Kalinda Howarth has been named a NAB AFL Women’s Rising Star nominee after her exciting performance in the inaugural AFLW QCLASH in round three.

In the third game of her AFLW career, Howarth, 20, kicked two of her three goals in the space of a minute during the second quarter to get her side on the scoreboard.

Late in the fourth quarter she marked 25m out from goal, drawing the SUNS level after slotting the set shot from a tight angle with a sublime finish.

Howarth, a product of the Gold Coast SUNS Academy was originally drafted to the Brisbane Lions ahead of the 2018 season, before earning an opportunity as a priority selection ahead of the SUNS inaugural AFLW campaign. 

A Gold Coaster born and bred; the small forward went back to play in the QAFLW for Bond University in 2019 having a standout season kicking 31 goals from 15 games to take out the league’s goalkicking award.

A crafty forward with sublime skills, Howarth has great nous around goals and is proficient on both sides of her body.

All AFLW players 21 years and under as at 1 January 2020 and who have not previously been nominated as a rising star qualify for consideration for the award.

Two players will be nominated each week of the NAB AFL Women’s Competition. Each of the 16 NAB AFL Women’s Rising Star nominees throughout the season will be awarded $500 prize money from NAB to acknowledge their great achievement. In addition, NAB will continue to support the development of future footy stars by awarding junior clubs of each nominee with a NAB Club Recognition Award pack of practical and financial resources, valued at $2000.

The overall NAB AFL Women’s Rising Star winner will be awarded $20,000 from NAB and a private banker to assist with securing their financial future.