Sport
8 April, 2025
Olivia Butler becomes the Lady Redbacks’ first player to play 100 games
History was made at the Carisbrook Recreation Reserve on Sunday, with the Lady Redbacks’ Olivia Butler marking her 100th game — a first for women’s football locally.
Butler was just 10 when she debuted with the club back in 2016 and has risen through the ranks to now, at the age of 19, be a stalwart of the side and also their captain.
The first Lady Redback to mark a century of games under the club’s banner, Butler’s achievement is a testament to women’s football on a local stage.
While the Redbacks lost to a very strong Redan outfit by 163 points on Sunday, the side’s third consecutive loss, Butler said the scoreline is secondary to what brings the side back each weekend — an overwhelming sense of community.
“We show up each week and we’re positive, there’s not many communities or teams that show up and get smashed and keep coming back,” she said.
“We had a few drinks to celebrate the milestone at the club rooms after the game and seeing how many people came along and the community we’ve built around women’s footy was really heartwarming.
“It’s a different type of football for us, there’s more to it than winning games or even a grand final.
“We work on things at training and then on match day we’re able to achieve it, we’re making our own progress and that’s enough of a win for us.”
Hailing from a family filled with footballers, Butler is following in the footsteps of her older sisters, most notably AFLW star Lauren Butler, who also played with Carisbrook in her youth.
“It’s awesome to reach this milestone, you don’t really count down these things but looking back, it’s amazing to see how far I’ve come,” she said.
“Lauren played at Carisbrook when she was younger and it’s awesome to see the opportunities that can come from this.”
Having the opportunity to run out each week alongside a team filled with friends, including Zeanna Cassells who marked her 50th game on Sunday, Butler said it’s the epitome of country footy at its best.
“I’ve had my opportunity to go and play elsewhere but at the end of the day, there’s nowhere I’d rather be,” she said.
“Hopefully the Lady Redbacks is something that sticks around for a long time and there are many more opportunities for local women and girls.”