{{short description|Australian rules footballer (born 2000)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox AFL biography | name = Nikki Nield | image = File:Nikki Gore 2019.3.jpg | alt = Gore in white Adelaide guernsey | caption = Nikki Nield playing for Adelaide in 2019 | fullname = | nickname = Turbo<ref name="AFCdraft"/><ref name="AFCdebut"/> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|12|11|df=y}} | birth_place = Adelaide, South Australia | death_date = | death_place = | originalteam = Christies Beach (AdelFL)<br> South Adelaide (SANFLW) | draftpick = No. 8, 2018 AFL Women's draft | debutdate = Round 6, 2019 | debutteam = {{AFLW|Ade}} | debutopponent = {{AFLW|GWS}} | debutstadium = Peter Motley Oval | height = 164 cm | weight = | position = Midfielder | currentclub = {{AFLW|Fre}} | guernsey = | years1 = 2019–2022 (S6) | club1 = {{AFLW|Ade}} | games_goals1 = 21 (2) | years2 = 2022 (S7)–2023 (S8) | club2 = {{AFLW|Fre}} | games_goals2 = {{0}}9 (1) | games_goalstotal = 30 (3) | statsend = the 2023 season | careerhighlights = * AFL Women's premiership player: 2022 (S6) * AdelFL Division 2 premiership player (Christies Beach): 2017 * 2× SANFLW premiership player (South Adelaide): 2018, 2019 * SANFLW Breakthrough Player Award: 2018 * South Adelaide best and fairest: 2018 * SANFLW Best and Fairest: 2024 }}
'''Nikki Nield''' ({{nee}} '''Gore''', born 11 December 2000) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for both Adelaide and Fremantle in the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition. Nield made 30 appearances in the AFLW, before returning to state league football.
==State football== Nield played Australian rules football since the age of 11, first at McLaren and then joined Christies Beach<ref name="sacrifice"/> She captained Christies Beach under-14 boys' team in 2014<ref name="AFCdraft"/> and in 2016 joined their senior South Australian Women's Football League (SAWFL) side,<ref name="sacrifice"/> helping them claim the Adelaide Footy League Division 2 premiership in 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/sport/christies-beach-to-move-womens-team-from-adelaide-footy-league-to-southern-football-league-in-2020/news-story/965f4d5a9e040cb89bdb4cdeaef02edc|title=Southern Football League: Christies Beach women to join from Adelaide Footy League|newspaper=The Advertiser|date=28 October 2019}}</ref> In 2018, Nield joined SANFL Women's League (SANFLW) club South Adelaide. She had a very successful first season, averaging 19.5 disposals over eight games, as well as collecting 21 disposals and laying eight tackles in the Grand Final victory over Norwood. In round 4, after collecting 20 disposals, she was nominated for the Breakthrough Player Award, winning the award at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nikki Gore breaks through as SANFLW rising star |url=https://www.safc.com.au/blog/nikki-gore-breaks-through-as-sanflw-rising-star |access-date=9 February 2020 |publisher=South Adelaide |date=3 May 2018}}</ref> Furthermore, she was selected for the 2018 SANFLW Team of the Year<ref name="AFCdraft"/> and won South Adelaide's best and fairest award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.safc.com.au/blog/nikki-gore-claims-inaugural-women-s-best-and-fairest|title=Nikki Gore claims inaugural women's best and fairest|publisher=South Adelaide|date=19 May 2018}}</ref> Nield represented South Australia at the 2018 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships and was selected for the initial squad of the All-Australian team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/136502/vics-dominate-aflw-u18-all-australian-squad|title=Vics dominate AFLW U18 All Australian squad|first=Sarah|last=Black|publisher=Telstra Media|work=Australian Football League|date=16 July 2018|access-date=5 May 2020}}</ref> In 2019, Gore averaged 18 disposals over seven games, laying 48 tackles during the SANFLW season, helping South Adelaide claim back-to-back premierships.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afc.com.au/players/1974/nikki-gore|title=Nikki Gore|work=Adelaide|publisher=Telstra Media|access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref> Gore also played two games for NT Thunder during the 2018 VFL Women's (VFLW) season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ntthunder.com.au/player/nikki-gore/|title=Nikki Gore|publisher=NT Thunder|access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref>
