Molly Brooksby, Shineah Goody and Lauren Young have a couple of big things in common – they’ve all just been recruited to Port Adelaide’s AFLW team and, they’re all pretty darn excited.
The trio visited Alberton together on Tuesday for the first time since joining the list, to undergo an induction process with senior coach Lauren Arnell and list manager Naomi Maidment, before changing into full playing kit and capturing some content with the media team.
All three players were invited to train with the squad during the 2023 season, to have a taste of the elite environment and develop their skills alongside footballers already in the system.
After integrating smoothly and impressing the coaches, the three players were given the opportunity to forgo this year’s NAB AFLW draft and pre-sign with Port Adelaide, having come through the club’s academy as juniors.
Young, who was surprised at West Adelaide training last week by Maidment, Arnell, head of AFLW Juliet Haslam, and senior player Gemma Houghton, said her phone hadn’t stopped since the announcement.
“I literally got through everyone on Snapchat and then I opened up Whatsapp and there were so many messages on there from all the players, and I thought ‘okay this will take a while’,” she laughed.
“Draft year is obviously a very stressful year but it's good to be actually in the program now and I can just kind of relax and have a two-week break (before the team’s off-season program begins), so I'm pretty excited.”
Yorke Peninsula product Goody had a similar experience at Woodville-West Torrens training, with Port Adelaide leader Hannah Dunn in attendance to present her with her first Port Adelaide guernsey.
“I wasn’t really expecting it,” she said.
“I was just thinking Loz and Naomi were just going to Facetime me on Friday or whatever because obviously I don't come down to many trainings because of the travel, but because school's finished I obviously try and get to as many as I can…but yeah, it was super exciting.”
Still living in Edithburgh with her family having just finished year 12, Goody will relocate in the New year, but has been managing frequent travel to Adelaide throughout her junior pathway.
“(I’m most looking forward to) being an athlete and having that as basically your job,” she said.
“Just being in that environment around other elite athletes themselves, and getting to know everyone. Next year and looking forward I feel like (I look up to how) Abbey Dowrick plays, and how she goes about everything.”
Brooksby was surprised at a Norwood training session, with Dowrick presenting her jumper, and her parents and younger brother all there to witness the moment.
Her dad has been a big influence on her development, and she credits much of her growth to his influence.
“My dad's played a big role,” Brooksby said.
“He got me into footy and does some pre-season running with me, even though he has to run on the inside lane so it's shorter! He really inspires me and helps me to do my best.
“And my family back at Norwood, they mean a lot to me and have been a big part of my journey.”
Port Adelaide will complete its 2024 list before Christmas, with the trade period happening between December 7 and 14, and the draft taking place on December 18.
