While Gemma Houghton kicked a career-high 17 goals in 2024, she has loftier aims, including working on her contested marking and forward craft. Image: Matt Sampson.

GEMMA HOUGHTON is coming off a career-best season but is not satisfied.

With a career-high 17 goals in 14 games as her Port Adelaide side made a dream run to its first ever AFLW Preliminary Final, Houghton proved to be a handful for even the most experienced defenders with her trademark speed, power and strength.

Fresh off signing on for another season at Alberton, the 30 year-old is planning to spend the off-season getting even stronger in the gym, looking to get faster and take more contested marks.

“I still think there's a lot of areas, even though I've been playing for nine seasons, that are untouched and I'd love to really look back whenever my career is over and know that I gave it everything,” Houghton smiles in an interview with portadelaidefc.com.au.

Houghton hopes that when she retires, she can look back on her career knowing that she left nothing in the tank. Image: Matt Sampson.

“I would love to get even stronger to take on the game, you know, build up my legs to create a little bit more speed so that I can be more consistent in games.

“In terms of my craft, contested marking, or even marking in general, is definitely on the top of my list. I want to come back and really make that a really strong focal point of my season.”

The fifth highest goal kicker in the history of the AFLW competition with 77 in her 74 matches, and just five goals behind the overall leader Danielle Ponter, Houghton has been a huge success story considering she is a basketball convert.

The West Australian was twice a leading goal kicker for Fremantle (in 2019 and 2020) before shifting to Port Adelaide – the club she supported as a child – to be part of its inaugural AFLW list and leading the goalkicking in two of the last three seasons.

In 2024 she averaged 10.1 disposals and 3.4 tackles per game, stepping up in pivotal moments including her late mark and goal in the Week 10 come-from-behind win over Greater Western Sydney as the Power won an extraordinary eight games in-a-row and made its way to within one win of a maiden Grand Final.

That taste of finals footy has only served to inspire Houghton and her teammates.

“At the start of the season we definitely spoke about playing finals,” Houghton said. “We mentioned that that was one of our goals, and we put it aside, and knew that there was a lot of work to be done given the last previous season for us (of having just two wins and a draw).

“So to get to a prelim, you sort of sit here still, and I don't think it's really sunk in that we went eight (wins) in-a-row, nine in total, and then winning our first two ever finals.

02:58

AFLW last two mins: Houghton’s clutch goal seals Power’s comeback win | PTV

The thrilling final moments between Yartapuulti and GWS in week ten of the 2024 NAB AFLW Season.

“I know the result wasn't, I guess, what we dreamt of, but for us, that's a huge improvement, and it just shows what we're capable of as a group.

“I know that that's just going to ignite the fire even more in the belly to come back next season and know that we can go with any team in the competition.”

On top of spending extra time in the gym, Houghton will use the off-season to get home to Perth to meet her nephew, her younger sister’s son, born a couple of months ago and to spend time with her family.

“I would never take away from what we did this season, and I guess where we went to but I love to go home and spend some time with the family,” she said.

“I’m also looking forward to hitting the gym and the track again to come back even fitter, stronger and better, to make it one of our best next year.”