Emily Bates (born 18 October 1995) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Hawthorn in the AFL Women's (AFLW). Bates was selected by the 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. She represented Brisbane in 2016, the last year that the games were held, and was selected by Brisbane with the second pick in the 2016 AFL Women's draft prior to the inaugural AFL Women's season. In her time in the AFL Women's, Bates has become one of the dominant midfielders, and was awarded the game's highest individual accolade, the league best and fairest in 2022. She is also a premiership player, players association MVP recipient, a three-time AFL Women's All-Australian, and was the inaugural Brisbane best-and-fairest winner in 2017. Early life Bates was born in 1995 in Victoria one of three sisters. At the age of 3 she moved with her parents from Victoria to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland before eventually settling in Brisbane. Her father Lloyd Bates was an ex-Victorian and a key figure in Queensland football, encouraged Emily to play football at his Yeronga Football Club. Through him she grew up with a football in her hand and when a girl's 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. 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. She was educated at Brigidine College, Indooroopilly. She won the Best & Fairest in the QWAFL in 2016. AFL Women's career Bates was taken with the number two pick, 's first, in the 2016 AFL Women's draft. 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. She made her debut in the Lions' inaugural game against at Casey Fields in the opening round of the 2017 AFL Women's season. Bates was nominated by her teammates for the 2017 AFLW Players’ Most Valuable Player Award, was named Brisbane's best and fairest and was