Celebrating and acknowledging the women that contribute so much to our Club both on and off the field.
The Women’s team development program has advanced leaps and bounds since we started to rebuild in 2019. It has been a hard slog to say the least, but as many of you may have seen down at Gardiner Park during preseason, the women’s team now boasts over 30 players this season.
A lot goes on behind the scenes to ensure that we have a welcoming, friendly and inclusive team. The culture that we have cultivated over the last two years has been the key in our ability to both recruit and retain players. We would love to acknowledge the women that contribute so much to this team both on and off the field.
We are very proud that we have three female coaches in development – Leticia Burton, Penny Willmoth and Cassandra Desranji, who by the start of the season will all be Level 1 accredited coaches with intention to get to Level 2 before the end of the year.
Candace Macfarlane, who has played for the Unicorns since the beginning of 2017, is our longest standing player. Coming from an athletics background and playing Touch Rugby at a national level, Candy is a competitive player that is a huge asset to our team. She is a dedicated Unicorn and believes that her involvement is more than just her getting game time. With so many young players coming in, she is a significant role model both in integrity, attitude and playing ability. Candy will fiercely advocate for our girls and women to be proud, be heard and be respected – and will accept nothing less. Candy’s aggression and strength has seen her make the transition from the backline into the forwards this year and will be one of our key utility players. We are so excited to see her smash it!
Sarah Mims is our flanker (and dogmum to adorable Pooky!) coming to the club in 2019. She is one of our fittest and fiercest players, and she is the driving force behind our social media platforms which she established in 2020 and runs the content creation herself. Two years later and with our instagram profile pushing 800 followers, Mims is absolutely instrumental to the success of our recruitment drive. Thanks to her huge efforts, we have gone from having 11 registered players in 2019 to almost 40 on the books this year. Mims lives and breathes rugby, and is such a genuine, generous and caring person that we would be absolutely lost without her.
Siobhan Carlson was a longtime union supporter (her fiancé Pete plays for the Chargers) until she finally gave the game a go herself in 2019 and never looked back. As if playing in the front row isn’t enough, she is also our Committee representative for the year and is heading up our sponsorship and fundraising efforts. Siobhan is the ultimate clubwoman – the first to volunteer for anything that requires helping hands. Unpacking the sheds, running drills for Come and Try Rugby Days for Juniors, Womens and Wheelchair Rugby, Fundraising Sausage Sizzles, attending WRDA and Rugby VIC development meetings, organising team dinners and events, driving players to and from away games… Siobhan has done it all with a smile on her face.
Last but certainly not least, Jessica ‘Mud’ Dey is the team manager. Talking up the position after an ACL tear and multiple concussions which has kept her off the field, Mud is the backbone behind the Unicorns Women’s team. The Unicorns Women’s would not be what it is today if it was not for her dedication and devotion to the team. Sacrificing more than most and endless hours of running a tight ship, no one on the team is left unnoticed and is cared for. Her contribution to women’s rugby doesn’t go unnoticed as she was selected for 2021 as the assistant manager for the Victorian state. Everyone loves Mud, and she is the pinnacle of the Unicorn family.
Our team would be nothing without all these fantastic women and the huge amount of time, effort and care that they put in. Their impact on our team is so significant, and the success of our team will impact the development of contact sport for women in Victoria. The club, the coaches and the team thank you.
We are proud Unicorns and with the team this year gaining so much momentum so quickly this season, we are already seeing the fruits of our labour. Go Melbourne!
Visit the Melbourne Unicorns Women’s Instagram and Facebook page for details on training and social events during the season.
