Jesse Wardlaw

Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw (born 13 January 2000) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the St Kilda Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She previously played for the Brisbane Lions from 2019 to season 7.

Tawhiao-Wardlaw was born in Ashburton, New Zealand to Māori parents, before emigrating to Australia at the age of four. She grew up participating in multiple sports, including cross country, basketball, netball and touch rugby. She attended John Paul College before later joining the Brisbane Lions' Academy program.

A key forward, Tawhiao-Wardlaw led Brisbane's goalkicking for the first time in 2020. Her breakout season as a power forward came in 2022 season 7, winning the AFL Women's leading goalkicker award with 22 goals—the highest average goal haul in the league, exceeding 2 goals a game.

Early life Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw was born on 13 January 2000, in Ashburton, New Zealand, to an Aucklander mother and Christchurch father. She is of dual Māori descent. She migrated to Australia with her family at the age of four. A talented netballer, Wardlaw was chosen in the Queensland Under 17 and Under 19 state representative sides.

She received a nomination for the AFLW Rising Star Award in Round 2 of the 2020 AFLW season, after kicking three goals in the Lions' win over Geelong. Tawhiao-Wardlaw achieved selection in Champion Data's 2021 AFLW All-Star stats team, after coming runner-up in the league for average marks inside 50 in the 2021 AFL Women's season, totalling 2.0 a game.

On 8 March 2020, Tawhiao-Wardlaw was recognised by AFL Queensland for International Women's Day, as a cross-coder who plays multiple sports.

At the conclusion of 2022 season 7, Tawhiao-Wardlaw was traded to St Kilda as part of a five-club deal.