Student Achievement : Rylie Wilcox

First round pick for the Bulldogs

Talented footballer and Year 12 student Rylie Wilcox has given us all a reason to follow the Bulldogs this coming AFLW season, after she was selected for the club with pick 21 in the National draft at the end of June, a fantastic achievement!

Only taking up footy in 2018 after enjoying hockey and soccer, Rylie has gone from strength to strength this season, playing for Northern Knights in the representative NAB league; followed by selection for Vic Metro; being named a member of the 2022 AFLW National Championships All-Australian team; and playing 3 games in the VFLW for Carlton.  

Despite a rib injury early in the season, Rylie was firmly on the selectors' radar for the AFLW draft, a process which involved interviewing with all 10 Victorian clubs, all whilst working hard to keep her Year 12 studies on track. 

After getting an invite to Marvel Stadium, with her family for the live draft event, Rylie knew that she was going to be picked in the first round, but it was not until her name was read out that she knew she was going to the Bulldogs, which was "... exciting but pretty nerve wracking!"

Rylie is rapt to be joining the Bulldogs, one of the inaugural teams in the Women's competition, with inspirational captain Ellie Blackburn, her coach at the Northern Knights Gabby Newton and Northcote alumnus Nell Morris-Dalton (Year 12 2018), helping her feel at home.

Rylie has said she is trying to take each week as it comes, balancing year 12 and training commitments, but she is eagerly looking forward to the season ahead. 

“I can’t wait until AFLW can become a full-time job. Now there are 18 clubs in the competition, it would be great to be able to play all the teams in the home and away season. Hopefully that’s going to happen in the future – it’s a really exciting time to be playing footy!”

Best of luck Rylie! Go Dogs!