership in season seven on 27 November 2022, defeating Brisbane by 34 points in the grand final.[39] This victory marked Melbourne's maiden title in the competition, with Pearce contributing as a key forward in the decider. In June 2025, Pearce became one of the first AFLW players inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, alongside Erin Phillips, acknowledging her foundational role in the women's game.[39]Playing Attributes
Technical Skills and Positional Versatility
Pearce demonstrated exceptional positional versatility throughout her AFLW career, beginning as a dominant central midfielder in the inaugural seasons before adapting to forward and occasional defensive roles later on. In her early years with Melbourne (2017–2019), she primarily operated in the midfield, leveraging her endurance to cover the ground relentlessly. Upon returning post-maternity leave in 2020–2021, coaches shifted her forward to capitalize on her goal-scoring threat, where she averaged career-high scores and contributed to a mid-season turnaround. By 2022, she reprised the forward role while dropping back into defense as required for match-ups, showcasing her adaptability across key positions.[30][37] Her technical proficiency was marked by ambidextrous kicking—capable of striking the ball effectively with either foot—a rare skill honed in state leagues that enhanced her unpredictability. Pearce excelled in contested situations, taking marks under pressure and executing precise handballs in tight spaces, with career averages of 12.8 kicks and 7.3 handballs per game reflecting her ball-winning and distribution abilities. Running snaps were a hallmark, as evidenced by her nailing two such goals in quick succession during a 2022 match against North Melbourne, contributing to her season-high five-goal haul against Fremantle in Round 9. Disposal efficiency hovered around 66%, underscoring clean execution despite high-volume involvement.[40][41][42]Physical and Tactical Strengths
Pearce, standing at 170 cm, demonstrated remarkable aerial ability and played significantly taller than her height suggested, leveraging strong marking skills and elevation to compete effectively in contests.[43] Her physical resilience shone in demanding conditions, including dry summer grounds and windy environments at Casey Fields, where she maintained consistent performance amid environmental challenges.[43] Pearce embraced the sport's physicality, thriving on its toughness and viewing successful execution in high-contact scenarios as particularly rewarding.[12] Tactically, Pearce exhibited elite game-reading capabilities, often described as a "genius" in anticipating play developments and devising midfield strategies, such as using improvised tools like saltshakers for planning during team discussions.[19] Her deep strategic understanding allowed her to function as a de facto second coach on the field, directing teammates and adapting roles seamlessly across midfield, half-back, and forward positions to meet team requirements, including transitions to defensive setups in 2020 where she excelled at initiating plays from the backline.[19] This versatility, combined with her nous and leadership, elevated team standards and performance, contributing to multiple premierships and individual accolades through precise decision-making under pressure.[19][19]Criticisms of Playing Style and Performance Limitations
Pearce experienced performance limitations due to injuries, most notably a knee injury sustained in Melbourne's AFLW round five win over the Western Bulldogs on March 27, 2021, where she left the field after just two minutes with knee soreness and was later diagnosed with a medial collateral ligament (MCL) strain alongside a small anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.[44][45][46] This incident limited her immediate participation and highlighted vulnerabilities in sustaining high-impact play, though she continued her career into 2022. Her overall AFLW tenure spanned only 24 games across seven seasons, interrupted by a pregnancy hiatus in 2019–2020, which curtailed cumulative output and exposed challenges in consistent availability compared to peers with uninterrupted play.[19] Criticisms of her playing style were minimal in public discourse, with analysts emphasizing her tactical acumen and leadership over technical flaws; however, her adaptations—shifting from midfield dominance in inaugural seasons to half-back upon return and forward in 2022—implied constraints in midfield endurance or explosiveness amid aging and post-pregnancy recovery, prioritizing team utility over individual athletic peaks.[19] No widespread commentary targeted specific stylistic weaknesses such as disposal accuracy or speed, reflecting her reputation as a versatile pioneer rather than a subject of stylistic critique.Transition to Coaching
Initial Coaching Roles and Development
Pearce's entry into coaching commenced with her selection for the 2022 BHP Women's Coaching Academy, announced by the AFL on 26 October 2021, where she was one of seven participants aimed at developing female coaches through structured education and mentorship.[47] In conjunction with this, she completed her AFL Level 3 coaching accreditation in 2022 via the AFL women's coaching academy, benefiting from guidance by former elite coaches to build foundational skills in program design and tactical analysis.[48] On 6 June 2022, Pearce was appointed to Geelong's coaching panel under the AFL's Women's Coach Acceleration Program, an initiative embedding top female talents in AFL clubs to accelerate pathways into senior roles by integrating them into men's programs for exposure to higher-stakes environments.[49] [50] This part-time arrangement allowed her to shadow staff and contribute to development sessions while concluding her playing career with Melbourne.[51] Post-retirement in September 2022, Pearce transitioned to a full-time development coach position with Geelong's AFL men's team ahead of the 2023 season, focusing on skill enhancement and leadership training for younger players within the club's high-performance framework.[52] [38] Her tenure emphasized bridging women's and men's coaching methodologies, providing hands-on experience in managing professional athletes amid the rigors of AFL competition, which club officials credited with honing her strategic acumen before pursuing head coaching opportunities.[53]Appointment as West Coast Eagles Head Coach (2024)
