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Jess Wuetschner
Personal information
Full name Jessica Wuetschner
Nickname(s) Woosha, Woosh
Date of birth (1992-04-28) 28 April 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Hobart, Tasmania
Original team(s) East Fremantle (WAWFL)
Draft No. 34, 2016 AFL Women's draft
Debut Round 1, 2017, Brisbane vs. Melbourne, at Casey Fields
Height 162 cm (5 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Forward pocket/Half-forward flank
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2017–2022 (S6) Brisbane 38 (37)
2022 (S7)–2023 Essendon 17 0(5)
Total 55 (42)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
2017 The Allies 1 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2023 season.
2 State and international statistics correct as of 2017.
Career highlights
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Jessica Wuetschner (/ˈwuːtʃnər/, first syllable rhymes with "pooch";[1] born 28 April 1992) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Brisbane and Essendon in the AFL Women's (AFLW).

Early life

Born in Hobart, Wuetschner first formally played football at age 16 and quickly went on to be a standout performer in the Tasmanian Women's League for Clarence Football Club.[2] From 2011 to 2013, she won both the league's leading goal-kicker award and the league's best and fairest award each year, while her team achieved a rare premiership three-peat.[3]

Wuetschner also proved to be a notable talent across various other sports while growing up, representing her state in hockey at underage level,[4] and winning the best and fairest award in the Cricket Tasmania Premier League women's competition for both the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons.[5]

In 2014, Wuetschner moved to Perth and began playing for East Fremantle in the West Australian Women's Football League (WAWFL).[6]

In May 2015, she was selected to play for the Western Bulldogs in AFL-sanctioned exhibition matches against Melbourne at the MCG and Docklands Stadium.[7][8]

In 2015, Wuetschner was part of an international exchange that saw her play Australian rules in the United States with the Boston Lady Demons in the USAFLW playing at the 2015 USAFL National Championships.[9]

AFL Women's career

Wuetschner was recruited by Brisbane with the number 34 pick in the 2016 AFL Women's draft. She made her debut in the Lions' inaugural game against Melbourne at Casey Fields on 5 February 2017.[10] Wuetschner kicked two goals during Brisbane's six-point loss to Adelaide in the 2017 grand final.[11] At the end of the season, she was listed in the 40-player All-Australian squad.[12]

In 2018, Wuetschner placed second behind Brooke Lochland in the league goal-kicking award, finishing the regular season with 11 goals.[13] Despite playing in another six-point grand final loss, this time at the hands of the Western Bulldogs, she once again kicked two goals for Brisbane on the day.[14] Her standout year as a forward was rewarded with selection in the All-Australian team.[15] She re-signed with the Lions for the following season, having rejected offers from expansion club North Melbourne.[16]

Brisbane slumped to a 2–5 win–loss record in 2019, however Wuetschner still managed eight goals from seven matches—including a three-goal performance in her club's two-point round one victory against Greater Western Sydney—and earned a third All-Australian nomination.[17][18]

Two weeks before the beginning of the 2020 season, Wuetschner was struck by lightning while working as a stevedore at the Port of Brisbane.[19] She avoided serious injury from the traumatic incident, but struggled with her mental health in the subsequent months and considered retiring from football.[20] Having missed the opening month of the 2021 season, Wuetschner re-established herself as a key fixture of Brisbane's line-up as the team went on to win their first premiership. In the 18-point Grand Final victory against Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, she rose to the occasion in typical fashion, kicking two goals off her "beautiful"[21] left foot.[22]

After a five-disposal game against Geelong in round four of 2022 season 6, Wuetschner was omitted from the Brisbane line-up.[23] Later in the season, she announced a decision to take time away from AFLW in order to focus on her mental health. In a club press release, the Brisbane Lions stated they would "continue to provide Jess with our full support".[24] In May 2022, Wuetschner was delisted by Brisbane.[25] The following month, she was signed by expansion club Essendon as a delisted free agent.[26]

After 38 games with Brisbane and 17 with Essendon, she retired at the end of the 2023 season.[27]

