Ellie has a year to remember

By Jarrod Potter
TO SAY Ellie Blackburn had a football season to remember is an understatement.
Blackburn, 16, from Endeavour Hills, has achieved this year what most footballers would take a lifetime to accumulate … if they’re lucky.
She was part of the Victorian team in the Under 18 National Youth Girls Championships held on the Gold Coast last weekend, in which Blackburn played a blinder to help guide Victoria to success over Western Australia in the grand final 7.4 (46) to 6.6 (36).
Blackburn was named best-on-ground in the final, player of the carnival, won the Golden Boot for most goals kicked in the championships (seven) and was listed in the all-star team.
“It was really good,” Blackburn said. “We had a great win over Western Australia and I had a lot of fun at the championships.”
Of her seven goals, the one that pushed Victoria into a winning position in the fourth term was her highlight.
“My favourite was probably kicking the last goal in the finals,” she said.
“It was in the last quarter and got us across the line against Western Australia.”
“I think I went alright.
“It was a really hard game, but I pushed through it.
Her efforts at the championships and throughout the season gained her a spot into the AFL High Performance Academy.
“This is one of the best achievements I’ve had and I’m really excited for it.
“We do it with the women’s academy and train together and play on the MCG in June.”
Earlier this season she won the South East Juniors (SEJ) best-and-fairest and best-on-ground in the grand final for the SEJ in the AFL Victoria Metropolitan Championships, and then was announced as Victoria Girls 16-and-under team captain in the School Sport Australia Championships, which Victoria won.
To top off her amazing season, Blackburn, in only four senior games for the Berwick Hawks, was their leading goal kicker (22) and finished third in their best-and-fairest.
Blackburn has decided to put cricket on the backburner and devote her efforts solely to football.
“I want to concentrate more on footy, still play cricket for the school team (Hallam Senior College) but nothing else outside of it.
“I don’t think I’ll miss it too much – I just want to focus on football for now.”