Madison Prespakis
Prespakis post-match with Essendon in 2023
Personal information
Full name Madison Prespakis
Date of birth (2000-11-02) 2 November 2000
Original team(s) Melbourne University (VFLW)
Draft No. 3, 2018 national draft
Debut Round 1, 2019, Carlton vs. North Melbourne, at North Hobart Oval
Height 164 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club Essendon
Number 4
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2019–2022 (S6) Carlton 34 (15)
2022 (S7)– Essendon 21 (11)
Total 55 (26)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2023 season.
Career highlights
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Madison Prespakis (born 2 November 2000) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She previously played for the Carlton Football Club from 2019 to season 6. A midfielder who won multiple accolades at junior level and played in the VFL Women's (VFLW) as a teenager, Prespakis won the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award in her debut season and the 2020 AFL Women's best and fairest award in her second season. She is a three-time AFL Women's All-Australian, three-time Carlton best and fairest winner and was the inaugural Essendon best and fairest winner in season 7, and is Essendon's equal games record holder with 21 games.

Early life

Prespakis is the daughter of Damien and Jody.[1][2] Her mother is an Indigenous Australian from the Djadjawurrung tribe.[2] Prespakis has three siblings: twin sister Annalea, Georgie and Jimmy;[1] She attended Gisborne Secondary College and supported Essendon growing up.[3] Prespakis began playing football at four years old through the Auskick program in Romsey, north-west of Melbourne. She played in boys' teams at first, before representing the under-15 Sunbury girls side.[4]

In 2017, Prespakis played in the premiership-winning Calder Cannons side in the TAC Cup Girls.[5] She was named in the league's team of the year[6] and placed second in the league's best and fairest with 20 votes.[5] She competed at the 2017 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships for Vic Metro and was named in the All-Australian squad.[7] In October, Prespakis was named in the 2018 AFLW Academy squad as one of twenty-nine seventeen-year-old prospects. As part of this squad, she trained with the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood over the following months.[8][4]

In 2018, Prespakis became captain of the Calder Cannons[6] and won their best and fairest award with 113 out of a possible 120 votes.[9] She was again named in the TAC Cup Girls Team of the Year and tied with Nina Morrison for the league best and fairest. She again competed at the 2018 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships; she shared the competition's most valuable player award with Morrison on 16 votes apiece, won Vic Metro's most valuable player award and was named in the All-Australian side.[10][11] She played in an exhibition game for Victoria, acting as a curtain raiser for the E. J. Whitten Legends Game. Prespakis amassed 21 disposals in Victoria's win, the most of any player.[10] Aside from under-18 competitions, she also played six matches for Melbourne University in the VFL Women's (VFLW).[11]

Ahead of the 2018 AFL Women's draft, Prespakis was widely predicted to be taken with one of the first selections.[1][12] Prospective draftees were required to nominate a state or region they wished to play in; Prespakis selected the Melbourne metropolitan area, citing a wish to remain home with her family. This prevented Geelong from recruiting her with pick one or two and allowed Carlton the opportunity to select her with pick three.[13]

AFL Women's career

Carlton (2019–2022)

Prespakis playing for Carlton in 2019

Carlton recruited Prespakis with their first selection and third overall in the 2018 AFL Women's draft.[9] She made her AFL Women's debut in the opening round of the 2019 season against North Melbourne at North Hobart Oval.[14] The following round, she was nominated for the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award after kicking one goal and amassing 20 disposals, seven clearances and nine contested possessions against Adelaide.[15] Prespakis went on to play in the 2019 AFL Women's Grand Final loss to Adelaide in front of a record AFL Women's crowd, and was among Carlton's best players.[16] Following a debut season in which she averaged 19 disposals and kicked seven goals across nine games,[17] Prespakis won the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award with 49 votes and was named in the 2019 AFL Women's All-Australian team.[18] She also won the AFLW Players' best first-year player award[19] and tied for the Carlton best and fairest award with captain Brianna Davey, capping off a memorable first season.[20]

Leading into the 2020 season, womens.afl journalist Sarah Black named Prespakis at no. 23 on her list of the top 30 players in the AFLW.[21] She was selected in womens.afl's Team of the Week in rounds 1,[22] 3[23] and 6,[24] and tied with North Melbourne's Jasmine Garner and Melbourne's Karen Paxman as womens.afl's player of the year.[25] Prespakis was selected in the 2020 AFL Women's All-Australian team,[26][27][28] and was also selected as vice-captain in the AFL Players Association's inaugural AFL Women's 22under22 team,[29][30][31] having earlier been selected in the retrospective 2017–2019 team.[32] She went on to win her second Carlton best and fairest award,[33][34] after coming second in voting for the AFLW Players' most valuable player award for that season,[33] and capped off her season by winning the 2020 AFL Women's best and fairest award with 15 votes, at just 19 years of age;[35][36][37][38][39][40][41] in doing so, she became the first indigenous player to win the award.[42] She later said that she had turned to Carlton AFL co-captain Patrick Cripps at times during the season for advice on how to deal with taggers.[43]

