Hubbry Logo
search
logo
Emily Bates avatar
Emily Bates
Emily Bates
current hub
1573414

Emily Bates

logo
Community Hub0 Subscribers
Read side by side
Emily Bates
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Emily Bates (born 18 October 1995) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Hawthorn Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She previously played for the Brisbane Lions from 2017 to season 7. Bates was selected by the Western Bulldogs in the inaugural national women's draft in 2013, and represented them in the first three years of the exhibition games staged prior to the creation of the league. She represented Brisbane in 2016, the last year that the games were held, and was drafted by the club with the second selection in the 2016 AFL Women's draft prior to the inaugural AFL Women's season.

Key Information

Bates won an AFL Women's premiership with Brisbane in 2021 and was awarded the league's highest individual accolade, the AFL Women's best and fairest, in season 6. She is also a three-time AFL Women's All-Australian, four-time Brisbane best and fairest winner and won the Hawthorn best and fairest award in 2023. Bates has served as Hawthorn captain since 2024.

Early life

[edit]

Bates was born in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria[1][2] as one of three sisters. At the age of three, her family relocated to Brisbane.[3] Her father Lloyd went on to be a key figure in Queensland football, and encouraged Bates to play football at Yeronga Football Club, where he coached.[4] Through him she grew up with a football in her hand and when a girls' team started up in 2011, she joined as a junior with her father as team coach with the two winning the under 15 junior premiership. Lloyd passed of cardiac arrest when she was 15 and the medal awarded to the best and fairest player in Yeronga’s QAFLW team is named in his honour.[5][6] She was educated at Brigidine College, Indooroopilly.[citation needed]

In 2011 and 2012 she represented Queensland at under-18 level in both cricket and Australian rules football (as captain), but she ultimately chose Australian rules football over a cricket career.[7][8]

Bates was selected by the Western Bulldogs with the forty-fourth selection in the inaugural national women's draft in 2013, and represented them in the first three years of the exhibition games staged prior to the creation of the league. [citation needed]

She won the Best & Fairest in the QWAFL in 2016.[citation needed]

AFL Women's career

[edit]

Bates was taken with the number two pick, Brisbane's first, in the 2016 AFL Women's draft.[2] She was announced as one of the "values leaders" to assist captain Emma Zielke alongside Sabrina Frederick-Traub, Leah Kaslar and Sam Virgo in January 2017.[9] She made her debut in the Lions' inaugural game against Melbourne at Casey Fields in the opening round of the 2017 AFL Women's season.[10]

Bates was nominated by her teammates for the 2017 AFLW Players’ Most Valuable Player Award, was named Brisbane's best and fairest and was also listed in the All-Australian team.[11][12][13]

Brisbane signed Bates for the 2018 season during the trade period in May 2017.[14]

Brisbane signed Bates for the 2020 season during the trade and sign period in April 2019.[15]

Bates signed on with Brisbane for 2 more years on 15 June 2021.[16]

In 2022 season 6, Bates elevated her game to new heights and averaged nearly 22 disposals and six tackles a game, becoming the Lions' best player. She polled 21 votes in the best and fairest count and became the club's first league best and fairest recipient, the highest individual accolade in the sport.[17] She also earned the Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award and the Players Association Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, which made her the second player in the competition's history to win all three individual end-of-season awards.[18][19]

Leading into the 2023 season, Sarah Black named Bates at no. 10 on her annual list of the top 30 players in the AFLW.[20]

Leading into the 2024 season, Bates was announced as Hawthorn's new captain, replacing Tilly Lucas-Rodd.[21] Bates was named among Hawthorn's best players in its win over Carlton in week 1[22] but was a late withdrawal from Hawthorn's win over Collingwood in week 2, missing an AFLW match for the first time in her career.[23] She returned against Adelaide in week 3 and was named among Hawthorn's best players.[24]

Statistics

[edit]

