Glenelg’s Lucy Bellinger will roar into the Lions’ den after Brisbane selected her at the AFLW draft
Find out why a Glenelg star missed her name being read out at the AFLW draft and how she feels about making her way to the Lions’ den.
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Lucy Bellinger’s nerves got the better of her on AFLW draft day.
Instead of keeping a keen eye on the live stream, the Glenelg utility was outside handballing the footy with her younger sister Maddie.
Bellinger’s nerves soon turned to shock and then elation as her dad Dave yelled for her to come inside.
Two-time grand finalists Brisbane had just selected her with pick No.20 at last month’s national draft.
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The Lions’ decision to draft Bellinger also took the AFLW draft broadcast panel by surprise as they did not know much about the SA star and were scrambling to find information on her.
“I was in a bit of shock – I didn’t expect to be picked up around that number,” Bellinger, 26, says.
“I missed the whole thing. Me and my family just thought we’d come back and watch the end of it and see whether I got picked up.
“I was teaching my 24-year-old sister to handball.
“I thought ‘I’m getting too nervous, I’m going to go outside and throw the footy around’.
“Then dad called us in when I got picked up and we all jumped around the kitchen for a while.
“It’s been overwhelming since then but it did come as a massive surprise to me, probably as well as the panel, which was pretty funny to watch.”
Bellinger, in her third SANFLW campaign with Glenelg, played 11 games this year and averaged 13.5 disposals, while kicking six goals.
She was named the round one SANFLW Player of the Week after recording 23 possessions, 10 marks and two goals in the win against Woodville-West Torrens.
Bellinger was making the 21-hour drive to Brisbane with her partner and Glenelg teammate Charlie Dawe last week.
With pick #20, we’ve picked up tall utility Lucy Bellinger https://t.co/T9jx5IsqrS pic.twitter.com/VaGiXgYBro
— Brisbane Lions AFLW (@lionsaflw) October 22, 2019
She concedes moving interstate will likely pose a few challenges, mainly being away from her close-knit family, which includes her mother Bev, and maintaining a long-distance relationship with Dawe.
But it was a decision she needed to make to pursue her dream.
“It’s (playing AFLW) something that I’ve always wanted to do,” the Morphettville Park product says.
“When you have a passion and you want to follow your dream, you’ve got to make sacrifices.
“I’m just grateful to have been given the opportunity.
“Brisbane has had a great culture for the past three years and with the Suns coming into the competition it will probably add a bit of rivalry.
“A lot of the girls, the coaches and support staff have reached out to me, whether that be a phone call or a text, so it’s been really nice and makes me feel part of the team already.”