At 189 centimetres she’s the third-tallest player in the AFLW.
asserted
she → ’ → AFLW
Throw in a ruthless streak on the footy field – and she can spell trouble for opponents.
asserted
she → throw → opponents
Former Port Adelaide coach Lauren Arnell recalled having to step in at training to separate Scholz and her veteran teammate Gemma Houghton.
asserted
Arnell → recall → Scholz
Arnell had encouraged the players to bring their physicality to the session.
asserted
Arnell → encourage → session
Scholz started throwing her giant athletic frame around and Houghton took exception.
asserted
Houghton → start → exception
Just as the scuffle began to escalate, Arnell rushed in to pull them apart.
asserted
Arnell → begin → them
Neither was about to take a backward step.
asserted
Neither → take → step
The coach described the fiery wrestle as a positive moment because the players found a greater level to challenge each other within training.
asserted
players → describe → training
It sparked an eight-game winning streak that led the Power all the way to the 2024 preliminary final.
asserted
that → spark → final
Scholz’s mum Peta has also had some nervous moments watching her eldest daughter play.
asserted
daughter → have → moments
“She was so much taller than anyone else when she was younger, and all the coaches were
yelling out, ‘stop the big girl, stop the big girl’.
asserted
coaches → yell → girl
Matilda had no idea how strong she was.
asserted
she → have → idea
“I would often stand there with my hands to my eyes and not be able to watch, fearful that Matilda would accidentally hurt someone.
asserted
Matilda → stand → someone
I just hoped all the other players would walk off without an injury.
asserted
players → hop → injury
It was definitely hard to watch.”
asserted
It → watch → ?
Peta Scholz (nee Squire) played netball for Australia.
asserted
Scholz → play → Australia
As a hard-working, smart wing defence, she won a World Cup and Commonwealth Games gold medal alongside champions of the game, including Liz Ellis and Sharelle McMahon.
asserted
she → work → Ellis
“I miss playing netball.
asserted
I → miss → netball
I wanted to win, I wanted to beat my opponent and I wanted to be the best there was as well,” she says.
asserted
she → want → opponent
Matilda has inherited her mother’s white-line fever.
asserted
Matilda → inherit → fever
Her dad, David, recalls a game when she was just 10 playing for the Mitcham Hawks under-14s.
“It was a game against the Henley Sharks.
asserted
It → recall → Sharks
She was going OK in the ruck, and they just got into her.
asserted
they → go → her
They literally were targeting her, jumping into her, running into her to stop her getting the ball.
asserted
her → target → ball
Anyway, she reacted in a way which I feel like we see a fair bit today – where it actually fires her up a bit.
asserted
it → react → her
It was almost like a moment for me watching her and suddenly seeing a different kid.
asserted
me → watch → kid
When she was pressed physically, she found another gear.”
asserted
she → press → gear
Scholz now bats away opposition players the way a cowboy swats flies.
asserted
cowboy → bat → flies
She has mastered the Dusty Martin “don’t argue”.
asserted
She → master → Martin
In season 11, she’s on the cusp of becoming the game’s best player.
asserted
she → ’ → cusp
She’ll need to dethrone Kangaroos champ Jasmine Garner to get there.
asserted
She → need → Garner
The running ruck won her first All-Australian blazer last year.
asserted
ruck → run → blazer
And at the halfway mark of the season, she’s on track to go back-to-back.
asserted
she → ’ → back
But it’s not just Scholz’s footy attributes that stand out.
asserted
that → ’ → ?
It’s her marketability as well.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Last month, the Power star graced the front cover of Women’s Health magazine.
asserted
star → grace → magazine
And she’s a social media darling, attracting the most followers on TikTok of all AFLW players.
asserted
she → ’ → players
She’s in the top five on Instagram.
asserted
She → ’ → Instagram
She’s gone from the reserved kid who bawled her eyes out before going on year 7 school camp to embracing life as a role model, visiting schools to educate kids about respectful relationships, domestic violence and gender equality.
asserted
who → go → relationships
“Over the last few years, she’s developed a lot of clarity around what she wants to stand for.
asserted
she → develop → what
What’s important to her outside of football?” says David.
asserted
David → ’ → football
…and 22 more, not listed.
The Aporia
