Angela Foley

Angela Foley (born 14 June 1990) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Adelaide Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). A defender, 1.73 metres (5.7 ft) tall, Foley plays primarily on the half-back line with the ability to push into the midfield. After spending her early life in country Victoria, in which she won a premiership and best and fairest with Bendigo Thunder, she moved to Darwin in 2013. Her career in the Northern Territory saw her win three consecutive premierships, two consecutive league best and fairests, a grand final best on ground medal, and interstate representation.

Angela Foley
Foley playing for Adelaide in January 2018
Personal information
Date of birth (1988-12-13) 13 December 1988
Place of birth Shepparton, Victoria[1]
Original team(s) Waratah (NTFL)
Debut Round 1, 2017, Adelaide
vs. Greater Western Sydney, at Thebarton Oval
Height 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club Adelaide
Number 3
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2017– Adelaide 29 (2)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2020 season.
Career highlights
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Her performances in representative matches in 2016 saw her recruited by the Adelaide Football Club as a priority selection for the inaugural AFLW season. Her first season in the AFLW saw her win a premiership, and in her two seasons in the AFLW, she has been named in the top five of Adelaide's best and fairest in both seasons and the initial forty player All-Australian squad.

Early life

Foley was born and raised in Shepparton, Victoria.[2] She played with the Bendigo Thunder in the Victorian Women's Football League north west conference, winning the club's inaugural best and fairest medal in 2011[3] and a premiership in the 2012 season.[4] She moved to Darwin at the start of 2013 and joined the Waratah Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL), winning the premiership in her first season with the club and the Brenda Williams Medal as the best on ground in the grand final.[5] She won a further two premierships with the club in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons and was also announced the league's most valuable women's player for both seasons.[6]

Foley represented the Northern Territory for the first time in 2015 when the territory faced South Australia in May.[7] She was selected as part of the inaugural NT Thunder talent program in 2016[8] and represented the territory in April against Victoria and Tasmania.[9] She was selected by the Melbourne Football Club for an exhibition match against the Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in May, with the NT News reporter, Marc McGowan, stating her two matches against Victoria and Tasmania were key to her selection for Melbourne.[10] In June, she represented the Northern Territory against South Australia in a curtain raiser before the AFL Adelaide versus St Kilda match at Adelaide Oval.[11] Her representative performances throughout the year saw her selected for Melbourne in the all-stars match against the Western Bulldogs in September at Whitten Oval, in which she kicked a goal and was named one of Melbourne's best players.[12]

Foley also played two seasons in the premier netball competition in Darwin for the Hoggies, but elected to give up the sport from the 2016 season to focus on her football career.[13]

AFLW career

Foley was recruited by the Adelaide Football Club as a priority selection in August 2016.[14] She was named as Adelaide's inaugural co-vice-captain alongside Sally Riley in January 2017.[15] She made her debut in the thirty-six point win against Greater Western Sydney at Thebarton Oval in the opening round of the 2017 season.[16] Her performance in the three point win against Carlton at Thebarton Oval in round three drew praise due to her limiting the impact of the league leading goalkicker, Darcy Vescio–keeping her to zero disposals after halftime[17]–with the Australian Associated Press reporter, Ben McKay, writing she effectively shut down the dangerous forward.[18] After the club finished second on the ladder, she was a part of Adelaide's premiership side after the club defeated Brisbane by six points at Metricon Stadium in the AFL Women's Grand Final.[19][20] She played every match in her debut season to finish with eight matches[21] and finished equal fifth in the Adelaide Club Champion award with 81 votes alongside Rhiannon Metcalfe.[22]

After re-signing with Adelaide for the 2018 season,[23] she was named one of Adelaide's vice-captains for the second consecutive season with Sally Riley.[24][25] She played the opening two matches of the season before she was suspended for one match due to kneeing Daisy Pearce in the thirty-two point loss to Melbourne at Casey Fields.[26] In her return match, the draw against Greater Western Sydney at Blacktown International Sportspark in round four, she recorded twenty disposals, six marks and three tackles, with Shepparton News journalist, Tyler Maher, writing she returned from suspension with a bang.[27] In the four point win against Fremantle at TIO Stadium in round six, she was the acting captain for the match and despite regular captains Erin Phillips and Chelsea Randall playing in the match, the club elected to give Foley the captaincy in front of her home crowd.[28] For her performance in the match, in which she recorded fifteen disposals, six tackles and four marks, she was named in AFL Media's team of the week and received two league best and fairest votes, meaning she was adjudged the second best player on the ground by the field umpires.[29] Her performances throughout the season saw her named in the initial forty player All-Australian squad[30] and she finished fourth in Adelaide's Club Champion award with 106 votes.[31][32]

Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2018 season.[33]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2017 Adelaide 381055227716150.10.06.92.89.62.01.9
2018 Adelaide 360069118018210.00.011.51.813.33.03.5
Career 14 1 0 124 33 157 34 36 0.1 0.1 8.9 2.4 11.2 2.4 2.6

Off-field

Outside of her football career, Foley is the director of sport at the Essington School Darwin in Nightcliff, Northern Territory. She also works part time at Brighton Secondary School in Brighton, South Australia.[34]

References
  1. Thomas, Kirralee (21 January 2018). "AFLW: Foley's unforgettable experience - AFC.com.au". Adelaide Football Club. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  2. Nicholson, Larrisa (8 September 2016). "How Adelaide's newest recruit learned how to play, NT-style". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  3. Iles, Kieran (11 May 2016). "Emma Grant and Ainslie Kemp to play for Melbourne in AFL women's game against Brisbane". Bendigo Advertiser. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  4. Tuckerman, Raelee (14 February 2014). "Our footy warriors". Bendigo Advertiser. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  5. Morris, Grey (9 March 2014). "Tahs finish on top after downing feisty Buffaloes". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. p. 60.
  6. "Angela Foley become first NT signing for the Crows". AFLNT.com.au. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  7. Morris, Grey (14 May 2015). "Territory ready for South Aussie test". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  8. "NT Thunder talent program to embrace 40 senior women and youth girls". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. 20 December 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  9. McGowan, Marc (2 April 2016). "NT Thunder's female footballers preparing to test ability against Victorian Academy and Tasmania in Melbourne". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  10. McGowan, Marc (11 May 2016). "Darwin's Angela Foley and Amy Chittick selected in Melbourne Demons women's squad for exhibition match against Brisbane Lions at MCG". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  11. "AFL dream alive for girls". AFC.com.au. Telstra Media. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  12. Matthews, Bruce (3 September 2016). "Match report: Hope gets Dogs glory against Dees". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  13. McGowan, Marc (6 April 2016). "Key Hoggies netball player Angela Foley to sit out Darwin season to prepare for shot at AFL women's league with Adelaide". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  14. Wade, Natasha (25 August 2016). "Crows unveil women's team signings". AFC.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  15. Byline, No (15 January 2017). "Angela Foley and Sally Riley given joint vice-captaincy roles in new Adelaide Crows women's side". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  16. "AFLW Teams Round 1: Full sides named for inaugural round of AFL Women's competition". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. 3 February 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  17. Gill, Katrina (20 February 2017). "Foley foils Carlton star". AFC.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  18. McKay, Ben (20 February 2017). "Crows women keep perfect start intact... just". Australian Associated Press. In Daily. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  19. "AFLW: Grand Final teams revealed". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  20. David, Greg (25 March 2017). "Adelaide Crows defeat Brisbane Lions by six points in AFLW grand final". The Courier-Mail. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  21. "Angela Foley". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  22. Rucci, Michelangelo (29 March 2017). "AFLW star Erin Phillips wins Crows club champion award to complete perfect season". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  23. "AFLW: All the clubs' full lists after trade period - AFL.com.au". afl.com.au. Telstra Media. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  24. King, Travis (20 January 2018). "AFLW: Premiers stick with trusted leadership pair - AFL.com.au". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  25. Bordin, Lauren (22 January 2018). "Crows to flock to Foley". Shepparton News. McPherson Media Group. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  26. Black, Sarah (13 February 2018). "AFLW Crow accepts ban for kneeing". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  27. Maher, Tyler (27 February 2018). "Moving on top of AFLW ladder is Toogood". Shepparton News. McPherson Media Group. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  28. Australian Associated Press (9 March 2018). "Crows AFLW finals hopes survive after win". ESPN. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  29. "AFLW: Four named in Team of the Week". AFC.com.au. Telstra Media. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  30. McNicholas, Aiden (21 March 2018). "AFLW: Four Crows in AA squad". AFC.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  31. Fjeldstad, Jesper (21 March 2018). "Co-captain Chelsea Randall was the clear club champion at the Adelaide Crows' awards night". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  32. "AFLW: Round by Round". AFC.com.au. Telstra Media. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  33. "Angela Foley". Australian Football. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  34. "The Essington School Darwin Advertorial". Northern Territory News. News Corp Australia. 29 May 2016. p. 52.
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