Emily Bates (born 18 October 1995) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Hawthorn Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She previously played for the Brisbane Lions from 2017 to season 7. Bates was selected by the Western Bulldogs in the inaugural national women's draft in 2013, and represented them in the first three years of the exhibition games staged prior to the creation of the league. She represented Brisbane in 2016, the last year that the games were held, and was drafted by the club with the second selection in the 2016 AFL Women's draft prior to the inaugural AFL Women's season.

Bates won an AFL Women's premiership with Brisbane in 2021 and was awarded the league's highest individual accolade, the AFL Women's best and fairest, in season 6. She is also a three-time AFL Women's All-Australian, four-time Brisbane best and fairest winner and won the Hawthorn best and fairest award in 2023.

Bates was born in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria^[1][2] as one of three sisters. At the age of three, her family relocated to Brisbane.^[3] Her father Lloyd went on to be a key figure in Queensland football, and encouraged Bates to play football at Yeronga Football Club, where he coached.^[4] Through him she grew up with a football in her hand and when a girls' team started up in 2011, she joined as a junior with her father as team coach with the two winning the under 15 junior premiership. Lloyd passed of cardiac arrest when she was 15 and QAFLW medal is named in his honour.^[5][6] She was educated at Brigidine College, Indooroopilly.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011 and 2012 she represented Queensland at under-18 level in both cricket and Australian rules football (as captain), but she ultimately chose Australian rules football over a cricket career.^[7][8]

Bates was selected by the Western Bulldogs with the forty-fourth selection in the inaugural national women's draft in 2013, and represented them in the first three years of the exhibition games staged prior to the creation of the league. ^{[citation needed]}

She won the Best & Fairest in the QWAFL in 2016.^{[citation needed]}

Bates was taken with the number two pick, Brisbane's first, in the 2016 AFL Women's draft.^[2] She was announced as one of the "values leaders" to assist captain Emma Zielke alongside Sabrina Frederick-Traub, Leah Kaslar and Sam Virgo in January 2017.^[9] She made her debut in the Lions' inaugural game against Melbourne at Casey Fields in the opening round of the 2017 AFL Women's season.^[10]

Bates was nominated by her teammates for the 2017 AFLW Players’ Most Valuable Player Award, was named Brisbane's best and fairest and was also listed in the All-Australian team.^[11][12][13]

Brisbane signed Bates for the 2018 season during the trade period in May 2017.^[14]

Brisbane signed Bates for the 2020 season during the trade and sign period in April 2019.^[15]

Bates signed on with Brisbane for 2 more years on 15 June 2021.^[16]

In 2022 season 6, Bates elevated her game to new heights and averaged nearly 22 disposals and six tackles a game, becoming the Lions' best player. She polled 21 votes in the best and fairest count and became the club's first league best and fairest recipient, the highest individual accolade in the sport.^[17] She also earned the Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award and the Players Association Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, which made her the second player in the competition's history to win all three individual end-of-season awards.^[18][19]

Leading into the 2023 season, Sarah Black named Bates at no. 10 on her annual list of the top 30 players in the AFLW.^[20]

Updated to the end of the 2023 season.^[21]

Team

• AFL Women's premiership player (Brisbane): 2021
• 2× AFL Women's minor premiership (Brisbane): 2017, S7

Individual

• AFL Women's best and fairest: S6
• AFLPA AFLW most valuable player: S6
• AFLCA AFLW champion player of the year: S6
• 3× AFL Women's All-Australian team: 2017, 2018, S6
• 4× Brisbane best and fairest: 2017, 2020, S6, S7
• Hawthorn best and fairest: 2023
• Allies representative honours in AFL Women's State of Origin: 2017