By Roy Ward
Paxy Paxman and Ellie Blackburn are as synonymous with Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs as any player/club combination in the AFLW.
They are both premiership winners and club games record holders for their respective sides, yet they played for the opposite team when the Demons and the Bulldogs played their women’s exhibition game in 2013, with that game and subsequent ones in 2014 and 2015 a precursor to the creation of the AFLW.
Paxy Paxman from Melbourne and Ellie Blackburn from Western Bulldogs will once again battle for the Hampson–Hardeman Cup on Saturday.Credit: Jason South
Paxman still has her Bulldogs jumper tucked away somewhere, while Blackburn has glowing memories of the support the players received while pushing for an elite competition of their own.
The two clubs will once again do battle on Saturday and, just as they did in 2013, they play for the Hampson–Hardeman Cup which was struck in honour of pioneers Barb Hampson and Lisa Hardeman, who developed the women’s championships in 1992.
“I’m pretty sentimental, so I tend to keep things that were special at that time – that jumper is tucked away somewhere,” Paxman said with a laugh this week.
Blackburn’s memories are strong as well: “I was fortunate enough to play in every single one of those games since 2013,” Blackburn said.
“I was initially with Melbourne and then for the last year [2016], I was with the Bulldogs as I had signed with them as a marquee player [for the inaugural AFLW season].
“It truly is incredible to reflect on where we’ve come over the last 10 years and to know the supporters that were there at that [2013] game, a lot of them were family and friends and people who were in and around women’s footy.
“There weren’t many supporters there who didn’t have a connection to someone whereas now we have supporters who come from everywhere.”
This game arrives at another important moment as AFL and AFLW players consider a collective bargaining agreement that will have AFLW players receive a much-improved minimum annual salary of $70,000 from 2026.
“To think there were only enough players to fill two teams in 2013 to now having 18 clubs, all with 30 players on their lists, in a fully established competition in that space of time – it’s truly remarkable to see how far it has come,” Blackburn said.
“It’s something, personally, I’m really proud to have been part of along this journey over the last 10 years.”
The two sides enter Saturday’s game at Casey Fields in very different positions with the Demons 2-0 and shaping as a serious contender to go back-to-back after last season’s premiership.
The Bulldogs are 0-2 and need to start winning games or risk falling out of finals contention in the 10-round competition.
Paxy Paxman’s Demons have started their premiership defence with a bang.Credit: Getty Images
Paxman’s side has retained much of their premiership team, except for retired great Daisy Pearce, but they refuse to take things for granted given how quickly things can change in AFLW.
“We’ve got to work hard and we know that the competition’s evolving and developments – the trajectory of development is just huge,” Paxman said.
“We’ve got to knuckle down if we’re going to have repeated success.”
Blackburn still has faith her side can find its groove given they have a core of players with two or three seasons of experience.
“We would have loved some early wins as we know how valuable they are,” Blackburn said.
“One thing I really admire within our team in particular is that level of resilience, and we’re genuinely a really connected group. There’s a lot of love for one another.
“If we can incorporate that off-field loving, caring connection that we have as a team to a more consistent basis onfield. I think it’ll definitely do wonders for our team and allow us to take our game to the next level.”
The Demons and Bulldogs play at Casey Fields on Saturday at 3.05pm (AEST).
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