Norwood’s Canberra recruits Najwa Allen and Hannah Dunn praise standard of state women’s league

Meet Najwa Allen and Hannah Dunn, two footballers from Canberra making their mark in the SANFLW and hoping to lead Norwood to a second flag.

Norwood's Najwa Allen and Hannah Dunn at the Parade. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

• Player of the week: Charlton learns from sideline stint
• Gum hangs up boots, keen for family time

Meet Najwa Allen and Hannah Dunn, two footballers from Canberra making their mark in the SANFLW and hoping to lead Norwood to a second flag.

Allen, 24, and Dunn, 27, signed with Norwood for the third SANFLW season after coach Steve Symonds lured them to Adelaide.

The midfielders, who lined up with GWS in the NSW/ACT women’s winter series last year, jumped at the chance to play in Adelaide.

Norwood's Hannah Dunn and Najwa Allen at Norwood Oval. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

They believed the SANFLW was the best competition to help them improve, especially after it expanded from six to eight teams in 2019 with the inclusion of Central District and Woodville-West Torrens.

With the season at the halfway mark, Allen and Dunn, who are living with team-mate Rhiannon Busch, couldn’t be happier with their decision.

“It’s (SANFLW) a lot faster, the ball moves quicker, the pressure is higher,” Allen said. “I think the standard from your best player to your worst player is quite a bit smaller.

“One of my coaches in Canberra watched the (Round 2) Norwood v South game and he said that’s some of the best pressure he had seen in a women’s footy game.

The stress I’ve felt in the games, just to get over the line, is similar to the stress I feel in a grand final.

Redlegs midfielder Hannah Dunn in action. Picture: John Emery

“I can already feel myself getting better.”

Allen and Dunn bucked the trend a little, after seven SANFLW players headed to Melbourne to play with VFLW clubs over winter and remained there as train-on partners in summer.

“I think, for me, it was about being exposed to the quick style of play and improving that aspect of my game and my running capabilities,” Dunn said.

“The SANFLW is definitely a lot faster compared to Canberra. The skills seem to be of a higher quality as well.”

Allen played soccer as a youngster despite her father Bryant hailing from New Zealand and being a mad rugby fan.

Redleg’ Najwa Allen in action. Picture: John Emery

Her mother, Fadwa, is Palestinian and didn’t know anything about Australian football when Allen picked up a Sherrin with Canberra’s East-lake Demons four years ago.

“I played soccer and football at the same time for two years and then I just had no passion for soccer any more,” said Allan, who won Eastlake’s best-and-fairest last year.

“Aussie Rules is a much better sport and I find there is a much better sense of community and camaraderie.

“When my parents started, dad always said Aussie Rules is a really athletic game and mum said it was so much better to watch than soccer.”

Dunn was Allen’s on-field enemy in the AFLW Canberra competition, playing for Queanbeyan Tigers.

She kicked off her football career in 2010 and became the first woman to notch 100 games for Queanbeyan in 2016.

Dunn was also a train-on partner with GWS in 2017 and played one game with the club – the Giants’ inaugural clash against the Crows at Thebarton Oval.