Stella showing lands Tiger in national squad

TORQUAY TIGERS footballer Stella Huxtable has been selected in the 2023 Under 16 AFLW All-Australian team after a fantastic showing at the national championships last month.

Huxtable was selected as one of five Victorians in the 23-player All-Australian team and one of only two from the Vic Country representative squad, after expert selectors picked the best performers from the recent tournament.

The AFL National Championships and AFL National Development Championships are the highest level of state and territory representative football, as part of the AFL’s Talent Pathway Program.

Huxtable said it was a huge honour to be cited as one of the best Under 16 players in the country.

“Making the team certainly felt great good… I was pretty shocked.

“Just playing Vic Country is a fantastic achievement, so to get the All-Australian honour was just wow! I was very much honoured.

“Into the future, I just want to keep enjoying my footy and just continuing to improve and maybe one day make it towards the AFLW league.”

The 2023 AFL National Development Championships included 10 teams from across the country representing states and AFL club academies, with each team playing two games in total to decide the overall points champions.

The combined All-Australian team was selected by a panel including Kevin Sheehan (AFL talent ambassador, chair), Tarkyn Lockyer (AFL National Academy coach/manager), Talya Hetherington (AFL talent development coach), Jess Smith (AFL national female talent manager) and AFLW club recruiters Phoebe Carter (Sydney), Jordan Loxley (West Coast Eagles), Trent Moseby (Richmond) and Anthony Tang (St Kilda).

The All-Australian team honour adds to a stellar 12-month period for the Geelong Falcons and Torquay Tigers product who has won a Under 15 division one premiership and best-on-ground in the grand final, as well as her club best and fairest at Torquay during the previous season.

More recently, Huxtable was listed as the Geelong Falcons best player in their Round 1 fixture of the 2023 Under 16 Girls Coates Talent League.

For more and to see the full 2023 U/16 Girls AFLW All-Australian squad head to https://www.womens.afl/news/119607/powerful-wa-mid-gold-coast-academy-gun-named-best-on-in-u16-champs/