PORT ADELAIDE’s AFLW draftees had their first day at the club on Wednesday, two days after hearing their names called at the Telstra AFLW Draft.
Players were given a tour of the facilities and met staff and teammates during their visit to Alberton.
Portadelaidefc.com.au also caught up briefly with each of the girls to find out more about them as players and people.
Lily Paterson on getting drafted to Port Adelaide:
“I'm just super excited, so excited to get stuck into it. It’s a bit strange (not starting pre-season for a few months) but it's good too you know, you enjoy the holidays with the family, and then get into it.
“This is definitely the place I want to be. 100% like coming up to the draft. This is where I wanted to come. Love the culture, love everything about this club.
“(Watching the draft) all my friends were just in shock because they were like, ‘oh my gosh!’ Mum just like started screaming. She's so excited for me, (both) mum and dad are definitely my biggest supporters, so it was good to share that moment with them.”
Lily Paterson on what kind of player she is and what she needs to work on:
“I’m a bit of a cheeky player. I like to do some sneaky things, but I'm pretty hard working and love to get in there. In and around the contest, I’ll do a sneaky, like poke a player or something like that.
“I think it's definitely going to be a big change to AFLW you know, everyone's pretty strong in the midfield, but I think (I’ll have to do) lots of hard work and lots of bicep curls.”
Lily Paterson on who she is looking forward to playing with and who has reached out to her since being drafted:
“Definitely, Matilda Scholz. She's just an insane player, and to receive a ruck tap from her would be amazing.
“I got so many messages (from the girls) my phone broke. I couldn't call people, I couldn't receive calls, it was pretty nuts, but I hung out with Abbey (Dowrick) and Matilda (Scholz) yesterday, and they're great people.
Jasmine Evans on hearing she was coming to Port Adelaide:
“I was so excited. I honestly had no idea I was going to Port. So being drafted here and getting to stay home, it's really good, I’m pretty happy.”
Jasmine Evans on growing up in a family of Crows supporters and what she knows about Port Adelaide:
“(I don’t know a lot (about the club), but I'm really excited to get to know more about the club. The girls were a lot more successful this year (on the field) than previous years so I’m excited to be a part of that. My dad got a (Port Adelaide) hat yesterday, actually and my mum bought a doormat for the house, so that’s good.”
Jasmine Evans on her best attributes as a player:
“I think my strengths would be my kicking and decision making. And I usually play as an inside mid-forward, so I try to use my strengths as much as I can in those positions. I like to kick a goal as well. I'm looking forward to playing with Wendy (former Central District teammate Caitlin Wendland) again and Shineah Goody as well. I haven't played with her since state (footy), so it will be good to play with her again.”
Jemma Charity on her draft night experience, having missed much of the season with an ACL injury:
“It was unreal. I had all my family around me there to support me. So, yeah, just everyone jumping on me when I heard my name finally get called out. It was an awesome feeling. I just didn't expect my name to get called out. To be honest, I was so surprised. But knowing that I did play for Port Adelaide, in the NGA in previous years, I did know a bit about (List Manager) Naomi (Maidment), and she was my previous coach in the NGA program. So yeah, I did have a bit of connection there, so I'm just grateful for this.”
Jemma Charity on her rehabilitation:
“It's been a pretty hard year this year, but I have a lot of support from my family and friends and stuff. At the moment, I'm four and a half months in, so just starting to run, which is nice. It's all running smoothly so far, so it's looking good for now.
“I think I have a lot of support here, knowing that JC, the captain and Lauren Young, my friend, as well (are dealing with ACL injuries). I think that we can all work together on our rehab together. So yeah, it's good to have support from them, and we're all in the same boat.”
Jemma Charity on where she sees herself playing her best football:
“I actually got chucked around a fair bit. I played forward in previous years. I love playing forward and a midfield rotation - that was kind of my position, the best position for me. But then in the state team last year I played defence, so yeah, I would call myself a utility, but I do enjoy playing forward the most. That's my best position. I definitely (model my game on) Gemma Houghton, I look up to her a lot. (We have) the same name. It's funny, she reached out to me as well yesterday. So, yeah, I do look up to her a lot. I like to say that my football is similar to hers.
“I think my strengths in footy are my kicking. That's why I like kicking goals, my marking. I've got a lot of feedback from my coaches that my kicking and marking are my best attributes to footy.”
Chloe Gaunt on her draft night experience:
“(I was) so scared. Your name comes up on the screen before you actually hear it so I saw that before I heard it, and then I just put my head back. I was so excited, so happy. Think it's the happiest I've ever been, honestly, from like, stressing all night to that happiness was just an emotion I've never felt before. I had four of my friends over and just mum, dad and my brother.
Chloe Gaunt on being thrilled to land at Port Adelaide:
“I had conversations with Port beforehand, but there were other clubs out there that were chasing me, and every time they came up on the screen, I was like, please no. I really wanted to come to Port. So, yeah, I'm stoked. (I think I really liked) the young group and all the girls, they just seem like so much fun. And yeah, I've been talking to them for a while, so they were keen to get me and I wanted to go to a club that really wanted me, not one that was uming and ahing. It was good that Port was really keen to get me. It’s a really good feeling.”
Chloe Gaunt on her strengths as a player and who she is looking forward to playing with:
“I'd say my overhead marking and my speed, and I have a pretty long kick. That's the main three. I get chucked in the ruck because obviously I'm 183 centimetres, so I don't have much of a choice. But I've never been trained, so it's good that there's ruck coaches, and I'll finally get to get around the gist of things a bit.
“I think I base my game off (Matilda Scholz) a lot. And yeah, we look the same. We hung out all of yesterday with Lily Patterson, the new draftee. We hung out with Abbey Dowrick too. So that was a good opportunity. We're all buddies now.”
Jasmine Sowden on the emotion of her draft night experience:
“I just think overwhelmed with so many emotions, I can't really explain it, just spending it with family is probably the best way to spend it. It was chaotic, just a lot of hugs and congratulations and all that kind of stuff.
“Obviously, going into the draft, you kind of go in and thinking there is a chance it might not happen and may happen. So just coming in with open mind was really good.”
Jasmine Sowden on growing up a Port Adelaide supporter in country Victoria:
“I'm one of 12 (kids), and the family motto is Never Tear Us Apart. So, it's just started from that, and it's kind of grown. I also played at the Gippsland Power so I’m just going to the Power senior, from Power Junior.”
Jasmine Sowden on her best attributes as a player:
“Normally I played midfield in the Coates (League), but I see myself in the AFLW as a small forward role and building into other roles and just doing what the team needs.
(I’m looking forward to playing with) Gemma (Houghton) and Ash Woodland, and (Shineah) Goody as well. I just think those three really are role models. Especially Goody, with an All-Australian nomination first year. She set the bar quite high for all the new draftees coming in.”