Leading into the 2021 season, Sarah Black named Prespakis at no. 1 on her annual list of the top 30 players in the AFLW.[44] Prespakis was best afield in Carlton's win against St Kilda in round 3, recording 24 disposals and a goal,[45] and was selected in womens.afl's Team of the Week for that round.[46] She was again among the best afield the following week against Richmond with 19 disposals and two goals,[47] and was again selected in womens.afl's Team of the Week,[48] but was cited for a dangerous tackle on former teammate Sarah Hosking,[47] which eventuated in a one-match suspension.[49] Prespakis attempted to overturn the suspension at the AFL Tribunal[50] but was unsuccessful, ruling her out of the competition's inaugural indigenous round and meaning she would be ineligible for that year's AFL Women's best and fairest award.[51][52] She was best afield upon her return against Geelong in round 6 with 27 disposals and a goal, despite injuring her left elbow in the first quarter,[53] and again won selection in womens.afl's Team of the Week.[54]

Prespakis was named at no. 17 in Sarah Black's 2022 list of the top 30 players in the AFLW.[55] She was named Carlton's best player in its opening round loss to Collingwood[56] and was best afield with a career-high 29 disposals in Carlton's win over Geelong in round 2, which saw Prespakis play against her sister Georgie for the first time;[57] she also polled six coaches' votes[58] and was selected in womens.afl's Team of the Week for that round.[59] Prespakis was named Carlton's best player with 27 disposals in its loss to Brisbane in round 3[60] and was also selected in womens.afl's Team of the Week for that round.[61] She was among Carlton's best players every other match for the season,[62][63][64][65][66][67][68] polling eight coaches' votes in Carlton's win over Greater Western Sydney in round 8.[69]

Essendon (2022–present)

In April 2022, Prespakis and teammate Georgia Gee accepted deals to join Essendon's inaugural AFLW team,[70][71][72][73][74] with both signing on the opening day of the expansion signing period in May.[75]

Leading into the 2023 season, Sarah Black named Prespakis at no. 11 on her annual list of the top 30 players in the AFLW.[76]

Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2023 season.[77]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
  ±  
 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
2019Carlton4 9731135917217280.80.312.66.619.11.93.15
2020Carlton4 733886114919210.40.412.68.721.32.73.015±
2021Carlton4 844799016913330.50.59.911.321.11.64.110
2022 (S6)Carlton4 10129011520524350.10.29.011.520.52.43.57
2022 (S7)Essendon4 106311911823722490.60.311.911.823.72.24.917
2023Essendon4 115214614228832560.50.213.312.926.22.95.110
Career 55261763558512201272220.50.311.510.622.22.34.064

Personal life

Prespakis' younger sister Georgie currently plays for Geelong, having been selected with the second selection in the 2021 AFL Women's draft.[78] Prespakis also dated then-Gold Coast player Serene Watson.[79][80]

