History is made at Alberton Oval as Port Adelaide holds its first ever AFLW training session

Port Adelaide’s celebrated a new chapter in its footy history – with one star watching from the sidelines.

The murmurs started among the excited Port Adelaide faithful at around 5.30pm: “Here they come! Here they come!”.

And then the 200 or so fans broke into applause as the Power’s inaugural women’s team emerged from their changerooms under Alberton Oval’s Fos Williams stand for the historic first AFLW training session, ahead of their historic first AFLW season.

AFLW superstar and Port’s first women’s signing, Erin Phillips, led the team out onto the oval, flanked by fellow former Crows’ leader Angela Foley; their new teal training tops brightly contrasting against the darkening winter sky.

The players emerged from the race as music blared across the oval – the same music that blares across Adelaide Oval when Port’s men’s team runs out for AFL matches – and once on the oval, the AFLW footballers were met by a guard of honour formed by the men’s players, coaches and staff, who cheered and clapped as their new clubmates ran past.

Port’s men’s captain Tom Jonas then addressed the players, telling them: “You complete our club, you make us better”.

Angela Foley and Erin Phillips of Port Adelaide lead the team out the race during the first AFLW Port Adelaide training session at Alberton Oval. Picture Mark Brake

Among those who found themselves emotional coming out of the race was coach Lauren Arnell.

“Late in my playing career, I used to get pretty emotional in the race and I felt very similar to that actually … just really, really proud, of the girls and proud of our footy club,” she said.

“We have 152 years of history here (at Port) … now we start to write our own.”

Arnell revealed that the three women who had built the team – head of AFLW Juliet Haslam, AFLW operations manager Rachael Sporn and list manager Naomi Maidment – were all on hand to witness the moment.

“Those women have built this program and so to have them heavily involved, Rach and Juliet opened the doors for the players to come out of the race and that was a really, really proud moment,” she said.

Arnell, a former Brisbane premiership-winner, said a focus of her inaugural pre-season in charge would not only be football and fitness, but team effort and connection.

Tom Jonas welcomes the women’s team to the club surrounded by the men’s AFL team. Picture Mark Brake

“It’s all about coming together and connecting as a group.

“There has been a lot of a lot of planning and a lot of foresight from a whole range of people to put tonight together and the rest of the pre-season and our first season, so for our first night my message was really just: ‘Let’s get after it. Let’s have a crack’.”

Arnell said the changerooms were a buzz ahead of her side’s first session.

“There’s been real nice energy and vibes and it’s rubbing off on everyone,” she said.

Port have so far contracted 23 players – taking seven picks into the AFLW draft on June 29 – to complete their inaugural list of 30.

Twenty-two of those players were at the first training session, with West Australian Julia Teakle to join late next week after finishing her university exams.

Angela Foley of Port Adelaide leads her team out through a guard of honour by the men’s AFL team during the first AFLW Port Adelaide training session at Alberton Oval. Picture Mark Brake

PHILLIPS WATCHES TRAINING FROM THE SIDELINES

Back the footy bag and head to training: it’s something AFLW star Erin Phillips has had plenty of experience doing in her stellar six-season career to date.

But on Wednesday night, it was something different altogether when she pulled on the Port Adelaide training top instead of a Crows’ one and packed her gear into a Power bag.

Phillips was one of the first to arrive at Alberton Oval ahead of the club’s historic first women’s training session on Wednesday night, and said finally putting on the Port colours – for the club she grew up supporting – made it all feel real.

“It still quite blows my mind … even just getting ready today, getting the footy bag packed and putting on the polo it’s unbelievable and I still pinch myself,” the three-time premiership winner said.

“Seeing these colours again is really special and I’m really excited to get back out there.”

But she was sidelined for the first training session and for at least the next couple of weeks as she recovers from post-season knee surgery.

Erin Phillips speaks to media ahead of Port’s first training session. Picture Mark Brake

Last Thursday, Phillips underwent an arthroscopy on her left knee, a routine clean-up of a lateral meniscus injury that was troubling her during the Crows successful 2022 campaign.

“Hopefully in a couple of weeks I can get back out there, but I’m feeling really good … I just can’t wait to get back out there,” she said.

“I wish I was training and I’m itching to get back out there, but it won’t be too much longer.

“I feel really good, I haven’t had any hiccups since the ‘scope.”

Phillips said the surgery was recommended after she experienced swelling in her left knee, but that it hadn’t prevented her from playing freely during her final season with the Crows.

Phillips said the feeling in the Port team ahead of their first training session was one of excitement.

Erin Phillips ahead of Port’s first training session. Picture Mark Brake

Erin Phillips walks through the guard of honour at Port’s first training session. Picture Mark Brake

“It’s come around really quickly and got together with the girls on Tuesday night for the first time, we all had to wear name tags and introduce ourselves to each other but I know the girls are really excited to be out here tonight,” she said.

“A few nerves, excitement, everyone’s ready to go, and we know they’ve been putting in the work already.”

Phillips said a priority of the team – which hadn’t played together yet – was to work on connection inside the new team.

“It’s going to be massive challenge and that just comes with time,” she said.

“There’s no magical formula, it just comes with time and getting together … and spending time with each other after trainings especially.

“But, we had some great, great people in this team and I don’t think it will take too long.”