“WITH pick one, the Western Bulldogs select Isabel Huntington.”
Imagine that… playing on a local ground in the EDFL to playing in front of thousands of fans on the iconic Whitten Oval.
The dream is now a reality for the Melbourne University junior, and she got to soak it all up with a now lifelong teammate.
Monique Conti, snapped up at pick number four, played alongside Huntington at Melbourne Uni at EDFL level, and was rewarded with the opportunity to play alongside her in the red, white and blue.
On Saturday, Conti was best-on-ground in the AFLW Grand Final.
Further down the draft order was Pascoe Vale’s Sarah Dargan, one of the hardest-working players you will ever meet.
She did not expect to go that high in the draft, but we were certainly all behind her at the EDFL.
The Collingwood draftee was a Vic Metro representative, a Calder Cannons superstar and of course, a Panther at heart.
I would say back in the old days, to be honest, ponytails flopping about in the air on a footy field was a hard concept to gauge, up until the recent establishment of the AFLW.
For some, it was sight that did not belong in football.
But now, there is more than 1.5 million of those gracious ponytails on footy fields around the nation, and boy aren’t they loving it.
I’ve spoken to and read stories on many female footballers, who all share a common theme when talking about how they got to where they are today.
Girls would often kick the ball around the backyard with their brothers and sisters, their mates or their parents.
Then, at their brother’s, or other relative’s football game, the girls would carry a footy and kick it around while they were playing.
In their younger years, their love for football would continue to grow and soon, they would be finding themselves suiting up in oversized jumpers to play alongside the boys in junior football.
Western Bulldog star, Katie Brennan did just that, and kicked seven goals in her first game of footy - as a seven-year-old.
“Girls can’t kick.”
As a 15-year-old, Collingwood forward Moana Hope was one of two Hadfield female players to be selected for a City v Country women’s match, which was essentially a tryout to see who could represent Victoria in the AFL Women’s National Championships.
“Football is a man’s game.”
At 31 years of age, Adelaide premiership coach, Bec Goddard became the first woman to field-umpire a state league game.
“Why did you give that free kick? Is it because you’ve got your period?”
The quotes above represent a stereotypical reaction to women in football.
I know what may be going through your head right now- ‘she’s played the gender card’.
That’s certainly not what I am doing.
Today, these views no longer exist and we probably have these people to thank for making us work even harder to break into the world of Aussie Rules football- which could once be considered as a ‘men’s club’.
This is also an opportunity to say thanks to the young boys who let the girls play alongside them.
Thanks to all the dads who accepted that their girls want to pull on footy shorts instead of a tutu on the weekend.
Thanks to all the brothers who kicked the ball in the backyard with their sisters and gave them a chance to join in a kick-to-kick with their mates.
The future is bright for women in football, and the EDFL is leading the way to ensure that players have the opportunity to be in Isabel Huntington’s shoes in the coming years.
Sunbury Lions junior Madison Prespakis was already a star last year, despite being too young to be drafted.
This year, she will captain the Calder Cannons TAC Cup Girls team and continue to make strides in her footballing career at the AFLW Academy.
In the U18 EDFL Girls grand final last year, Prespakis went head-to-head with Cannons teammate, Georgia Patrikios, who suited up for Pascoe Vale.
Patrikios was the face of Essendon’s AFLW bid, and has been a Vic Metro representative - all before she turned 17.
Alisa Magri is a multiple EDFL Girls Interleague representative, a Calder Cannons star in the making and has been a revelation for the Sunbury Lions.
I could name plenty more players but frankly, I don’t have enough space to fit them all in.
What I can recommend is getting around to your local grounds in support all of these hard-working female footballers, who have waited a long time for this moment to come.
Treat a lazy Sunday as a day to go and watch a match in the expanded EDFL Women’s competition… or a Junior Girls match if you’re a morning person.
You won’t be disappointed. I can guarantee that.