Honours and achievements

References

  1. 1 2 3 Black, Sarah (21 October 2018). "AFLW: From Auskick to likely top-three pick". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  2. 1 2 McGowan, Marc (23 October 2018). "AFLW: New Blue happy to be close to home". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  3. ↑ Kennedy, Barry (22 June 2017). "Sunbury teen Maddy inspired to join AFLW ranks". Sunbury Leader. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  4. 1 2 Fowler, Michael (9 February 2019). "Debut 15 years in the making for AFLW's new breed of role model". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Calder TAC Cup Premiers". aflvic.com.au. AFL Victoria. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  6. 1 2 "AFLW Draft Watch: Madison Prespakis". taccup.com.au. AFL Victoria. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  7. ↑ Black, Sarah (18 July 2017). "AFLW U18 All Australian squad named". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  8. ↑ "AFLW: 2018 Academy prospects revealed". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  9. 1 2 Balales, Danielle (23 October 2018). "Pick 3: Madison Prespakis". carltonfc.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  10. 1 2 Balmer, Matt (1 September 2018). "AFLW Draft: Potential top picks star in U18 All-Stars exhibition match". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  11. 1 2 Balmer, Matt (4 September 2018). "AFLW Draft 2018: Future stars Nina Morrison and Madison Prespakis share in TAC Cup's top award". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  12. ↑ Balmer, Matt (22 October 2018). "AFLW Draft 2018: Full first-round mock draft for AFL women's draft". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  13. ↑ Sewell, Eliza (2 October 2018). "Carlton in box seat to land talented midfielder Madison Prespakis in AFLW draft". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  14. ↑ Warren, Stu (3 February 2019). "Match report: Roos thrash Blues on memorable debut". womens.afl. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  15. ↑ Olsson-Young, Marni (12 February 2019). "Blue, Docker take out round-two Rising Star nominations". womens.afl. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  16. ↑ Gaskin, Lee (31 March 2019). "Crows soar to flag in front of record crowd, but injury hits superstar". womens.afl. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  17. ↑ Beveridge, Riley (28 December 2019). "How will Blues replace ex-skipper after shock move to arch rivals?". womens.afl. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  18. ↑ Navaratnam, Dinny (2 April 2019). "Five Crows, four Roos headline All Australian team". womens.afl. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  19. ↑ Black, Sarah; Australian Associated Press (1 April 2019). "Superstar Crow clinches second MVP award". womens.afl. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  20. ↑ "First-year Blue ties with skipper to win best and fairest". womens.afl. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  21. ↑ Black, Sarah (15 January 2020). "Sarah Black's top 30: Young Blue bolts into No.23". womens.afl. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  22. ↑ Black, Sarah (11 February 2020). "AFLW Team of the Week, round one". womens.afl. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  23. ↑ Black, Sarah (25 February 2020). "AFLW Team of the Week, round three". womens.afl. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  24. ↑ Black, Sarah (17 March 2020). "AFLW Team of the Week, round six". womens.afl. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  25. ↑ Black, Sarah (21 March 2020). "Three-way tie for player of the year". womens.afl. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  26. ↑ McGowan, Marc (27 April 2020). "AFLW All-Australian team revealed, new wave dominates". womens.afl. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  27. ↑ "Statement: 2020 Toyota AFL Women's All-Australian Team announced". womens.afl. 27 April 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  28. ↑ Laughton, Max (27 April 2020). "AFLW All-Australian team for 2020 revealed: 12 clubs represented as two stars make history". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  29. ↑ Beveridge, Riley (20 April 2020). "AFLPA award winners revealed: MVP, best captain, more". womens.afl. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  30. ↑ Negrepontis, Nic (20 April 2020). "2020 AFLW 22 under 22 team revealed". SEN. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  31. ↑ "AFLW 22under22 side revealed". aflplayers.com.au. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  32. ↑ Black, Sarah (26 March 2020). "Crows dominate inaugural 22under22 squad". womens.afl. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  33. 1 2 Beveridge, Riley (23 April 2020). "Young Blue makes it two from two B&F wins". womens.afl. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  34. ↑ "Best and fairest wrap-up: Who won your club's awards?". womens.afl. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  35. ↑ McGowan, Marc (28 April 2020). "Young Blue caps incredible rise with top gong". womens.afl. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  36. ↑ Caffrey, Oliver (28 April 2020). "Carlton star Madison Prespakis claims top AFLW award. And the moment she found out was beautiful". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  37. ↑ Ryan, Peter (28 April 2020). "Young guns dominate as Madison Prespakis wins AFLW best and fairest". The Age. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  38. ↑ Wood, Lauren (28 April 2020). "Blues young star Madison Prespakis wins AFLW league best and fairest, Isabel Huntington takes out Rising Star". Herald Sun. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  39. ↑ Negrepontis, Nic (28 April 2020). "Teenage Blue crowned AFLW best and fairest". SEN. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  40. ↑ "Carlton's Madison Prespakis named AFLW Best and Fairest for 2020". ABC News (Australia). 28 April 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  41. ↑ Australian Associated Press (28 April 2020). "Blues' Madison Prespakis named AFLW's best player". ESPN. