PORT ADELAIDE has wasted no time in its mission to build a successful women’s program out of Alberton, with the acquisition of reigning Dutschke Medallist Emma Sampson for the 2016 season.
Sampson is a former Australian cricketer, having played one test and 31 one-day international games for the green and gold.
She won last year’s Dutschke Medal – the SA Women’s Football League equivalent of the Brownlow or Magarey – as the competition’s best player.
She joins Port Adelaide at a time of significant change for women’s football in postcode 5014.
In 2016, Alberton will be the home of the state Under-18 girls program and a future Port Adelaide female football academy, as well as the Port Adelaide Women’s Football Club.
The women’s club will form part of Port Adelaide’s overall football structure, operating alongside its AFL and SANFL arms.
Sampson will join the women’s coaching panel as an assistant to Markita Bond, who is believed to be the state’s first transgender football coach.
Port Adelaide AFL and SANFL coaching staff Shaun Hart, Mark Clayton and Tom Logan will also work with the team.
Sampson, 30, who finished her international career in 2009, said football was always part of her sporting portfolio.
“I’m excited to be part of Port Adelaide, I’m a big Port Adelaide supporter myself,”
“I played football, even early in my cricket career, but with my training that made it difficult to keep playing.
“Once I finished [playing for Australia] I got back into it, and it’s been a real honour to have played 100 games in the women’s league since.”
“People who come and play at Port Adelaide will be at a really good facility with a gym, indoor centre and good people around them.
“Being exposed to that, I think, will be really good for female footy.”
Port Adelaide is working to recruit new players to its women’s team in 2016, with Sampson joined by former teammate Lisa Kennedy, who is a member of the Power Community team.
Kennedy is poised to play her 100th SAWFL game this year.
Long lasting connections
Port Adelaide now has an association with two elite sportswomen, in the form of Sampson and Olympic basketballer Erin Phillips.
Phillips committed to playing for Port Adelaide in the event it wins a licence to play in the national women’s competition.
Both Phillips and Sampson played junior football in Adelaide’s western suburbs – against each other – and finished first and third respectively in the association medal count during their Under-11s year.
“I think that shows that females can have just as much impact as males in footy, and now there’s a pathway from juniors to seniors for women to play the game,” Sampson said.
“To be part of that pathway, with Port Adelaide, is very exciting.”
MORE ON PORTADELAIDEFC.COM.AU ...
Women's: Port Adelaide to field SAWFL team in 2016
Register: AFL still hunting recruits
