By JARROD POTTER
IT’S BEEN an amazing week for footballer Ellie Blackburn with the Endeavour Hills prodigy picking up two prized accolades back-to-back.
Blackburn, 20, was delisted by her beloved Melbourne ahead of this year’s AFL Women’s Draft, with key position players prioritised over the skilful midfielder/forward.
Blackburn didn’t have to wait long to re-join the AFL ranks, though, as she was taken at pick six in the 2014 Women’s AFL Draft, held on Monday night.
Blackburn was taken again by Melbourne – after featuring for the Demons in both Women’s AFL matches since her debut in 2013 – coming on the back of her best match yet on the AFL stage.
Snaring 27 touches and in the Demons’ 46-point belting of the Bulldogs last year, Blackburn was the top possession-getter on the field and was considered dreadfully unlucky to be delisted by the Demons.
She was thrilled to get back into the AFL and thought the chance to feature in two matches this season, with the first held at the MCG on Sunday 24 May and the second clash on 16 August at Etihad Stadium, dramatically boost the profile of women’s football in Australia.
“I’m very excited about it – been a big couple of days for us out at Melbourne Uni with the draft and the win on Sunday,” Blackburn said.
“I was pretty shocked to go that high up, but I was sitting there and I was relived in the end – sitting there and hearing my name called out was a big sigh of relief, and excited to be part of Melbourne again.
“It’s really good that we get the opportunity to play on both of the big grounds and, hopefully, show our talent and get away with the win.”
The Women’s AFL matches will serve as curtain-raisers before Melbourne/Western Bulldogs AFL fixtures.
Capping off the successful week was a thrilling 19-point win over reigning champions Darebin in the Victorian Women’s Football League.
“It was an amazing feeling to knock off the unbeatables,” Blackburn said.
“It pretty much felt like we won a grand final – the first time our club has beaten Darebin since 2006.
“I think the game we played was just a hard game overall and there were a couple of times they could have got on top of us and we worked pretty hard not to let it happen.”
Ellie thanked her parents and Melbourne Uni Football Club for their support.
