IT has been an unconventional journey to 50 AFLW games for Cheyenne Hammond and it’s not lost on the versatile Yartapuulti midfielder that she’ll bring up the milestone against her former side.
A former soccer player with Adelaide United, Hammond will bring up 50 AFLW games against the Gold Coast, where she played 22 games across three seasons.
One of the quieter but more reliable performers for Yartapuulti so far this season, Hammond has played on the wing, in the midfield or off half back in 2024, showcasing the trust she has built with her coaches and teammates.
Speaking on Tuesday ahead of her milestone game, the 26-year-old discussed the uniqueness of reaching 50 games this weekend, the side’s four-game winning run, and how the side has addressed its slow starts from earlier in the season.
Cheyenne Hammond on reaching 50 AFLW games:
“It's definitely been like a long journey to get here, especially when there's only 10 games in the season, but it's been an amazing journey. If you would have asked me five years ago whether I'd be in this position, I probably would have laughed, like I never would have thought I would have gotten this far with footy. But I'm so grateful, and to do it here at home (in South Australia) is especially amazing.”
Cheyenne Hammond on playing her former side in her 50th game:
“I’ve got a few friends there and it's kind of fitting to have my 50th game against my old club. It's pretty special, to be honest. And you know, I'm still close with some of those girls and to play alongside my teammates, but also my old teammates is something pretty special, and I'll definitely remember this forever.
“It's pretty weird, to be honest, playing my 50th against my old club, and then also the A-league side starting this weekend, that's a little weird. (It’s) like all the stars have aligned. But maybe that's a good sign.”
Cheyenne Hammond on what she is looking forward to most this weekend:
“I definitely want to get the W for sure, that would be great but also, just having my family coming up as well is really special for me. And also as I said, old teammates, old club, and having my teammates now alongside me is definitely really special.”
Cheyenne Hammond on the side’s form, having won four games in-a-row for the first time:
“We're just enjoying our footy at the moment. It's great to get five wins all together and four in-a-row is definitely really special. But, at the moment, we're just taking it week by week.
“It's definitely a really good feeling, especially, as I said, to get four in-a-row and, you know, compared to last year, we're definitely growing as a team and as a club, and we're just really excited.”
Cheyenne Hammond on how the side has overcome the slow starts of earlier in the season:
“We had a few discussions around it, but we sort of sat down as a team and just tried to figure out what was going on. And we sat down all together and we just wanted to be really loud and get the momentum going. I definitely think we're starting off a lot better now, which is good.”
Cheyenne Hammond on teammate Kirsty Lamb bringing up her 75th game milestone this week as well:
“She's such a great person to have, especially around the girls. Just to have a bit more maturity as well - Lambie brings a lot of maturity with her and just experience as well. We've got such a young team. I really think she definitely brings that experience and she's always got really good advice for us as well. She's in and under the pack every week, and she's putting her body on the line, and you can see it. It's amazing to share this milestone with her, like her playing her 75th and me playing my 50th.
Cheyenne Hammond on wearing the First Nations guernsey designed by teammate Jasmin Stewart for the AFLW Indigenous Round:
“Oh my god, the guernsey is amazing. It looks so good and we're wearing our away one which is white and teal, and I think those colours just look so good with it as well. It's just such an exciting weekend. We've got so much going on, and I just can't wait to wear the guernsey along with the milestone games coming up as well.”
