Halfpenny grew up playing basketball from u/10s to u/23s, eventually playing division one for the North Adelaide Rockets. In 2017 she was invited out to football training at Golden Grove Football Club by a friend who wanted some company. Before long, she was playing football herself and quickly became a part of Norwood’s u/17 development squad.
Halfpenny was invited out to train with the senior women’s team in 2020 and became Norwood’s first SANFLW father-daughter player. Her father Warren had played league football for Norwood from 1990-1993, and presented his daughter with her guernsey on debut in Round 1 of 2020. Halfpenny was just 17, with only three seasons of football behind her. She played every game that season and also played in the SANFL Women’s All-Stars game.
In 2021, Halfpenny was the SANFLW Rd 11 Powerade Breakthrough Player against the Eagles at Thebarton Oval. She was then selected in the State Under 18 team as an overage player. (The national u/18 championships of 2020 were cancelled due to Covid, so overage players were included in 2021). Halfpenny’s good form also saw her selected in The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year. Her form was further rewarded when she was pre-listed as a supplementary pre-season signing for Port Adelaide’s inaugural season in 2022.
Halfpenny was elevated to the leadership group at Norwood when she was appointed Deputy Vice Captain in 2022. She was nominated (for a second time) for the SANFLW Powerade Breakthrough player following her performance in Round 2 vs Central at Elizabeth and once again, she was selected in The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year.
After playing six games in two seasons with Port’s AFLW team, Halfpenny was delisted at the end of 2023. This gave her a chance to play a full season at Norwood again in 2024, and at the start of the year she was appointed to the leadership group once again.
2024 was an outstanding season for Halfpenny. She played as a genuine utility player, spending time as a forward, a midfielder and also in the ruck. Playing in all 17 games for the season, Halfpenny averaged 17 disposals, four tackles, four marks and three clearances and kicked four goals. Her contested and overhead marking was a strong feature of her game, as was her run.
Throughout the year, Halfpenny reached her 50 game milestone vs West Adelaide at Norwood Oval. She was selected in the very first SANFLW state league team ever, a team that defeated Western Australia in Perth. To cap off an incredible year, Halfpenny was named in the Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year for the third time, and was awarded the club’s Best and Fairest Award. But wait – there’s more….as in July 2024 Halfpenny was selected by Carlton as an injury replacement player. She played two AFLW games but was delisted at season’s end.
Away from Norwood, Halfpenny is studying Outdoor and Environmental Leadership at University and aiming to work in tourism or conservation. In 2024, she also coached the A grade girl’s middle school football team at Scotch College.
Chris Brown, October 2024.