Rachael Sporn appeared as a special guest on Port Adelaide’s new podcast to talk about her incredible journey from international basketball superstar to AFLW Operations Manager.

STARTING an elite sporting team from the ground up isn’t an unfamiliar task for Port Adelaide’s AFLW Operations Manager, Rachael Sporn.

Appearing as a special guest on Port Adelaide’s new podcast hosted by Tom Rockliff and Orazio Fantasia, Sporn spoke of her experience being involved in start-up clubs during her basketball career.

The Australian Basketball icon was involved in the establishment of both the WNBL side the Adelaide Lightning and WNBA side Detroit Shock, and it’s this experience she is excited to bring into her role at Port Adelaide.

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“(Being involved in a new franchise) has happened to me twice as a player, with Adelaide Lightning in 1993 and Detroit Shock in 1998,” Sporn said.

“There is so much hype and so much excitement, and that’s what I can’t wait to see replicated here.

“We have an opportunity to build that winning culture with our athletes, instil the standards and values that we all stand by, and guide them in the right direction.

“And hopefully we will have a lot of success, I know with a new program that may take time but we are going to build a really great foundation.”

With Showdown fever running through the club this week ahead of the AFL and SANFL Showdowns, Sporn painted an exciting picture for the first AFLW Showdown. 

“I’m so excited… the rivalry is already formed, it gives me goosebumps,” Sporn expressed.

“I want this to come to fruition.  I was at the 2019 AFLW Grand Final between Adelaide and Carlton, there was over 53,000 people there - the fifth highest crowd ever at a football game at Adelaide Oval - I want us to beat that.”

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"There's so much to be excited about": Rachel Sporn on AFLW with Rock & Raz| PTV

Olympic Opal, Adelaide Lightning royalty and newly appointed AFLW Operations Manager, Rachel Sporn, joins Rock and Raz to chat about her incredible journey from international basketball superstar to helping build Port Adelaide's inaugural AFLW pro...

What will make the first AFLW Showdown even more interesting is the prospect of current Adelaide Crows players lining up against their old side in Port Adelaide colours.

Under the expansion team signing rules, Port Adelaide will be able to recruit up to fourteen currently listed AFLW players.

One of those widely spoken about is Erin Phillips, daughter of eight-time Port Adelaide premiership player, Greg Phillips.

While Sporn is not involved in recruiting and was not able to shed any light on where Phillips will line up next season, she did share a nice story of her connection with the two-time AFLW league best and fairest winner.

“When Erin was 12 years old, I was at the Tour Down Under and Greg Phillips introduced Erin to me,” Sport recalled. “She was just at a stage when she was going to have to stop playing football (because of a lack of female football pathways).”

“Because she did meet me and shook my hand - I didn’t know it at the time - but she thought, right I’m going to play basketball.

“As it turned out five years later, she was my teammate at Adelaide Lightning, she was 17 and I was 34.

“She was so talented to go from starting a new sport to playing at national league level only five years later, whatever she would have tried she would have excelled at. I’m just so glad we’ve seen her play AFLW too.”