Updated to the end of 2025.[25]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
  #  
 Played in that season's 
premiership team
  †  
 Led the league for 
the season
  ±  
 Won that season's 
AFLW B&F
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2017 Brisbane 1 8 1 1 84 41 125 21 38 0.1 0.1 10.5 5.1 15.6 2.6 4.8 4
2018 Brisbane 1 8 0 0 73 66† 139 18 37 0.0 0.0 9.1 8.3† 17.4 2.3 4.6 4
2019 Brisbane 1 7 0 1 62 54 116 15 29 0.0 0.2 8.9 7.7 16.6 2.1 4.1 1
2020 Brisbane 1 7 1 1 80 59 139 23 24 0.1 0.1 11.4 8.4 19.9 3.3 3.4 4
2021# Brisbane 1 11 1 1 96 79 175 26 43 0.1 0.1 8.7 7.2 15.9 2.4 3.9 6
2022 (S6) Brisbane 1 12 3 2 142 114 256 25 85 0.3 0.2 11.8 9.5 21.3 2.1 7.1 21±
2022 (S7) Brisbane 1 13 3 2 131 105 236 29 85 0.2 0.2 10.1 8.1 18.2 2.2 6.5 8
2023 Hawthorn 39 10 1 3 104 104 208 18 97 0.1 0.3 10.4 10.4 20.8 1.8 9.7 5
2024 Hawthorn 1 12 5 4 126 126 252 30 85 0.4 0.3 10.5 10.5 21.0 2.5 7.1 17
2025 Hawthorn 1 8 1 1 59 113 172 12 45 0.1 0.1 7.4 14.1 21.5 1.5 5.6 10
Career 96 16 16 957 861 1818 217 568 0.2 0.2 10.0 9.0 18.9 2.3 5.9 80

Honours and achievements

[edit]

Team

Individual

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Emily Bates

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Emily Bates is an Australian rules footballer known for her distinguished career in the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition as a highly regarded midfielder, highlighted by a premiership win, multiple individual awards, and leadership roles with the Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn. [1] Born on 18 October 1995, she debuted in the league's inaugural season in 2017 with Brisbane, where she quickly established herself as a foundational player and consistent performer in the midfield. [1] Bates achieved significant success at Brisbane, including the 2021 AFLW Premiership and four club Best and Fairest awards (2017, 2020, S6 2022, and S7 2022). [1] Her standout 2022 season (S6) saw her win the AFLW Best and Fairest (W Medal), the AFL Coaches' Association Champion Player of the Year, and the AFL Players' Association MVP, marking her as only the second player in league history to claim all three major individual honours in a single year. [1] [2] She earned All-Australian selection three times (2017, 2018, and 2022) and reached milestones such as 50 and 75 AFLW games. [1] After transitioning to Hawthorn, she served as co-vice-captain in 2023 and captain since 2024, adding the 2023 club Best and Fairest to her accolades while maintaining elite performance levels, including a club-record 34 disposals in a match and strong averages in disposals, clearances, and tackles. [1] Over 96 career games, Bates has earned recognition for her professionalism, resilience, and impact on the growth of women's football in Australia. [1]

Early life

Family background and upbringing

Emily Bates was born on 18 October 1995 in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia. [3] Her family relocated to Queensland when she was about two years old, settling in Brisbane where she spent her formative years. [3] She attended Brigidine College in Indooroopilly. [4] Her father, Lloyd Bates, was deeply involved in Queensland Australian rules football as coach of the Yeronga Football Club's men's side and introduced her to the game through junior football at the club. [5] He died when Emily was 15 years old. [5] [6] This loss profoundly influenced her motivation in football; she dedicated her performance in the 2017 AFLW Grand Final to her father. [7]

