Caitlyn Edwards

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Caitlyn Edwards

| image = Caitlyn Edwards 19.03.17.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Edwards playing for Collingwood in March 2017

| fullname = Caitlyn Edwards

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|6|27|df=y}}

| birth_place = Thornlie, Western Australia

| originalteam = East Fremantle (WAWFL)

| draftpick = No. 43, 2016 national draft

| debutdate = Round 1, 2017

| debutteam = {{AFLW|Col}}

| debutopponent = {{AFLW|Car}}

| debutstadium = IKON Park

| height = 167 cm

| weight =

| position = Defender

| currentclub =

| guernsey =

| years1 = 2017–2018

| club1 = {{AFLW|Col}}

| games_goals1 = 14 (6)

| statsend = the 2018 season

| careerhighlights =

}}

Caitlyn Edwards (born 27 June 1996) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW).

Early life and state football

Edwards grew up in Thornlie, Western Australia, playing netball before getting into footy because her mother and brother played footy. When she was 10 she joined the local junior football club and at Thornlie played with Clem Smith. At the age of 14 she had to move to the women's team and in her first season won a premiership. Following that she joined WAWFL club East Fremantle with which she played for four years. During her time at East Fremantle, Edwards also played for {{AFLW|WB}} in the 2014 and 2015 exhibition matches, won the 2014 best & fairest award, and was twice an All-Australian.{{cite web|url=http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2017-03-17/from-thornlie-to-collingwood|title=From Thornlie to Collingwood|first=Tiarne|last=Swersky|work={{AFL Col}}|publisher=Telstra Media|date=17 March 2017|access-date=14 November 2017}} In the 2016 season, she also juggled rugby commitments and relied on her from previous years for the AFLW draft.{{cite news|url=https://www.communitynews.com.au/comment/sport/womens-afl-thornlies-caitlyn-edwards-keeps-mum-in-the-loop-upon-being-drafted/|title=Women's AFL: Thornlie's Caitlyn Edwards keeps mum in the loop upon being drafted|first=Francis|last=Curro|newspaper=Comment News|date=24 October 2016|access-date=14 November 2017}}

During the off-season between the 2017 and 2018 AFLW seasons, Edwards played for East Fremantle and for RugbyWA club Palmyra.{{cite news|url=https://www.communitynews.com.au/comment/sport/aflw-thornlie-product-and-collingwood-star-edwards-says-first-season-everything-she-hoped-and-more/|title=AFLW: Thornlie product and Collingwood star Edwards says first season everything she hoped and more|first=Ben|last=Smith|newspaper=Comment News|date=18 August 2017|access-date=14 November 2017}}

AFL Women's career

Edwards made her debut in round 1, 2017, in the inaugural AFLW match at IKON Park against {{AFLW|Car}}.{{cite web|title=Match Centre - Carlton vs. Collingwood|url=http://www.afl.com.au/womens/matches/match-centre?matchid=100640101&competitionid=10064|work=AFL|publisher=Telstra Media|date=3 February 2017|access-date=14 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112073828/http://www.afl.com.au/womens/matches/match-centre?matchid=100640101&competitionid=10064|archive-date=12 November 2017|url-status=dead}} she played every game of the inaugural season, but said at the end that there is a lot of room for improvement.

Collingwood re-signed Edwards for the 2018 season during the trade period in May 2017.{{cite web|title=AFLW: All the clubs' full lists after trade period|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-26/aflw-all-the-clubs-full-lists-after-trade-period|work=AFL|publisher=Telstra Media|date=26 May 2017|access-date=14 November 2017}}

Following the 2018 season, Edwards retired from football to pursue her rugby career.{{cite web|url=http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2018-06-04/aflw-pies-pocket-early-picks|title=AFLW: Pies pocket early picks|first=Meagan|last=Lechucki|website={{AFL Col}}|publisher=Telstra Media|date=4 June 2018|access-date=4 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608001510/http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2018-06-04/aflw-pies-pocket-early-picks|archive-date=8 June 2018|url-status=dead}}

Statistics

:Statistics are correct to the end of the 2018 season.{{cite web|title=Caitlyn Edwards - Player Stats By Season|url=http://australianfootball.com/players/player_season_detail/caitlyn%2Bedwards/19844|work=Australian Football|access-date=23 March 2018}}

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFLW|Col}}

| 1 || 7 || 2 || 2 || 37 || 19 || 56 || 10 || 14 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 5.3 || 2.7 || 8.0 || 1.4 || 2.0

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2018

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFLW|Col}}

| 1 || 7 || 4 || 1 || 48 || 34 || 82 || 16 || 34 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 6.9 || 4.9 || 11.7 || 2.3 || 4.9

|- class="sortbottom"

! colspan=3| Career

! 14

! 6

! 3

! 85