With AFLW pre-season ramping up, Essendon has hit the ground running ahead of its fifth season in the competition.
Midfielder Grace Belloni has already made a strong early impression in red and black after being selected with pick No.9 in the 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft.
Belloni debuted in round one of the 2025 season against GWS, kicking her first AFLW goal in her first game and finishing the season with eight appearances.
Entering her second AFLW pre-season raring to go, Belloni stays grounded in her roots, crediting Olinda Ferny Creek Football Club for shaping her journey and highlighting the lasting impact of community football on her career.
Belloni highlights the importance of staying connected to her local club, her impact in the AFLW as an inspiration for the next generation at Olinda Ferny Creek, and the importance of giving back to the community.
Belloni on… early days at Olinda Ferny Creek
“I started playing at my local club, Olinda Ferny Creek, when I was eight with the boys, and even before that, I was always involved in the local football club and community.
“It was a really big thing where I grew up, and everyone knew everyone, and the football club was a great place to just be together.
“I then went into the girls team in under 12s and played all the way up until seniors.
“I played senior football when I was 16, I was really young.”
Belloni on… the club’s lasting impact
“I played there my whole life, and it definitely played a huge role on myself as a footballer, a person, everything really.
“I can't thank my football club enough for the experiences it gave me and all the people I met there as well, I’m still so close with them."
Belloni on… giving back and inspiring the next generation
“I really like to give back, especially to those junior girls when I can.
“I go down (to the club) sometimes, to help with training and do some talks, anything I can with any time I have.
“It's something that is really important to me, growing up and seeing those girls that now have women to look up to, which I definitely didn't have.
“AFLW wasn't a thing when I started, and I definitely looked up to anyone who was close to that.
“So, to now have something that they can look at, and see how excited they are for me to be there, it’s really important to me.
“I went out to the club last week just to help out at training and do some drills with them, and then stayed for their pizza night afterwards, and just hung out with the girls.
“The young girls, all came to my first game and had my badges, and I think seeing them at my game and how excited they were, it definitely reminded me how much I want to give back and how easy of a thing that is to do.
“Whether that be going down to the club for 20 minutes and helping them run some drills or just playing around with them, and just giving them that reminder that, I was someone just like them and now playing at the highest level.
“I think that's something that I would have loved a reminder for when I was that age, and something that just would have inspired me so much.”
Essendon are set to kick off their fifth AFLW campaign at Windy Hill on Sunday August 16 against Brisbane Lions. Take a look at our AFLW packages here and sync your 2026 season calendar here.
