Whyalla’s Hannah Ewings and Jorja Eldridge making their mark in SANFLW with unbeaten North
Two Whyalla teens – including one who made her league debut at just 15 – are proving their worth in an undefeated North Adelaide SANFLW side.
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Hannah Ewings was 15 when she received a call up to play in North Adelaide’s state league women’s team.
Ewings’ mum, Tash, had to make the four-hour drive from their home in Whyalla to Prospect so her daughter could make her debut.
Now, almost five months since that game – a win against Glenelg in round one – Ewings is preparing for her first SANFLW finals campaign.
The now 16-year-old has featured in all nine games this season after holding on to her spot when the competition resumed after the coronavirus shutdown.
She is one of the reasons North sits undefeated and top of the ladder heading into the final minor round match against Central District this Saturday.
Ewings, who hails from Roopena Football Club, described this year as special and said being involved with the Roosters was an honour.
“I remember glimpses of my debut,” the midfielder/forward said.
Picture: SANFL
“It was a good feeling winning that game.
“Being so young, I was a little bit scared but they are a good bunch of girls and they made me feel so welcome.
“To make it this far has been amazing. We’ve worked so hard to get where we want to be and a grand final win would just be amazing.”
Ewings’ football journey began when she was just five years old, playing for Roopena’s boys’ teams until she was 14.
North watched the talented junior during a carnival in Port Augusta.
She was recruited for the club’s under-15 and under-17 girls teams before making her league debut.
Ewings said growing up playing in junior boys’ teams made her a better player.
“It was pretty competitive,” she said.
“They were fierce and they just tried to knock me around a bit because I was a girl but I was having none of that.”
She only travels to Adelaide for game day but her father, Jeff, coaches Roopena’s A grade side and she trains twice a week with the men’s team to keep her skills and fitness up.
She is joined at Roopena training by fellow Whyalla youngster and North teammate Jorja Eldridge.
Eldridge, 18, has only been playing football for a little more than a year and was still learning the game.
She has featured in two games for the Roosters – debuting in the round five match against Sturt before being included in the team again in the round seven clash against Glenelg.
Eldridge said she was enjoying learning from the more experienced players at North and coach Krissie Steen who took over at the beginning of this season from Matt Slade.
“My debut was a new experience for me and I was meant to start on the bench but someone pulled out late after hurting their finger so I started,” the defender said.
“I was very excited to debut. My parents were in the room with me when I got told and mum let out a cry.
“The team really got around me and helped me.
“I am quite athletic and I have speed but I still need to sharpen my skills up a bit and focus on understanding the game a bit more.
Ewings and Eldridge both have aspirations to play in the AFLW in the future.
Eldridge is set to relocate to Adelaide next year to give herself a better shot at making the national league, while Ewings still has two more years before she is eligible to be drafted.