AFLW team news: Childhood Bluebagger gets her chance

Childhood Blue Tayla McMillan will debut in Round 7

By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media

TAYLA McMillan will live out her dream on Friday.

The childhood Bluebagger will pull on her favourite colour when Carlton runs out to take on Richmond in an IKON Park double header.

With the Round 7 clash taking place on the public holiday in Victoria, there could be no better setting for McMillan, who arrived at IKON Park in last year’s draft.

Selected with pick No.34 in the 2025 AFL Women’s Draft last December, McMillan played for the Eastern Ranges and modelled her game closely on future teammate and locker buddy, Keeley Sherar.

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Spending her first pre-season training as a forward, McMillan can also play as a midfielder and will debut in the No.26 guernsey.

She is the Blues’ first AFLW debutant of the season, joining Club debutants Brooke Boileau, Nell Morris-Dalton, Claudia Whitfort and Lauren Bella as new Blues in 2026.

Carlton will announce its full team at 6:20pm on Thursday.

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