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  42. ↑ Beveridge, Riley (2 May 2020). "When Gavin met Maddy: The special bond between two trailblazers". womens.afl. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  43. ↑ Beveridge, Riley (3 May 2020). "How an AFL superstar helped Prespakis shake the tag". womens.afl. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  44. ↑ Black, Sarah (27 January 2021). "Sarah Black's top 30 AFLW players: Blues dynamo rockets up to No.1". womens.afl. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  45. ↑ Twomey, Callum (13 February 2021). "Superstar gets Blues back on track with dominant display". womens.afl. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  46. ↑ Black, Sarah (16 February 2021). "AFLW Team of the Week, round three". womens.afl. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  47. 1 2 Beveridge, Riley (20 February 2021). "Blues breathe a sigh of relief after holding off spirited Tigers". womens.afl. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  48. ↑ Black, Sarah (23 February 2021). "AFLW Team of the Week, round four". womens.afl. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  49. ↑ "Match Review: Prespakis banned for dangerous tackle". womens.afl. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  50. ↑ Black, Sarah (23 February 2021). "Superstar Blue to challenge suspension at Tribunal". womens.afl. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  51. ↑ Black, Sarah (24 February 2021). "Appeal fails: Prespakis banned for Indigenous Round, B&F hopes in tatters". womens.afl. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  52. ↑ Chadwick, Justin (24 February 2021). "AFLW star Prespakis loses at Tribunal". Seven News. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  53. ↑ Australian Associated Press (7 March 2021). "Blues stay in finals hunt after crushing Cats". womens.afl. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  54. ↑ Black, Sarah (9 March 2021). "AFLW Team of the Week, round six". womens.afl. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  55. ↑ Black, Sarah (6 January 2022). "Sarah Black's Top 30 AFLW players". womens.afl. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  56. ↑ Bastiani, Gemma (9 January 2022). "Superstar's knee injury sours Magpies' win over arch-rivals". womens.afl. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  57. ↑ Australian Associated Press (15 January 2022). "When Maddy met Georgie: Superstar leads Blues past Cats in historic clash". womens.afl. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  58. ↑ "AFLCA votes, R2: Back-to-back 10s for star Crow, No.1 pick's perfect game". womens.afl. 17 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  59. ↑ Black, Sarah (18 January 2022). "AFLW Team of the Week, round two". womens.afl. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  60. ↑ Whiting, Michael (25 January 2022). "With Zim and vigour: Dream debut propels Lions to dominant win". womens.afl. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  61. ↑ Black, Sarah (26 January 2022). "AFLW Team of the Week, round three". womens.afl. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  62. ↑ Gabelich, Josh (30 January 2022). "Classy Kangas jump into top four with big win over Blues". womens.afl. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  63. ↑ Beveridge, Riley (6 February 2022). "Class tells as unbeaten Crows cruise past Blues". womens.afl. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  64. ↑ Schmook, Nathan (12 February 2022). "Home sweet home: Dockers bounce back in style". womens.afl. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  65. ↑ Gabelich, Josh (19 February 2022). "Blues back on winners list as Saints slump to sixth straight loss". womens.afl. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  66. ↑ Australian Associated Press; Rogers, Michael (27 February 2022). "Blues down Giants to go back-to-back, Darcy makes history". womens.afl. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  67. ↑ Australian Associated Press (6 March 2022). "Suns' finals hopes shattered as Blues' late-season surge continues". womens.afl. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  68. ↑ Australian Associated Press (12 March 2022). "Dees lock in top-two berth after edging Blues in one-point thriller". womens.afl. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  69. ↑ "AFLCA votes, R8: Perfect 10 sends Lion to the top, first voteless week for Freo star". womens.afl. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  70. ↑ Beveridge, Riley (11 April 2022). "BLUES WANT OUT: Star duo heading to the Bombers". womens.afl. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  71. ↑ Cotton, Ben; Laughton, Max (11 April 2022). "Bombers' huge raid complete as TWO Blues including superstar to join rival club: Trade Whispers". Fox Sports. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  72. ↑ "Report: Carlton AFLW stars to join rival expansion club". SEN. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  73. ↑ Ryan, Peter (11 April 2022). "'Existing clubs can't compete': Blues lose stars to expansion side Essendon". The Age. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  74. ↑ "Prespakis and Gee commit to AFLW Bombers". essendonfc.com.au. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  75. ↑ "Today's expansion signings: 28 players make it official with new clubs". womens.afl. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  76. ↑ Black, Sarah (14 August 2023). "Sarah Black's Top 30 AFLW players: 20-11". womens.afl. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  77. ↑ "Madison Prespakis – player stats by season". Australian Football. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  78. ↑ Bastiani, Gemma (10 January 2022). "Cat and Roo get early Rising Star nod". womens.afl. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  79. ↑ Montesano, Julia (25 October 2019). "They're the AFLW's newest power couple. The problem is they're on rival teams". Fox Sports. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  80. ↑ Bilton, Dean (14 February 2020). "The Maddy Prespakis Era has arrived, and that's great news for AFLW". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 14 February 2020.
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