Growing up in Western Australia, Steph Simmonds loved to have a kick in the backyard with her sister Gabby but neither of them had a pathway to pursue football.  In 2020, Simmonds took up competitive football and just another season later while playing in Townsville for the Curra Swans, Simmonds was a premiership player, the competition’s leading goal scorer (44 goals) and took out the competition’s best and fairest player award, the B.L. Koenen medal. 

In the absence of a football pathway for women, Simmonds’ sister Gabby took up umpiring and became the first woman to field umpire a men’s game in the WAFL. In October 2024, Gabby became the first female umpire to reach 50 AFLW games. Steph credits her sister Gabby for being her inspiration to get the best out of her own football self. 

In 2022, Simmonds committed to moving to Adelaide – a city she had never visited beforehand – to pursue an ambition to play in the SANFLW and hopefully, be drafted by Port Adelaide. She started out in guernsey number 37, but the following year she switched to the number 17. 

Simmonds leadership on and off the field, and her popularity around the club, saw her appointed co-Captain in 2024 with Sophie Armitstead. The team made it all the way to the Grand Final, but fell to South Adelaide by 5 points. 

Simmonds is known for her creativity on the field and in front of goal. She likes to play the game in and under but relishes finding space on field to set up her team mates. As a person, she is full of energy on and off the field.

During the working week, Simmonds is a full time member of the Australian Defence Force. 

Chris Brown, October 2024