How Sarah Perkins went from draft reject to Crows cult hero
SHE has become a Crows cult hero, but Sarah Perkins’ AFLW career did not have a dream start. Ignored in the draft, “Tex” called on huge reserves of courage and determination to become a star.
SHE’S been one of the highlights of the Crows’ season and there is much more to cult hero Sarah Perkins than her eye-catching celebrations after kicking a goal.
“Tex” Perkins, or “Perko” to most of her teammates, has not only defied the odds after being considered too out of shape to be drafted last year — she’s starred with her goal kicking and the number of scoring opportunities she has given off to those around her.
Her well-documented weight loss aside — she has dropped around 35-40 kg over the past year and a bit — Perkins has raised eyebrows both for her marking and prodigious kick.
It was Adelaide coach Bec Goddard who gave ”Tex” (who shares that nickname with another Crows forward line favourite) a lifeline after she was devastated at missing out on the draft.
Perkins had enjoyed a fine season with the Eastern Devils in the VFL, making the competition’s team of the year, and was invited to the inaugural AFLW draft. But she left devastated and without a club at the end of the day.
It wasn’t until the following month, in November, that Goddard called her to confirm what had already been on the women’s football grapevine: the Crows could do with a key forward.
A summer of toil and seven matches later, Goddard said she had been confident from the moment she got to know Perkins that the forward would be a success.
Goddard puts it down to integrity, care and honesty.
“She’s a good person; that’s the first thing about her,” Goddard said. “And I think she just exudes it.
“There’s no arrogance about her, there’s no ego about her.
“You can quite clearly see how much she loves football.
“She loves being with her teammates. All of them love being with their teammates.
“She had a hot foot on Sunday (against Collingwood in a game the Crows had to win to make the grand final) and when she’s got her tail up she’s pretty hard to stop.
“She just enjoys being around the group and involving them, regardless of whether she’s kicking the goals or not.
“When she’s taking marks like she did on the weekend, everyone else is successful.”
Melbourne marquee defender Mel Hickey calls her unstoppable as a lead-up forward but said she had more tricks in her bag.
In her grand final preview in The Advertiser’s sister paper, the Herald Sun, Hickey wrote:
“Perkins is phenomenal with her second and third efforts.
“She’ll bring the ball to ground, she’ll tackle, she’ll rove her own ball.
“I reckon she’s given Erin Phillips a couple of goals just from roving her own contest and handballing off.
“Around goal she doesn’t need a lot of time and space to be dangerous.
“An underrated strength is her ruckwork in the forward 50. She’s just so strong and she taps to advantage.”