Danielle Ponter
Australian rules footballer (born 2000)
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Danielle Ann Ponter (born 8 January 2000) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Adelaide Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She played for St Mary's and Essendon in her junior career, typically as a forward. Ponter was selected with pick 48 in the 2018 AFL Women's draft and made her debut in round 2 of the 2019 season. She was nominated for the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award in round 4.
Darwin, Northern Territory
| Danielle Ponter | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ponter playing for Adelaide in January 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Danielle Ann Ponter | ||
| Born |
8 January 2000 Darwin, Northern Territory | ||
| Original teams |
St Mary's (NTFL) Essendon (VFLW) | ||
| Draft | No. 48, 2018 AFLW draft | ||
| Debut | Round 2, 2019, Adelaide vs. Carlton, at Ikon Park | ||
| Height | 161 cm (5 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Adelaide | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2019– | Adelaide | 86 (91) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2023. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Source: AustralianFootball.com | |||
She is sometimes referred to as Danielle Paredes, which would have been her married name had she chosen to adopt the name of her spouse.[1]
Early life and education
Danielle Ann Ponter[2] was born on 8 January 2000[3] in Darwin, Northern Territory.[4] She had a strong footballing background as part of the noted Rioli–Long family;[5] she is the niece of former Essendon player Michael Long and the cousin of former Hawthorn footballer Cyril Rioli.[6]
Early football
Ponter began playing for St Mary's at 11 in the under-16 female division of Northern Territory Football League (NTFL), in the 2011–12 season.[6][7]
Ponter competed at the 2014 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships for the Thunder Devils (a combined Northern Territory–Tasmania team) at 14.[6] She competed at the next three championships[6] and additionally played for the Central Allies in a state of origin match in 2017[8] and 2018.[9] Ponter attended the 2018 AFLW draft combine[10] and was a member of the 2018 AFLW Academy, one of 29 seventeen-year-old prospects.[11]
She played for Essendon's VFL Women's side in 2018, kicking six goals in six matches.[6] Ahead of the 2018 AFLW draft, prospects nominated a state or region they wished to play in; Ponter chose South Australia, meaning Adelaide, as the only South Australian club, was the only team with an opportunity to select her.[6]
AFLW career
"The things she can do with a footy are phenomenal. I don't know if I've seen any other young player like her."
Ponter was drafted by Adelaide with pick 48 in the 2018 AFLW draft, their fifth selection.[10] She continued to play in the NTFL prior to the 2019 AFL Women's season. She was not selected for the opening round of the 2019 season; coach Matthew Clarke acknowledged she was "pretty stiff to miss out".[12] Ponter made her debut the next round, playing as a defender in contrast to her usual position of forward in her junior career.[13] This made her the first member of the Rioli–Long family to play top-level women's Australian rules football.[10] She returned to the forward line in round 4 and received a nomination for the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award after kicking two goals.[13]
Ponter became a premiership player in 2019 and again in 2022 (season 6). She kicked two of Adelaide's four goals in the 13-point victory over Melbourne in the 2022 season 6 Grand Final.
In 2023 AFL Women's season, Ponter kicked 20 goals including the finals series, the most memorable of which was a goal from the centre square against Richmond.[14] This tally allowed her to overtake Erin Phillips as the Crows' all-time leading goalscorer. In the same year, Ponter earned her first All-Australian selection. She kicked a career-best five goals in 2024 against Hawthorn at Unley Oval.[15]
Ponter was placed on Adelaide's inactive list ahead of the 2026 season due to her pregnancy.[16]
Personal life
Recognition and awards
While playing for St Mary's, Ponter won the Sharyn Smith Medal, the division best and fairest, in four consecutive seasons.[7]
She was nominated for the 2019 AFL Women's Rising Star award.[13] In 2021, Ponter won the Mark of the Year, and in 2023, she was selected in the All-Australian team.
At the 2025 NAIDOC Awards Ponter was presented with the Sportsperson Award.[18]
