Kirby Bentley

This year’s AFLW Indigenous Round honouree is Kirby Bentley, a proud Noongar Yamatji woman from Perth. Kirby played netball at the highest level for West Coast Fever and Western Sting, before making the change to Aussie Rules with Swan Districts in with WAFLW. Signed by Fremantle for the inaugural AFLW season in 2017, Kirby later played for Carlton before retiring. Her passion for the game saw her transition into coaching where she held roles with the Western Bulldogs and Essendon football clubs. Established in 2014, the Kirby Bentley Cup is an annual tournament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls aged 13–15. Coordinated by WA Football, it supports emerging talent and provides a pathway into the WAFLW. Kirby’s legacy is defined not only by her on-field excellence, but also by her unwavering dedication to creating pathways for the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in football. She is also a prominent advocate for mental health and domestic violence awareness.