Sport

Andrew Brady / June 9, 2015

Aasta O’Connor talks footy with tmBlog

Women’s footy is taking off in a massive way, boosted by the AFL’s commitment to start a national women’s competition in the coming years. If you haven’t watched one of the AFL Women’s Exhibition matches between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons then you haven’t lived.

These are bruising encounters with slick skills that make you wonder how these girls aren’t paid professionals. I sat down with Aasta O’Connor, the captain of the Women’s Western Bulldogs team to ask her a few questions about women’s footy and the most recent match she was involved in. It is worth mentioning that I’ve known Aasta for quite some time. We met while working together in Brisbane a number of years ago before we both moved to Melbourne so we could sip on lattes and talk footy. If you think the boys play footy hard, then you’ve never been bumped out of a contest while having a kick-to-kick with Aasta…

Ticketmaster: The Western Bulldogs and Melbourne have really embraced and encouraged the Women’s League. Can you tell us about the support from those clubs?

Aasta O’Connor: Both Melbourne and the Bulldogs have been fantastic in their commitment to female footy at the top level. For me personally every year going back to the Whitten Oval, it really feels like home, somewhere that I can go and get the most of myself as a footballer. Going forward I’m sure other AFL clubs will be putting  their hands up to be involved in the Women’s League but I think for Melbourne and the Bulldogs to stand up and say they were the first is something that is really special and testament to the innovative leaders within each club.

Ticketmaster: When did you start playing footy? Did you find it difficult to find a club that supported women and girls in the game?

Aasta O’Connor: I started playing footy when I was about 7 or 8, just kicking the footy in the street after school with my neighbours. Our parents decided to start up a junior footy club for us in our local community and that’s how the NorthShore Jets came about. I played with the boys up until U16s. I always felt supported by my teammates and coaches. I did play school boys footy as well which is kind of funny considering I’m not a boy! But what’s great to see is now there are more and more opportunities for girls at club level and within schools. I’m proud to say that the mighty NorthShore Jets now boast three junior girls teams.

Ticketmaster: It appears the women’s game is growing at a rapid rate, is this something you’ve noticed over the last few years?

Aasta O’Connor: I think women’s football has grown in all aspects over the past three years off the back of the Women’s AFL sanctioned games. The football community as a whole is really behind it. Participation numbers across all levels and all states have seen a rapid increase. To have that clear pathway from Auskick, all the way through to an AFL list really gives the young female footballers something to aspire to. The other pleasing thing is that the number of female umpires and coaches and administrators within our game is increasing.

Ticketmaster: As a leader of the club, what kind of work do you do with young girls and the community in general?

Aasta O’Connor: I think the majority of the AFL-listed female footballers are conscious of giving back, understanding that we are role models for younger girls coming through the ranks and knowing that promoting the game – getting out to Auskicks, going to schools and junior footy clubs – is part and parcel with the growth and continued support from the community for women’s footy. At the start of this season another Doggies player Darcy Vescio and I went out to Nathalia (three hours out of Melbourne) and did a jumper presentation for the Northern Angels Youth Girls team, it was great to see these girls and their families embrace female footy, especially given that in country Victoria traditionally boys play footy girls play netball. The Northern Angels girls got a bus together and drove down to watch us play at the MCG, to see their faces after the game was really special and a nice reminder why it’s so important to give back to the game at grass roots level.

Ticketmaster: Is it difficult to juggle your work commitments as well as playing at the highest level of Women’s footy?

Aasta O’Connor: Short answer is yes! But I’m blessed to have great support around me, and hopefully in the not to distant future females will be full time professional footballers just like our male counterparts.

Ticketmaster: What do you like about playing big venues like the MCG and Etihad Stadium?

Aasta O’Connor: They are both awesome and both offer different things. The G just because of the history of it all and Etihad because it’s a slick, fast surface and playing with the roof closed is pretty cool too.

Ticketmaster: There are a number of new draftees this year for both teams, who are some of the younger players you’ve been impressed with?

Aasta O’Connor: It’s safe to say the game is in good hands with some of the young talent coming through. At the Bulldogs the likes of Maddie Keryk, just her footy IQ and professional attitude for a young person is really impressive.  Over in the Melbourne camp I know Elise O’Dea has really impressed, she lives and breathes footy and is just a great teammate, she really upped her training in the pre-season and has taken the next step on field as a result. The person who has impressed me the most is Nic Stevens, an inaugural Bulldog in 2013 she is a young key defender with a left foot to die for. Unfortunately for Nic she did her ACL mid-way through 2014 and has been battling away behind the scenes to get back. The maturity and selflessness she has shown around the Bulldogs camp is the making of a true leader. I can’t wait to see her back out there.

Ticketmaster: With the addition of Emma King to the Bulldogs ruck stocks, it appeared that you were playing a more defensive role. Is this something you enjoy?

Aasta O’Connor: I certainly have a new found respect for full backs that’s for sure! And yes, Emma is a great young ruck and I enjoy working with her on and off the field. I really enjoyed the challenge of a different positon. Footy is a team sport and if being flexible in different positions means I can be of better use to the team then I’m all for it.

Ticketmaster: It was a really tight finish to the first match in 2015, what do you think you need to do to get over the line in game 2?

Aasta O’Connor: If it’s anything like the first game then the second game at Etihad in August is going to be a cracker. We need to make sure we continue to bring that big pressure and intensity around the ball. We had 11 girls who were new to the side in the game just gone. Coming together in August I think we will all feel like we are getting to know how each other plays just that little bit more and becoming more familiar with what the coaches are wanting from us. I have no doubt Melbourne will go in as deserved favourites but there’s something brewing in the West!

Ticketmaster: Thanks for chatting to me, Aasta. Good luck with the rest of the season and the big game against Melbourne at Etihad Stadium in Round 20.

The Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons women’s teams will play at Etihad Stadium on August 16 as a curtain raiser to the Round 20 AFL match between the same two sides. Click here to purchase tickets now.