Local footballers ready for tonight’s SANFL women’s competition start
CASSIE Hartley’s decision to stick with footy will pay dividends tonight when the 42-year-old captains Glenelg in the inaugural SANFL women’s competition.
CASSIE Hartley is always tempted to give her body a rest and hang up her football boots for good.
But the 42 year old is forever stopped in her tracks because of her passion for Australian rules and her teammates.
“There’s been a few times that I’ve thought, ‘yeah, I’ll retire’,” Hartley says.
“But then I realise how much I miss the game and think to myself, ‘it’s such a good game, why did I stop playing?’
“Just the excitement that you see in your teammates’ faces every time we run out on to the park, or when we kick a goal is great.”
The decision to stick with the sport has paid dividends for the on-baller, who will captain Glenelg in the inaugural SANFL Women’s League this Saturday.
Hartley has been playing with West Adelaide in the South Australian Women’s League since 2012 and planned to retire at the end of 2013.
But after agreeing to act as a fill-in player for most of 2014, she pulled the jumper back on for good the following year.
Although a Bloods’ player in the SAWFL, Hartley bleeds yellow and black.
“I grew up supporting Glenelg, but I don’t think it ever came into my head that I’d actually be able to play for them,” Hartley, of Christies Beach, says.
“I grew up in country Victoria and girls didn’t play football at school, let alone in a competition.
“I just kicked the footy in the yard with my brother, and it wasn’t until I was 20 and moved to
Adelaide for uni that I heard about a local women’s league.
“So I’ve really fallen on my feet.”
Hartley will mentor the younger girls at Glenelg and hopes to help them realise their dream of playing AFL.
“I try and use my past, and what I have seen through women’s footy and how much it’s grown, and make sure they don’t take things for granted and they embrace what they’ve got.
“I pride myself on my work ethic, so I try and impart a bit of that on to the kids because there is so much potential out there.”
Norwood captain Rebekka McMahon says the SANFL competition will provide a pathway for local females to progress to the AFL women’s ranks.
“I think this is really good for the next progression phase for women’s footy here in SA,” McMahon, 29, says.
“It’s exciting that it’s finally happening and young girls growing up can say ‘I want to play for
Norwood’ and then take their football further.”
North Adelaide skipper Jessica Edwards switched from Gaelic football to Australian rules last year.
Edwards played in the AFL London women’s competition with Wandsworth Demons before her first season in the SAWFL with Adelaide University last year.
“I wasn’t too keen on the tackling side of the game at first,” Edwards, 27, says.
“But I gave it a go and it’s become one of my main passions.
“I’d love to be at that level (AFL) at some point and I think this is a great pathway to get there.”
The SANFL Women’s competition kicks off tonight with Norwood v North Adelaide at Norwood Oval at 6pm.
A clash between Glenelg and West Adelaide will follow at 8.10pm. Entry is free.
GLENELG
Coach: Narelle Smith
Captain: Cassie Hartley
Players to watch: SA under-18 player Eloise Jones and Christies Beach captain Alana Browne
NORWOOD
Coach: Steve Symonds
Captain: Rebekka McMahon
Players to watch: AFL Women’s National Academy member Nikki Gore and Adelaide University midfielder Nicola Burns
NORTH ADELAIDE
Coach: Matt Slade
Captain: Jessica Edwards
Players to watch: SA Women’s Football League best and fairest Chloe Scheer and SA under-18 captain Ashleigh Woodland
WEST ADELAIDE
Coach: Brooke Copeland
Captain(s): Kirsty Degabriele and Julie Power
Players to watch: Bloods SAWFL midfielder Louella McCarthy and forward Allison Evans