Maddy Prespakis:
45th Carlton AFLW player
24 games, 14 goals, 2019 - 2022
Madison Prespakis arrived at Carlton a ready-made AFLW star, quickly forging her way into the Blues’ best. A no-nonsense, combative midfielder, Prespakis has won awards wherever she’s played — including All-Australian selection and best-and-fairest honours in her under-18s career. Prespakis was awarded both the AFLPA 2019 AFLW Best First Year Player and the 2019 NAB AFLW Rising Star award for her breakout season, as well as being named All Australian.
In 2020, Prespakis took her game to the next level. Not dropping below 17 disposals in her seven games, Prespakis stamped herself as one of the best players in the competition, taking home the AFLW's Best and Fairest award - becoming only the third Indigenous player to win the league’s top award across the AFL and AFLW competitions. In 2021, Prespakis continued her dominant midfield performance, adding some impressive forward craft to her resume.
Kirby Bentley:
41st Carlton AFLW player
3 games, 0 goals, 2019
Kirby Bentley joined the Blues as a free agent ahead of the 2019 season. The esteemed defender began her career at the Dockers, where she was taken as a priority pick in 2016. Bentley played all seven games of the inaugural AFLW season, averaging 10 disposals across half-back before a knee injury would see her miss the entire 2018 season.
Despite only playing three games in Navy Blue, Bentley’s impact and advocacy for Indigenous girls has been profound. In 2014, she began the Kirby Bentley Cup: a nine-a-side tournament for Aboriginal girls to help provide young Indigenous girls the opportunity to put their skills on display.
Nat Plane:
20th Carlton AFLW player
36 games, 5 goals 2017 - 2022
One of the Inaugural Blues at IKON Park, Plane swapped her cricket whites for the Navy Blue when she was drafted by the Club in 2016. Showing promise as both an inside-midfielder and a reliable defender, Plane is a consistent feature in the Blues best team.
As a proud Kamilaroi woman, Plane has also had a crucial role in helping to educate and promote female Indigenous footballers, using her advocacy to influence the beginning of the first-ever AFLW Indigenous Round in 2021.
