Danielle Ponter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Danielle Ponter |
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Ponter playing for Adelaide in January 2019
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Danielle Ann Ponter | ||
| Date of birth | 8 January 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Darwin, Northern Territory | ||
| Original team | St Mary's (NTFL) Essendon (VFLW) |
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| Draft | No. 48, 2018 AFLW draft | ||
| Debut | Round 2, 2019, Adelaide v. Carlton, at Ikon Park |
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| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Adelaide | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Danielle Ann Ponter (born on January 8, 2000) is a talented Australian rules footballer. She plays for the Adelaide Crows in the AFL Women's (AFLW) league. Danielle usually plays as a forward, which means her main job is to kick goals.
Before joining the AFLW, she played for junior teams like St Mary's and Essendon. The Adelaide Crows picked her in the 2018 AFLW draft. She made her first AFLW appearance in 2019 and was even nominated for the AFLW Rising Star award that same year.
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Danielle's Early Life
Danielle Ann Ponter was born in Darwin, Northern Territory, on January 8, 2000. She comes from a famous football family, the Rioli–Long family. Her uncle is Michael Long, a former star player for Essendon. Her cousin is Cyril Rioli, who played for Hawthorn.
Starting Her Football Journey
Danielle started playing football at a young age. She joined St Mary's when she was just 11 years old. This was in the under-16 girls' division of the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) during the 2011–12 season.
Playing in Junior Championships
When she was 14, Danielle played in the 2014 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships. She was part of the Thunder Devils team, which was a combined team from the Northern Territory and Tasmania. She continued to play in these championships for the next three years.
Danielle also played for the Central Allies in special "state of origin" matches in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, she was part of the AFLW Academy, a group of 29 talented 17-year-old players. She also played for Essendon's VFL Women's team, scoring six goals in six games.
Before the 2018 AFLW draft, players could choose which state they wanted to play in. Danielle chose South Australia. This meant that the Adelaide Crows were the only team that could pick her, as they are the only South Australian AFLW club.
Her AFLW Career
The Adelaide Crows chose Danielle with pick 48 in the 2018 AFLW draft. She kept playing in the NTFL before the 2019 AFL Women's season began. She didn't play in the first game of 2019, but her coach, Matthew Clarke, said she was very close to being selected.
Debut and Rising Star Nomination
Danielle made her AFLW debut in the second round of the 2019 season. She played as a defender in this game, even though she usually played as a forward. This made her the first person from the famous Rioli–Long family to play in top-level women's Australian rules football.
In round 4, she moved back to playing as a forward. She kicked two goals in that game and was nominated for the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award. This award recognizes young, talented players.
Premiership Wins
Danielle has been a part of two AFLW premiership-winning teams with the Adelaide Crows. She helped her team win the Grand Final in 2019 and again in 2022 (Season 6). In the 2022 Grand Final, she kicked two of Adelaide's four goals, helping them win by 13 points against Melbourne.
Recent Achievements
In the 2023 AFL Women's season, Danielle kicked 20 goals, including goals in the finals. One of her most amazing goals was a long kick from the center square against Richmond. With this achievement, she became the Crows' all-time leading goal scorer, passing Erin Phillips.
In 2023, Danielle was also chosen for her first All-Australian team. This means she was recognized as one of the best players in the league. In 2024, she kicked a career-high five goals in a game against Hawthorn at Unley Oval.
Awards and Recognition
While playing for St Mary's, Danielle won the Sharyn Smith Medal four years in a row. This award is given to the best and fairest player in her division.
She was nominated for the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award, which highlights promising young players. In 2025, Danielle received the Sportsperson Award at the NAIDOC Awards, which celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
