Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats AFLW Finals 2023: Poppy Boltz on her Olympian parents, growing up in Cairns and becoming a Lion
As the daughter of two Olympians, Brisbane defender Poppy Boltz was always destined for a future in sport. But for a long time footy was never on her radar – let alone AFLW.
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As the daughter of two Olympians, Brisbane defender Poppy Boltz was always destined for a future in sport.
But for a long time footy was never on her radar – let alone AFLW.
At home in Cairns life was all about running. It was part and parcel of growing up with two world-class runners as parents.
Mum Jill represented Great Britain at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, the 1992 Games in Barcelona and won silver in the 10,000m at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.
Her father, Daniel, ran the marathon for Switzerland at the 1992 Games.
Brothers Ollie and Milo also competed. Ollie just moved to the US on a running scholarship.
But with all that pedigree came a lot of pressure. Boltz felt she had to live up to those lofty standards.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself at such a young age and it being a solo sport was a lot for me,” the 23-year-old told this masthead.
“My parents never put any pressure on me, it was more the expectations I had for myself.
“I was 16, 17 and competing but I just put so much pressure on myself when they honestly wouldn’t care if I did or didn’t run.”
Boltz needed a team sport to channel her competitive nature and in Cairns, where Aussie rules almost rivals rugby league in popularity, she found the Sherrin.
“It would have been when I was in Grade 11 for a game at school,” she recalled.
“Anything for a day off, I told myself.”
It didn’t take long to fall in love with footy. But as a later-than-most convert she never saw herself as good enough to compete with the best.
“I was still up in Cairns and most of the other girls lived down here pretty much – I was flying down from Cairns all the time,” Boltz said.
“I was picked to go away for Queensland but I didn’t go. From there I just played club. I didn’t really think I was good enough to make it until I moved down here.”
Boltz won the Jo Butland Medal as the AFL Cairns’ Best and Fairest player in 2021 before moving to the Gold Coast to link with Southport for the 2022 QAFLW season.
After a stellar campaign for the Sharks there was an expectation at the Lions that she would nominate for the AFLW draft. She didn’t.
“I was talking about it to (Brisbane coach) Craig (Starcevich) this week. He told me, ‘we were upset you didn’t nominate’,” laughed Boltz.
“Honestly I just didn’t really understand how it worked. I thought they would ask me to nominate if they wanted me. It didn’t really cross my mind.
“I thought then that I would have to wait another year for my opportunity. So that would have been around this time this year.”
But when Boltz learned of the Supplementary Draft she vowed not to make the same mistake twice.
In early April the Lions snapped up the 178cm midfielder-turned-defender with the No. 16 pick.
Fast-forward seven months and she is a mainstay in a Brisbane side preparing to play in an AFLW preliminary final.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better year if I’m honest,” she said.
“I think I’ve played eight games now. Crazy. I just feel so lucky. There’s some people who go through their whole career and don’t get to play finals.”
Like many of her Lions teammates, the first foray into AFLW was made much easier by those around her.
Starcevich coached Boltz at U18 level. That team featured a host of current Brisbane teammates.
“Normally coming into a new team is scary but because I knew half of the girls already it was such a smooth transition,” she said.
Boltz says the shift from midfield to defence hasn’t been quite as seamless – though you wouldn’t know it watching from the sideline.
“I’m still not convinced I’m a defender,” she joked.
“I mostly played midfield at Southport … but considering my height they thought we needed some height back there.
“I still go into games asking (Bre Koenen and Shannon Campbell) to just tell me what to do. Having your captain and vice-captain down there certainly helps.”
She may not feel at home in defence just yet, but Boltz has already established herself as a key cog in a premiership contender.
The Lions have once again unearthed a ready-made AFLW talent in their own backyard.
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Originally published as Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats AFLW Finals 2023: Poppy Boltz on her Olympian parents, growing up in Cairns and becoming a Lion
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