Airlie Runnalls smiling to be back home in Melbourne, playing with the club she has supported since childhood.
After an anxious wait, Yarrawonga’s Airlie Runnalls has been presented with her playing jersey for tomorrow night’s AFLW curtain raiser for Collingwood.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Runnalls is excited for the start of the AFLW’s milestone 10th season, after signing with the club she has barracked for since childhood.
Collingwood landed the midfielder’s signature in December last year after four seasons with the Fremantle Dockers.
Runnalls said the timing was right to come home.
“I was ready ... my manager was talking to clubs and Collingwood approached late on,” she said.
“As a lifelong Pies supporter, they were obviously my number one club to get into.”
Airlie Runnalls gets a feel for the ball while training for Collingwood.
Runnalls is still pinching herself at finally becoming a Magpie.
In her final season with the Dockers, she played her career-best football, averaging 14 disposals per match and finishing the season with 45 marks, 32 tackles and 17 clearances in 13 matches.
Although both clubs agreed to a formal trade, the deal was finalised with only 50 minutes to spare at the end of 2024 AFLW trade window.
Now she says she’s excited to be under the gameplan of coach Sam Wright, and believes the side has the makings of a genuine competition threat.
“We do have some outs, which may not come back soon, but when we (the team) are fully fit and healthy, we will be very hard to come up against,” she said.
The AFLW 2025 season kicks off tomorrow night at 7.15pm at Ikon Park where Carlton takes on Collingwood.
5°C