She started playing for her home team, the Magnetic Island Magpies an AFL Townsville junior club based at Horseshoe BayMagnetic Island, together with her siblings.[1] She later played for the North Cairns Tigers during the summers, and was selected for Queensland at State level several times, including captaining the under-18 team in 2012.[2] In 2014, Koenen was awarded a Clem Jones Scholarship to study exercise science at the University of Queensland and to play for the University of Queensland Red Lions.[2][3] In her first two seasons at University of Queensland, she won the best and fairest award twice consecutively.[4] The following season, in 2016, she was named in the QWAFL Team of the Year.[5] In 2017, she was selected for a second time for the QWAFL Team of the Year and was awarded a UQ Blue award by the University of Queensland for enhancing the reputation of university sport.[6] Following Koenen's rise to the highest level of playing, the Youth Girls' best on ground award at the SeaLink AFL Carnival was named the Breanna L. Koenen Medal after her.[7]
AFLW career
Koenen was recruited by Brisbane with the number 50 pick in the 2016 AFL Women's draft.[8][9][10] She made her debut in Brisbane's inaugural game against Melbourne at Casey Fields on 5 February 2017.[11] Brisbane signed Koenen for the 2018 season during the trade period in May 2017.[12] In April 2019, Koenen re-signed with Brisbane for the 2020 season,[13] and was then selected for the club's leadership group.[14] During this season, she shifted forward from a back line defending role to the half-back line and the midfield.[15] Koenen signed on with Brisbane for 2 more years on 15 June 2021,[16] and was named the Lions' captain ahead of 2022 season 6.[17]
Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of 2022 (S6).[18]