In Round 18 last week, Emma Ritchie was announced as the latest NAB Auskicker of the Year weekly nominee. Emma is from the Valkstone St Pauls Mckinnon NAB AFL Auskick Centre in Bentleigh. She is now one of the 22 kids who will experience every budding footy star’s dream in 2022.

NAB’s AFL Auskicker of the Year competition gives registered participants from across Australia the opportunity to become one of the weekly nominees by showing NAB their skills. All children aged 5-12 are eligible to register regardless of their skill level, with the weekly sessions teaching kids footy basics and building teamwork and motor skills.

The Seven Network broadcasts the weekly nominee announcements, with Emma’s claim to fame coming during last Friday night’s match between the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda.

Along with her fellow nominees, Emma will get to play NAB AFL Auskick and present a medal to a premiership winner at the 2022 Toyota AFL Grand Final.

Emma is now in the running to be crowned 2022’s overall NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year, with this announcement set to take place at the Brownlow medal ceremony. The winner will receive $5,000 from NAB, while Geelong Cats captain Joel Selwood and AFLW star and Richmond Captain Katie Brennan will be their personal AFL mentors in 2023.

NAB supports over 200,000 young Auskickers every year and has done so since 2006, playing a vital role in developing kids’ footy skills and ensuring future AFL champions are kicking all their goals at an early age.

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