'Going to tear it apart': More to come from young Pie
That's the belief of Collingwood coach Sam Wright after the Magpies' No.1 draft pick played her hotly-anticipated first AFLW game in the season opener.
Centra, on limited minutes after a pre-season hip complaint, started on the bench, but was cheered when she ran onto the field - and the applause seemingly never stopped.
The 19-year-old only had three disposals but clunked a huge contested mark and snagged a goal with her first kick in Thursday night's 6.9 (45) to 3.3 (21) loss to Carlton at Princes Park.
WHAT A MOMENT 🌟Number one pick Ash Centra joins the first kick, first goal club after taking a brilliant contested mark to go with it! pic.twitter.com/L2hRnplke2
— Collingwood AFLW (@CollingwoodAFLW) August 14, 2025
"She's got like a cult following," Wright said.
"Every time she went near the ball, whether she got it or not, you could hear the crowd get up and about.
"I just think it's so great for our game.
"I mean, the long sleeves, you know, you could see her coming from a mile away, because you could hear the crowd building.
"So I was really happy for her that she she kicked that goal, but she's going to be a serious player."
Centra, who was a star junior, played just 61 per cent game time, predominantly up forward.
Wright, who admitted he'd have loved to have been able to throw Centra into the midfield, expected her to need at least a couple more weeks before she could play full minutes.
He stressed the No.1 pick, who was among five debutants, was treated like any other player and wouldn't have felt any pressure at Collingwood.
"I reckon she might have enjoyed it tonight when the crowd was up and about, because she probably doesn't get that behind closed doors," he said.
"But we're just going to continue to see her build.
"There's no doubt when she's unleashed on full minutes and she starts going into the midfield, she's going to tear it apart."
The Magpies hope to regain Irish star Sarah Rowe from a shoulder injury while Kellyann Hogan (shoulder) will require scans after she was injured against the Blues.
Collingwood host GWS at Victoria Park next Saturday.
The surface had been patchy recently but Wright is confident the Magpies' home ground will be up to standard.
"No, I'm comfortable," he said.
"I'm comfortable with the procedures that the AFL go through, too.
"So if it's not right to play on, then they'll let us know, but no indication of that."
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