In 2024, Nield won the SANFL Women's League Best and Fairest Award with 27 votes, with South Adelaide qualifying for another Grand Final.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sanfl.com.au/league/news/nikki-nield-wins-2024-sanflw-best-and-fairest/ |title=Nikki Nield wins 2024 SANFLW Best and Fairest |website=sanfl.com.au |first=Zac |last=Milbank |date=24 June 2024 |access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref>
==AFL Women's career== Nield was drafted by Adelaide with their first selection and eighth overall in the 2018 AFL Women's draft. Adelaide's general manager of football, Phil Harper, said that she "is a real competitor who loves the contest, tackles hard, and has an enormous work rate."<ref name="AFCdraft">{{cite news|url=https://www.afc.com.au/news/2018-10-23/pick-no-8-nikki-gore|title=AFLW: SA talent Nikki Gore becomes a Crow|date=23 October 2018|work=Adelaide|publisher=Telstra Media|access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref> She made her debut in the 32 point win over {{AFLW|GWS}} at Peter Motley Oval in round 6 of the 2019 season.<ref name="AFCdebut">{{cite news|url=https://www.afc.com.au/news/237172/aflw-first-round-draft-pick-nikki-gore-to-debut-for-adelaide|title=AFLW: First-round draft pick Nikki Gore to debut for Adelaide|first=Emmalie|last=Balnaves-Gale|work=Adelaide|publisher=Telstra Media|date=8 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Walsh |first=Liz |title=Crows head coach Matthew Clarke confirms teenager Nikki Gore will make her AFLW debut against Giants at Unley Oval on Sunday |url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/aflw/crows-head-coach-matthew-clarke-confirms-teenager-nikki-gore-will-make-her-aflw-debut-against-giants-at-unley-oval-on-sunday/news-story/2a08ef48547aa021ab25fe7dd8fc2fed |access-date=11 March 2019 |newspaper=The Advertiser |date=8 March 2019}}</ref>
In June 2022, Nield was traded to Fremantle.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/1145325/details-finalised-for-nikki-gore-trade|title=Details finalised for Nikki Gore trade|publisher=Telstra|work=Fremantle|date=8 June 2022}}</ref>
After the 2023 AFLW season, Nield was told by Fremantle that she would not receive a new contract, therefore finishing her AFLW career.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-15 |title=AFLW list update |url=https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/1478312/aflw-list-update |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=fremantlefc.com.au |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== Nield was born in Christies Beach in Adelaide.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/local-footy-sa/sanfl/south-adelaide/nikki-gore-living-her-dream-playing-australian-rules-football/news-story/ecedb4695290ee4054ae05c6b37fb52f|title=Nikki Gore living her dream playing Australian Rules Football|newspaper=The Advertiser|date=26 January 2018}}</ref> She has a twin sister, named Amy, who is a surfer. Both twins had started out surfing, but Gore changed to football due to not enjoying the individual aspect of surfing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/womens-afl/aflw-draft-2018-south-australian-nikki-gore-hopes-to-emulate-erin-phillips-success-in-the-afl/news-story/f67dc0c03c8b2b352e3b53bc90f173a6|title=AFLW Draft 2018: South Australian Nikki Gore hopes to emulate Erin Phillips' success in the AFL|first=Matt|last=Balmer|work=Fox Sports|date=14 October 2018}}</ref> Both twins studied at Tatachilla Lutheran College until year nine, when they took up online schooling.<ref name="sacrifice">{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/127682/aflw-sacrifice-pays-off-for-south-australian|title=AFLW: Sacrifice pays off for South Australian|first=Sarah|last=Black|work=Adelaide|publisher=Telstra Media|date=10 October 2018}}</ref>
Nield now teaches at a high school in the Morphett Vale area, where she has taught since 2024.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Fremplayer}} *{{AustralianFootball}}
{{2022 AFL Women's season 6 Adelaide premiership players}} {{Knuckey Cup}} {{2018 AFL Women's draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nield, Nikki}} Category:Living people Category:2000 births Category:Adelaide Football Club (AFLW) players Category:Fremantle Football Club (AFLW) players Category:Christies Beach Football Club players Category:South Adelaide Football Club players (Women's) Category:Australian rules footballers from South Australia Category:Australian twins Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen Category:AFL Women's premiership players