Sport
15 May, 2026
Mother-daughter duo Sherriden Byrne and Mahli Stone star for Lady Redbacks
For Sherriden Byrne and Mahli Stone, football is a family affair, with the mother-daughter duo sharing the field for the Carisbrook Lady Redbacks.
Alongside her stellar netball career, Sherriden has played a role in pioneering women’s football locally.
After helping the MCDFNL Lions win the inaugural Victorian Women’s Football League Goldfields premiership in 2016, Sherriden won a second premiership in 2017 for the Carisbrook-aligned Lions in the AFL Goldfields Womenʼs Football Division Two competition.
While the now standalone Lady Redbacks have found a stable home in the Ballarat Women’s Football League (BFLW), Sherriden has remained a key cog in the side.
Despite getting older, the 2023 BFLW seniors Team of the Year member continues to be impactful, named among Carisbrook’s best players in every match she’s played this season.
“I grew up with a twin brother and an older brother and we always used to go down and kick the footy,” Sherriden said.
“I always enjoyed footy, but women’s footy was never around when I was a kid, so I probably missed the boat by about 20 years.”
Mahli said her mother’s passion for football encouraged her to follow in her footsteps, rising through the ranks as part of a talented and committed cohort of aspiring local footballers.
“Most of us girls who played were all the same age and then as we grew up, they raised the age of our junior side,” she said.
Mahli made her senior debut alongside her mother last season in round four against Darley. The heartwarming moment ended abruptly when Mahli broke her arm during the match.
With her arm fully healed, Mahli has quickly developed into an influential player for Carisbrook, much to the delight of Sherriden.
“It’s good fun, it does feel strange when you hear the shout of mum on the field,” she said.
“Just being out there and seeing what Mahli is capable of. She can be a little bit of a princess, but you get her on the football field and she’s totally different.
“She likes tackling and getting involved. I think last match before the game even started, she went through a big skid through the puddle that was on the ground.”
While every game together is a special moment for them to treasure, the mother-daughter pairing will likely never forget kicking five goals each in Carisbrook’s long-awaited 124-point round three victory against Lake Wendouree last month.
As their goals brought the Lady Redbacks closer to breaking their 28-game losing streak, Mahli said a friendly rivalry developed.
“I kicked four goals in the first quarter and then mum started kicking goals and I was telling her don’t kick too many more, I don’t want you to get more than me,” she said.
“All my friends always say is your mum any good? And I say she’s way better than me.”