Statistics

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Led the league for the season only
Led the league after the Grand Final only
Led the league after season and Grand Final
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2017 Brisbane 23 8 5 3 44 17 61 16 23 0.6 0.4 5.5 2.1 7.6 2.0 2.9 0
2018 Brisbane 23 8 13 6 61 16 77 19 23 1.6 0.8 7.6 2.1 9.8 2.4 2.9 3
2019 Brisbane 23 7 8 6 53 23 76 19 15 1.1 0.9 7.6 3.3 10.9 2.7 2.1 0
2020 Brisbane 23 5 3 2 30 15 45 12 12 0.6 0.4 6.0 3.0 9.0 2.4 2.4 0
2021 Brisbane 23 7 6 6 35 17 52 16 15 0.9 0.9 5.0 2.4 7.4 2.3 2.1 0
2022 (S6) Brisbane 23 3 2 2 18 5 23 6 8 0.7 0.7 6.0 1.7 7.7 2.0 2.7 0
2022 (S7) Essendon 21 9 3 3 35 15 50 9 17 0.3 0.3 3.9 1.7 5.6 1.0 1.9 0
2023 Essendon 21 8 2 2 26 26 52 13 12 0.3 0.3 3.3 3.3 6.5 1.6 1.5 0
Career[28] 55 42 30 302 134 436 110 125 0.8 0.5 5.5 2.4 7.9 2.0 2.3 3

References

  1. ^ "'It's simple when you break it down': How to say the AFLW's trickiest names". AFL Women's. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Q&A: Jessica Wuetschner". Western Bulldogs. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  3. ^ "TSL W TWL Awards Achievements - Tasmanian Womens League". GameDay. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  4. ^ "AFLW star returns to hockey field". The Mercury. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Awards - Kim Fazackerley Medal History | Cricket Tasmania Premier League". premier.crickettas.com.au. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Jess the Lion-heart's journey from Tasmania to All Australian AFLW glory". ABC News. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  7. ^ "King crowned Dogs' No.1 in AFL women's draft". afl.com.au. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Women's match: Pearce stars as Demons keep perfect record intact against Bulldogs". afl.com.au. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  9. ^ Western Bulldogs' Wuetschner Arrives in Boston by Brian Barrish 3 September 2015
  10. ^ "AFLW 2017 round one: Melbourne Demons v Brisbane Lions". Herald Sun. 5 February 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  11. ^ "Match report: Crows soar to flag in thriller". afl.com.au. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  12. ^ "AFLW Lions and Crows dominate All Australian squad". AFL.com.au. BigPond. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  13. ^ "W Awards: Dogs star named League B&F". AFLW. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  14. ^ "AFLW match report: Dogs take out flag". afl.com.au. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  15. ^ "W Awards: Nine named dual All Australians". afl.com.au. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  16. ^ "AFLW: Lion's pride made staying an easy decision". afl.com.au. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  17. ^ "2019 AFL Women's Match Centre: BL v GWS". AFLW. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  18. ^ "2019 AFLW All Australian squad revealed: Who made the cut?". AFLW. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Brisbane AFLW player Jess Wuetschner struck by lightning". ABC News. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  20. ^ "AFLW: All the news out of Round 6 of the 2021 season". Herald Sun. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  21. ^ "AFLW 2021 grand final: Brisbane Lions hold off Adelaide Crows – as it happened". the Guardian. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  22. ^ "Third time lucky for AFLW champions Lions, with grand final victory over Crows". ABC News. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  23. ^ "Rd 5 Team: Cross Code Star Gets Her Chance". lions.com.au. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  24. ^ "Club Statement On Jess Wuetschner". lions.com.au. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  25. ^ "Thank You Woosh". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media. 30 May 2022.
  26. ^ "Welcome, Wuetschner: Dons secure AFLW premiership player". Essendon. Telstra. 11 June 2022.
  27. ^ "Wuetschner announces retirement". Essendon Football Club. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  28. ^ "Australian Football - Jess Wuetschner - Player Bio". australianfootball.com. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
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