Junior sporting career

Bates began her Australian rules football journey in 2011 when she joined the Yeronga South Brisbane girls’ team in the under-15s, winning the under-15 junior premiership with her father serving as coach. [8] She represented Queensland at under-18 level in both Australian rules football and cricket, captaining the football side in 2011 and 2012. [9] She ultimately chose to focus on Australian rules football over cricket. [5] In the inaugural national women's draft in 2013, Bates was selected by the Western Bulldogs with pick 44. [10] [11] She represented the Western Bulldogs in the first three years of the AFL Women’s exhibition series from 2013 to 2015. In 2016, she represented Brisbane in an exhibition game and won the QWAFL Best & Fairest award. [12] Later that year, she was drafted by the Brisbane Lions with pick 2 in the 2016 AFL Women’s national draft. [12]

AFLW playing career

Brisbane Lions (2017–2022)

Emily Bates joined the Brisbane Lions as one of the club's inaugural AFLW players, drafted ahead of the competition's debut season in 2017. [5] She made her debut in Round 1 of the 2017 AFLW season against Melbourne at Casey Fields. [13] [14] Over her tenure with the Lions from 2017 to 2022, Bates played 66 games and established herself as a dominant midfielder known for her professionalism, work rate, and consistency. [3] She won the Brisbane Lions best and fairest award three times—in the inaugural 2017 season, 2020, and 2022 (S6). [3] [15] Bates earned All-Australian selection three times during her time at the club, in 2017, 2018, and S6 (2022). [3] [15] She was a key contributor to the Lions' 2021 AFLW premiership success. [3] [15] She was a member of the club's leadership group in multiple years and served as vice-captain in S6 (2022). [3] During that season, she reached the 50-game AFLW milestone and delivered a career-best performance, averaging over 21 disposals, 10 contested possessions, 5 clearances, and 6 tackles per game. [3] [5] In S6 (2022), Bates achieved a historic clean sweep of the major individual AFLW awards, winning the league best and fairest (W Medal), the AFL Players' Association MVP, and the AFL Coaches' Association Champion Player of the Year. [15] [5] Across her career, which largely spanned her Brisbane tenure, she averaged 18.8 disposals, 9.9 kicks, 8.9 handballs, and 5.7 tackles per game. [1]

Hawthorn (2023–present)

In 2023, Emily Bates joined Hawthorn as part of the AFLW expansion signing period, reuniting with fellow Brisbane premiership player Greta Bodey. [16] She was appointed co-vice-captain ahead of her debut season with the club. [17] Bates played all 10 games, averaging 20.8 disposals, 13 contested possessions, 9.7 tackles, and 4.9 clearances per game while reaching her 75th AFLW career milestone. [17] She claimed the Hawthorn best and fairest award, polling 74 votes from the coaches to secure her fourth club best and fairest overall and her first in brown and gold. [17] Bates was appointed Hawthorn captain prior to the 2024 season. [18] She played 12 games in her first year in the role, averaging 21 disposals, 4.6 clearances, and kicking 5 goals across the campaign. [18] In Round 8, she recorded a career-high 34 disposals, setting a new Hawthorn AFLW club record for most disposals in a game. [18] Bates finished runner-up in the Hawthorn best and fairest count, jointly won the club's Best Player in Finals award, and placed fourth in the AFLW league best and fairest. [18] Hawthorn won the McClelland Trophy in 2024 as the best-performing club across the AFL and AFLW seasons. [19] In the 2025 season to date, Bates has played 8 games, averaging 21.5 disposals and 5.6 tackles per match. [18] As of the current season, her career totals stand at 96 games and 16 goals. [18]

Media and broadcasting career

Television and podcast appearances

Emily Bates has made numerous television and podcast appearances related to Australian rules football coverage, primarily as herself in various programs. [20] She has appeared as herself on AFL-related broadcasts on the Seven Network and Fox Footy across multiple shows from 2017 to 2025. [20] These include six episodes of Saturday Afternoon AFL between 2017 and 2022, nine episodes of Saturday Night AFL from 2017 to 2025, five episodes of Friday Night Football from 2022 to 2025, and eleven episodes of AFL Sunday from 2022 to 2025. [20] Bates also featured in one episode of Smashhdown! in 2019 and one episode of the SEN Afternoons podcast in 2023. [20] Archive footage of her has appeared on ABC News Breakfast in ten episodes from 2024 to 2025 and on Weekend Breakfast in seven episodes over the same period, where she is credited as a Hawthorn AFLW player or captain. [20]

