[SPORTS NEWS] BERRY Named AFLW Captain
The Western Bulldogs are pleased to confirm Deanna Berry has been appointed AFLW captain for season 2024.
Berry becomes just the third captain in Club history, after being a member of the five-player leadership group last year.
The 26-year-old said she felt honoured to be chosen to lead the team.
“I’m probably a bit speechless right now to be honest – I’m just thrilled,” Berry said.
“In the last few years, I’ve really found myself as a leader, and where I can make an impact both on and off the field. I want to help drive the behaviours and the culture and the standards that we want to set as a club.
“At the moment we are in an education phase, and I feel with my coaching background I can help the girls navigate through different situations.
“I think as a club and a program, we are heading in a great direction. We’ve made enormous change over the last six months, and our team is really driving where we want to go.”
The decision was made following a thorough selection process and was ratified this week.
“Following extensive consideration, we are pleased to appoint De as captain,” GM of Women’s Football, Patrice Berthold, said.
“Reflective of the changes across our women’s program in the off-season, we introduced a new and robust leadership selection process to help position the Club with the best chance of success now and into the future across all on-field and off-field endeavours.
“De emerged from this comprehensive process as the successful candidate, and we are excited for her to guide and help propel the team’s growth through this next chapter.”
Berthold also acknowledged outgoing captain Ellie Blackburn, who will remain in the leadership group, for her service in the role.
“Ellie’s long-standing leadership has been remarkable over her eight years at the club,” Berthold said.
“Not only has she supported the evolution of this next wave of leaders, but she has played an important role in developing them too. Her leadership and performance through some challenging on-field times in recent years has provided the team with vital strength and stability.
“While she will no longer have the official title of captain, we have no doubt her experience will remain critical in taking the team forward and supporting De’s captaincy.
“Ellie will forever be our first premiership captain, and on behalf of the Club we want to thank her immensely for her commitment and dedication to the role, and her professionalism throughout this process and its outcome.”
Berry echoed Berthold’s sentiment, and looked forward to working alongside Blackburn, Elle Bennetts, Isabelle Pritchard, Isabella Grant and Jessica Fitzgerald in the leadership group.
“I’m pretty lucky in the fact that I’ve got Ellie to help guide me along the way. She’s been an enormous leader of this club for the past eight years,” Berry said.
“Having her qualities beside me is only going to help me and the direction we want to go as a club.
“The girls in the leadership group are a great bunch – it just excites me to know how much it means to all to them, and how hard they’ve been working to be leaders.”
Captain: Deanna Berry
Leadership group: Ellie Blackburn, Elle Bennetts, Isabelle Pritchard, Isabella Grant, Jessica Fitzgerald