Kalinda Howarth facts for kids

Kalinda Jacky Howarth, born on August 2, 1999, is a talented Australian rules footballer. She plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW) league. Before joining Collingwood, she was with the Brisbane Lions in 2018. She then played for the Gold Coast Suns from 2020 to 2023.

Kalinda is known for her scoring ability. She was the Gold Coast Suns' top goalkicker twice. In 2020, she was also chosen for the 2020 AFL Women's All-Australian team, which features the best players in the league.

Early Life and Football Journey

Kalinda Howarth was born on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Her family has Indigenous Australian heritage, specifically from the Yuin people. She went to Helensvale State High School as she grew up.

Discovering Australian Rules Football

When she was younger, Kalinda loved rugby league. She also played other sports like touch rugby, soccer, and basketball. At 12 years old, her brother encouraged her to try Australian rules football. She started playing with the Southport Sharks.

Later, she moved to play for the Labrador team. Eventually, she joined Coolangatta Tweed. This team played in the top Queensland competition.

Winning a Championship

In 2016, when Kalinda was 17, she helped Coolangatta Tweed win the QAFLW grand final. She kicked the winning goal! Her strong play led her to sign with the Gold Coast Suns Academy. She was also named to the 2017 Under 18 All-Australian team. This team features the best young players in the country.

Kalinda looked up to famous footballer Lance Franklin. She wears the number 23 jersey because she wanted to play like him.

AFL Women's Career Highlights

Starting with Brisbane and Returning to QAFLW

In the 2017 AFL Women's draft, Kalinda was picked by the Brisbane team. She was the 31st player chosen. However, she did not play any games for them and left the team a year later.

After that, she joined the Bond University team. In 2019, she scored 31 goals in 15 games. This made her the top goalkicker in the QAFLW league. She also finished second in the league's best and fairest award. Because of her great performance, her hometown team, Gold Coast, chose her to be part of their first-ever AFLW team.

Playing for Gold Coast Suns (2020–2023)

Kalinda made her AFL Women's debut in 2020. Her first game was against Greater Western Sydney in Round 1 of the 2020 AFL Women's season.

In a special game called the QClash, Gold Coast played against her old team, Brisbane. Kalinda kicked three of the Suns' four goals. People said her performance was like that of famous player Steve Johnson. She was also nominated for the AFLW's Rising Star award in Round 3.

Three weeks later, Kalinda had her best game, kicking four goals. She was voted the best player on the field. This win helped the Suns reach the finals. For her amazing season, she was named to the 2020 AFL Women's All-Australian team.

Moving to Collingwood (2024–Present)

Before the 2024 AFL Women's season, Kalinda Howarth moved to Collingwood. This happened during the trade period. Collingwood traded some draft picks to get her as part of a deal involving three clubs.

Career Statistics Summary

Kalinda Howarth has played 35 games in her AFLW career. She has kicked 20 goals. She played for the Brisbane Lions in 2018, the Gold Coast Suns from 2020 to 2023, and joined Collingwood in 2024.

Achievements and Awards

• AFL Women's All-Australian team: 2020
• 2× Gold Coast leading goalkicker: 2020, 2021
• AFL Women's Rising Star nominee: 2020
• AFL Women's 22under22 team: 2020