Courtney Gum, 36, adds SANFLW Player of the Week to her list of AFLW accolades

Courtney Gum, 36, has made an impressive return to the state league after being named the AFLW Players’ MVP.

Courtney Gum, pictured with the ball, during South Adelaide’s round eight victory over Sturt. Picture: Nick Hook Photography.

COURTNEY Gum is not giving her 36-year-old body a rest after starring for GWS Giants in her first AFLW season.

Instead, Gum is playing for South Adelaide – and maintaining her impressive form.

Gum kicked a game-high five goals and gathered 12 disposals on debut for the Panthers in their 13.9 (87) to 0.1 (1) victory over Sturt at Noarlunga on Sunday.

She has been named The Advertiser Statewide Super SANFLW Player of the Week for round eight.

The accolade comes during a week in which she has also won the AFLW Players’ MVP, made the all-Australian team and finished joint runner-up in the league’s best and fairest.

“It was really fun,” Gum, a midfielder/forward, says of playing for South.

“I played as a deep forward, just coming off the AFLW season and wanting to manage my body a little bit.

“But you can’t score goals if the mids and backs don’t bring it down to the forward line, so they did an amazing job.

“Your local league is where it all starts and South Adelaide has been really supportive.

“Part of the opportunities that I’ve had, if that inspires the younger ones to go a bit further, then that’s fantastic.”

Courtney Gum after claiming the AFLW Players' MVP award at the Stokehouse in St Kilda. Picture: Michael Klein

The Giants drafted Gum in October on the back of her winning the SANFLW’s inaugural best and fairest.

She went on to average 14.7 disposals across seven matches with GWS and dismiss any doubts she was too old or slow for the national competition.

“It was good to prove just to myself that I was good enough to play at that level,” she says.

“I guess if I didn’t get that opportunity, I would’ve always been left wondering.

“Being part of the Giants has been phenomenal.”

Courtney Gum with her son Buz, 3, after the Giants’ match against Adelaide at Blacktown. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Gum is unsure if she will return to GWS next season, citing the stress of having to leave behind her partner, South coach Krissie Steen, their son Buz, 3, and her physiotherapy business behind to play in the AFLW.

She now turns her attention to the ladder leading Panthers’ penultimate minor-round match against Glenelg tomorrow (Good Friday) at Noarlunga.