Committed and strong-minded are just two words that describe this weekend’s milestone achiever.

Sunday’s clash against North Melbourne will mark Stephanie Wales’ 50th AFLW game, with the ruck set to celebrate the occasion in front of a home crowd.

After being recruited from Oakleigh, where she played before going on to feature in eight VFLW games with Casey, Wales made her AFLW debut for the Bombers in 2022, the Club’s inaugural season in the competition.

Having played all AFLW games in the red and black, Wales has earned several accolades throughout her time in the sash, including two 22Under22 squad selections (2023 and 2024), an AFLW Rising Star nomination and a third-place finish in Essendon’s 2023 Best and Fairest count.

Her journey to the half-century milestone hasn’t been without its challenges, with Wales suffering an ACL injury during the 2024 Dreamtime clash.

In true Steph Wales fashion, however, the ruck showed remarkable resilience to return to the field just 10 months later, a testament to her determination and drive.

A member of Essendon’s leadership group, Wales is highly respected both on and off the field, consistently embodying the values of the Club through her leadership and commitment.

The ruck has enjoyed a consistent campaign in 2026, producing some of her best performances against GWS in round eight, where she recorded 20 disposals and eight clearances. She also registered an impressive 32 hitouts against Geelong in round four.

Wales will bring up her 50-game milestone during the second week of the AFLW’s Pride Round, with the Bombers set to take on North Melbourne for the first ever double header at Windy Hill this Sunday at 3:05pm AEDT.

Tickets for this weekend’s double-header can be purchased here.