Honours and achievements

Individual awards

Emily Bates has been widely recognised for her individual excellence throughout her career in Australian rules football. Prior to entering the AFLW, she won the QWAFL Best & Fairest award in 2016. She was selected as an Allies representative in the 2017 State of Origin series. [15] In the AFLW, Bates has earned three All-Australian selections in 2017, 2018, and S6 (2022). [18] [15] Her most dominant season came in S6 (2022), when she completed a rare clean sweep of the competition's major individual honours by winning the AFLW Best and Fairest, the AFLPA AFLW Most Valuable Player award, and the AFLCA AFLW Champion Player of the Year. [2] [21] [22] At club level, Bates claimed the Brisbane Lions best and fairest award four times: in 2017, 2020, S6 (2022), and S7 (2022). [23] [15] After transferring to Hawthorn, she won the club's best and fairest in 2023. [18]

Team honours

Emily Bates has been part of several notable team successes in the AFL Women's competition. She was a key contributor to the Brisbane Lions' victory in the 2021 AFL Women's premiership, earning her status as an AFLW premiership player. [15] Bates also shared in two AFL Women's minor premierships with Brisbane, with the club topping the ladder in the inaugural 2017 season and again in Season 7 (2022). [24] After joining Hawthorn, Bates was part of the team when the club secured the McClelland Trophy in 2024, awarded for the best overall performance across the AFL men's and AFLW competitions. [19]

References

  1. https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/players/1439/emily-bates
  2. https://www.afl.com.au/news/736254/emily-bates-crowned-the-2022-afl-womens-best-and-fairest
  3. https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/1386826/39-days-to-go-get-to-know-our-no-39-emily-bates
  4. https://catholicleader.com.au/news/education/two-brigidine-graduates-are-kicking-goals-on-aflw-championship-lions-team/
  5. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-06/emily-bates-aflw-best-and-fairest-w-awards-brisbane-lions/100969742
  6. https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1000497/lion-queen-bates-crowned-aflws-best-in-nailbiting-count
  7. https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/aflw/brisbanes-emily-bates-playing-for-her-dad-in-aflw-grand-final-after-major-influence-on-her-career/news-story/f288cc17861c55dbf067e929503580e1
  8. https://www.yerongadevils.com.au/blog/
  9. https://uqsport.com.au/blog/aflw-star-emily-bates-chats-footy/
  10. https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/999458/how-the-dees-dogs-rivalry-fast-tracked-the-aflw
  11. https://www.theroar.com.au/2013/06/28/womens-game-a-step-forward-for-the-afl/
  12. https://couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/emily-bates-says-being-drafted-by-brisbane-is-a-dream-come-true/news-story/66da18c16fc99c1583a0fe8af4fc7e36
  13. https://www.yerongafc.com.au/single-post/2017/02/05/devils-take-control-over-demons-as-brisbane-def-melbourne-in-aflw-rd-1
  14. https://www.lions.com.au/news/289381/first-ever-afl-womens-team-announced
  15. https://www.lions.com.au/players/1437/emily-bates
  16. https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/1276946/premiership-stars-bodey-and-bates-sign-for-season-8
  17. https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/1474017/bnf-winner
  18. https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/players/aflw/1437/emily-bates
  19. https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/1688710/hawthorn-wins-mcclelland-trophy
  20. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10443407/
  21. https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1000160/mvp-awards-lions-magical-clean-sweep-another-gong-for-top-dee
  22. https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1000465/lion-queen-gun-midfielder-claims-coaches-award-tie-for-second
  23. https://www.lions.com.au/news/1254243/bates-claims-historic-fourth-club-best-fairest
  24. https://www.zerohanger.com/brisbane-lions-secure-aflw-minor-premiership-129470/
User Avatar
No comments yet.