Hailing from Ballarat, Kaitlyn was a multi talented athlete in various sports including Football and Javelin. Whilst being recognised as a very promising junior throughout her Football career, Kaitlyn also gained much recognition for her Javelin & Karate aspirations including the Pierre de Coubertin award from the Victorian Olympic Council as the most outstanding athlete. A list of Kaitlyn's sporting achievements away from the Football field is below.
However as Womens Football continued to gain momentum and AFLW looked likely to come to fruition, Kaitlyn gave up her Olympic Dream and pursued a career in Football. Noticeably this started by representing Vic Country in 2012, before being selected to represent Melbourne in 2013 in the first ever AFL sanctioned Womens Exhibition Game against the Western Bulldogs. Kaitlyn represented the Demons a further two times before being selected by the Western Bulldogs in 2015 to play in the first televised game.
As the AFLW competition took shape and the licences to the inaugural teams were handed out, Kaitlyn was selected by the Brisbane Lions as a Priority Player in August 2016. Kaitlyn enjoyed a terrific first season with Brisbane which included being selected in the All Australian Squad as the Lions fell agonisingly short of winning the AFLW Premiership.
Kaitlyn re-signed with Brisbane for the 2018 AFLW season and went into the season feeling that the Lions could go one better. In an extremely close season, Brisbane made the AFLW Grand Final for a second consecutive season after a number of results went there way in the last round of the season. Playing against the Western Bulldogs who were arguably the best team in the competition, the Lions went is as under dogs in a wintery Melbourne day resulting in tough conditions for the players. Competing hard throughout the day, the Lions unfortunately fell agonisingly short on the day, but walked away with their heads held high.
At the conclusion of the season and once the dust settled from the Grand Final loss, Kaitlyn made the decision to head back to Victoria and join North Melbourne which had a close link with her VWFL Club, Melbourne University. Whilst it was an extremely tough decision, the opportunity to come home under the new AFLW expansion was too hard to refuse.
Upon transitioning back to Victoria, Kaitlyn quickly became an important cog in the new look North Melbourne team. Providing her trademark run and carry, Kaitlyn also showed her defensive qualities making her a complete package with her 2021 Season arguably her best for the club.
After Season 6 at the beginning of 2022, four more teams entered the AFLW including Hawthorn. Hawthorn mounted a considerable case for Kaitlyn to be a key part of there inaugural team which she accepted and really enjoyed the environment and teammates at her new club. In her first season in the brown and gold, Kaitlyn finished fourth in the club’s best and fairest. Kaitlyn was a key part of Hawthorn’s team in 2023, playing all 10 games and averaging 15 disposals.
Away from Football Kaitlyn is a Primary School Teacher.
Playing Honours:
· North Ballarat Women’s Best and Fairest 2010
· Senior Vic Country representative 2012 & 14
· Senior Victorian Representative 2013 & 15
· VWFL High Performance Academy 2011, 12, 13 & 14
· University of Ballarat Athlete of The Year 2013
· Pick 39 in inaugural AFL Women’s Draft, Melbourne 2013
· Pick 9 Melbourne FC 2014
· Pick 13 Western Bulldogs FC 2015
· AFL Victoria Women’s Academy 2015 & 16
· Federation University Best and Fairest 2014 & 15
· Australian University Games Gold Medal Federation University 2014
· Australian University Games Green and Gold Selection 2013, 14 & 15
· Finalist in Ballarat Sports Woman of The Year 2016 & 17
· Melbourne University Best and Fairest 2015
· Melbourne University Captain 2016
· Priority Pick Brisbane Lions 2016
· VFL Swisse Team of The Year 2016 & 17
· Represented Victoria in AFLW State of Origin 2017
· Ballarat Federation University Inductee to hall of fame 2017