Height / weight 169 cm (5 ft 7 in) | Position(s) Midfield | |
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Date of birth (1994-12-18) 18 December 1994 (age 22) Original team(s) Melbourne University (VWFL)
Berwick (SEFNL) Draft Marquee player signing 2016: Western Bulldogs Debut Round 1, 2017, Western Bulldogs
vs. Fremantle, at VU Whitten Oval | ||
Ellie Blackburn (born 18 December 1994) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Western Bulldogs in the AFL Women's competition.
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Junior and state-league football
Blackburn began playing competitive football in the under-9s division for the Beaconsfield Junior Football Club.
2011 saw her named player of the carnival at the national under 18 championships. In 2013, she was the captain of the Victorian side at the under 18 championships, where she was named the competition's best and fairest player. She was awarded under 18 All-Australian selection in 2011, 2012 and her final year of eligibility in 2013.
She attended high school at Hallam Senior College in Melbourne's outer east.
Blackburn played state football for Melbourne University in the Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL).
She was drafted by Melbourne with the thirteenth pick in 2013 women's draft and represented the club in Australian Football League (AFL) women's exhibition matches between 2013 and 2016. Over this time she averaged 20 disposals per match for the club.
AFL Women's career
In July 2016, Blackburn was signed by the Western Bulldogs as one of two marquee players ahead of the AFL Women's inaugural season. She was announced as a member of the club's four-person leadership group in late January 2017. Blackburn made her AFLW debut in round 1, 2017, against Fremantle at VU Whitten Oval. She was named among the Bulldogs' best, recording twelve disposals and kicking her first league goal in the match. In round 3, Blackburn was named the Bulldogs' best, recording a team high twenty-six disposals and six tackles for the match. After three rounds she ranked fifth in the league for disposals per game (19.0).
Blackburn was highlighted as "Player of the Week" by the AFL Players Association for her round 5 performance in the 2017 AFL Women's season. After five rounds, Blackburn was second in the competition for kicks, third in metres gained, and fifth in both uncontested possessions and goals. Teammates also spoke highly of her leadership after she captained the team for the match.