On 10 December 2023, the West Coast Eagles announced Daisy Pearce's appointment as senior coach of their AFL Women's (AFLW) team, effective from the 2024 season onward.[54] [55] The move followed the departure of previous coach Michael Prior, who had led the team since its inception but oversaw a winless 2023 season, marking the Eagles' fourth consecutive year without a victory.[54] Pearce, who had retired from playing in 2022 after captaining Melbourne to a premiership, stepped away from her role as an assistant coach in Geelong's AFL men's program, where she had joined on a four-year development contract earlier in 2023.[53] [51] The Eagles described the hiring as one of the most significant recruiting achievements in club history, citing Pearce's decorated playing career— including over 50 AFLW games, All-Australian selections, and leadership in Melbourne's inaugural premiership—as foundational to her coaching credentials.[55] [54] Pearce emphasized a commitment to building sustainable foundations, drawing on her recent coaching exposure at Geelong and her firsthand knowledge of high-performance environments from her playing days.[56] The appointment required Pearce and her family to relocate from Victoria to Perth, a decision she framed as a full endorsement from her household to embrace the challenge of revitalizing a program that had yet to secure a finals berth since entering the competition in 2019.[56] [57] Pearce's selection edged out other candidates, including interest in former player Dani Laidley, amid the Eagles' push for rapid improvement in a league where foundational player development and tactical discipline had eluded prior regimes.[5] Club officials highlighted her blend of on-field expertise and off-field media presence as assets for elevating the team's profile and attracting talent, though Pearce stressed that success would hinge on methodical progress rather than immediate results.[55] The deal was reported as multi-year, aligning with the Eagles' long-term investment in their AFLW program despite ongoing on-field struggles.[53]Coaching Seasons (2024-2025): Strategies, Results, and Adjustments
In her debut season as head coach of the West Coast Eagles in AFLW Season 9 (2024), Daisy Pearce emphasized a contest-centric game plan, prioritizing improvements in clearance work and defensive pressure from stoppages, which elevated the team's ranking from 18th to 9th league-wide in points conceded from clearances.[58] This shift fostered greater player empowerment and fluidity, allowing individuals like Ella Roberts to excel while injecting new energy into a previously underperforming list.[59][60] The Eagles secured four wins in their first six matches—their strongest start in club history—culminating in a 4–7 overall record, surpassing prior seasons' tallies and marking tangible progress despite missing finals.[61][62] Pearce's strategies centered on cultural reset and skill execution under pressure, drawing from her playing experience to build resilience, though challenges persisted in maintaining consistency against top teams, leading to a mid-season fade.[63] Post-season reflections highlighted lessons in managing a young squad's physical and mental demands, with Pearce noting the "whirlwind" nature of entry-level coaching informed targeted off-season adjustments.[64] Heading into Season 10 (2025), Pearce refined the approach by enhancing physical conditioning and talent pathways, resulting in improved standards and emerging contributions from youth like Bella Lewis and Charlie Thomas.[65] The Eagles broke their win record with at least five victories by October, including a 31-point thrashing of Geelong on October 17 and a milestone composure display against Collingwood on October 5, positioning them as finals contenders for the first time.[66] Adjustments emphasized maturity in high-stakes scenarios, with Pearce praising resilience amid losses like a 51-point defeat to Melbourne on September 21, using such games to instill lessons in adaptability and pressure execution.[67][68] By late October, the team embraced a "do-or-die" mindset for a potential maiden finals berth, attacking opportunities despite a narrow loss to Sydney on October 24 that delayed qualification.[69][70][71]Coaching Record and Analytical Metrics
Pearce was appointed head coach of the West Coast Eagles AFLW team in June 2024.[38] In her inaugural season (AFLW Season 9, 2024), she led the Eagles to a 4–7 record, marking the club's best performance in its six-year history and surpassing the previous high of three wins set in 2022.[72] [60] In AFLW Season 10 (2025), Pearce guided the Eagles to a 6–5 record entering the final round on October 26, 2025, securing a position in sixth place on the ladder with a percentage of 118.1%.[73] This included breaking the club record for most wins in a season with five victories by early October, highlighted by a 31-point win over Geelong on October 17 and a prior four-goal victory over GWS in September.[66] [74] The team's progress positioned them for a potential maiden finals appearance, a milestone unmet in prior seasons under previous coaches.[73]| Season | Games | Wins | Losses | Win % | Ladder Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 (S9) | 11 | 4 | 7 | 36.4% | 10th | Club-best wins to date[72] |
| 2025 (S10)* | 11 | 6 | 5 | 54.5% | 6th | Record five wins achieved; finals contention[73] [74] |
| Total | 22 | 10 | 12 | 45.5% | - | Highest win percentage among West Coast AFLW coaches[75] |