Sport
Shepparton’s own Holly Egan selected in Victoria Country under-18 girls’ squad for 2024 AFL National Championships
In the next six weeks Holly Egan will have her best chance to thrust her name under AFLW scouts’ spotlights.
The Shepparton United and Murray Bushrangers starlet was recently announced among the state’s finest regional talents as part of Victoria Country under-18 girls’ side.
She’ll don the Big V 2024 Marsh AFL National Championships, kicking off on July 7.
Egan will jet to Brighton Homes Arena in Ipswich to take on Queensland next Sunday, followed by dates with Victoria Metro on July 14 and Western Australia on August 11.
With Egan one of two Bushrangers selected for state duties alongside Murray Felines’ Madison Ibrahim, coach Emma Mackie heaped praise on the budding defender’s capabilities.
“Holly is definitely one of our top end talented players that has come through the program for a couple of years now,” she said.
“It’s definitely something that we’ve been working forward towards, that first step making the Vic Country team this year for Holly and then giving her every opportunity to hopefully be drafted to an AFLW team.
“Holly’s had a fantastic season; I’ve told Holly it’s just really good reward for the hard work that she’s put in and the development she’s made this year has been really pleasing.
“She’s putting together some really nice games at the moment, captain of the side, it’s a really nice reward for Holly.”
Deployed off half-back for most of the 2024 Coates Talent League season, Egan is averaging 21.4 touches, 4.4 tackles and 5.4 rebound 50s a game for the Bushies.
She is also thriving under a captaincy role and, in the eyes of her mentor, is blooming into an athlete worthy of gracing the sport’s upper crust.
“On the field, she understands and reads football really well,” Mackie said.
“She’s become a bit of a leader down in the backline, so that’s where we’ve been playing Holly and that’s where we’ve found that we’re getting most of her really good football.
“Aerially, she’s a really great mark — she fills those holes and gaps and is an intercept mark in that backline and the defence there for us.
“She has really great fundamentals; really strong with her kicking and just her general football skills.”
Mackie indicated this season had been centred around Egan putting in work towards her awareness and decision making.
Often, that’s what separates elite-level players from the cut below.
Egan’s direction out of the backline paired with her leadership qualities is fast earning her a tag as one to watch for talent scouts, however, in a Bushrangers side yet to taste victory in 2024.
“This is a perfect example of what the program’s about,” Mackie said.
“It’s not about winning games, it’s about being competitive and we are starting to become more competitive because we have developed a lot this season with the players that we do have in the region.
“But for our top end players like Holly and Maddy, we just focus on making sure we’re highlighting their strengths in the game.
“We’re developing them in the areas that they need to keep growing, but just strengthening their games with the strengths they already have.
“When they do that, then they’re being noticed by AFLW clubs and they’re standing out.”