"I don't want to leave my team," she says. "I have been in it for years. So have most the boys - and I'm not worried about matching their strength."

She is the only female player in Beaconsfield's team of 21, and at this point it would be fair to say she could match any of the boys' physicality.

But should there be a cut-off point for girls playing in a mixed football team?

AFL spokesman Peter McDougal says that although Ally Blackburn may be an exceptional case, there still needs to be a cut-off point for the safety of everyone involved.

But, he says, at least girls have the chance to play longer than they did before.

"It was 12 until recently - now it's 14, and it's still 12 and over under the Equal Opportunity Commission."

"Under the EOC, there's a ruling that organisers of sporting activities for people over 12 years of age may discriminate on the basis of sex if strength, stamina or physique is relevant."

The AFL had a test case before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in 2004, and it was decided to lift the age girls could play in mixed teams to 14 and above.

The AFL is the "biggest supporter of women's football," Mr McDougal says.

"With the creation of the girls' youth teams across the state, girls have an excellent opportunity to pursue the sport.

"We have 26 all-female teams now in competition and any of these have the opportunity to pursue the sport further to a national level.

" Making a cut-off point wasn't just about safety, but also about respect and responsibility."

Beaconsfiel d Junior Club assistant coach Wayne Decker, who was coach for the past three years, believes there is room for change with the current rules.

"Ally is always one of our best - it should be personal choice.