Charlie Rowbottom


Charlie Rowbottom is an Australian rules footballer playing for Gold Coast in the AFL Women's.

Early life

Rowbottom grew up in Melbourne and first played Australian rules football in year eight at Loreto Mandeville Hall. She proceeded to play junior football for the East Malvern Knights of the South Metro Junior Football League, and shortly thereafter accepted a position in the Oakleigh Chargers girls teams. She is the younger sister of professional men's footballer James Rowbottom, who plays for the Sydney Swans. Her uncle is former AFL player and current Channel 7 AFL commentator Brian Taylor.

Football career

Under the rules of the AFL Women's draft in 2021, Rowbottom was permitted to nominate the state of her choice for selection by an AFLW club. Despite growing up in Victoria, Rowbottom nominated Queensland, stating that although it would be "a shift in my life, it is all very exciting". had the first overall pick in the draft, and so selected Rowbottom with the number one pick. She played her debut match in round one of 2022 season 6 against, and recorded 11 disposals. The following round she was nominated for the AFL Women's Rising Star award, in the Suns' 13-point win against. She missed out on winning the Rising Star award by one vote to Carlton's Mimi Hill, though she did win the equivalent award as judged by her peers at the Players Association MVP Awards.
Rowbottom won the Gold Coast Suns [Club Champion (AFL Women's)|Gold Coast Club Champion] award the following season as her club's best and fairest player. She missed her chance at her first finals appearance when she underwent ankle surgery late in the 2023 season, though her third campaign was successful enough to earn Rowbottom her maiden selection in the 2023 AFL Women's [All-Australian team|2023 All-Australian team].
In week 3 of 2024, Rowbottom set a new personal record of 42 disposals in a draw against. Fresh off of her second All-Australian selection at just the age of 21 in 2024, Rowbottom re-committed to the Suns, signing a two-year contract extension. She also won her second Club Champion award.
Following a 2025 season in which Gold Coast claimed the wooden spoon, Rowbottom won her third best-and-fairest.