‘Found my love for footy in Cairns’: AFLW Stars return to Cazalys

Richmond’s Courtney Jones and Hawthorn’s Greta Bodey have returned to where it all began for first ever AFLW clash at Cazalys.

Richmond’s Courtney Jones and Hawthorn’s Greta Bodey have returned for first ever AFLW clash at Cazalys.

Tigers medium forward Courtney Jones will return to the site of one her best Aussie rules seasons as the Tigers take on Hawthorn at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns.

Back in 2021 while much of the rest of the country was still grappling Covid restrictions, Jones spied an opportunity to move out of Melbourne and chose to head north and play footy in Cairns – a decision which, in hindsight, was crucial in her rise to the AFLW.

She kicked 13 goals as Saints went unbeaten to win the AFL Cairns premiership, and a year later she made her AFLW debut for Carlton.

Jones said Saints gave her the chance to play with freedom and develop her football craft, building a confident foundation to catapult her AFLW career at Carlton, Gold Coast Suns and Richmond.

Saints' Courtney Jones in the Cairns Women's match between the Cairns Saints and the Cairns City Lions, held at Griffiths Park, Manunda. Picture: Brendan Radke

“It's a big privilege for myself to be able to come back to Cairns and be able to play the first ever AFLW game in front of family and friends,” Jones said.

“I’m sure I’ve annoyed a couple of my teammates with how excited I am.

“The club as a whole was so welcoming and were full of great people.

“Kate Fowles, Kate Wheaton, Chris Novy and Shane Liversidge worked really hard to build a great culture and I leaned on them a lot.

“I found my love for footy again and that's why I constantly come back to Cairns.”

The respect went both ways.

Saints president Liversidge said Jones’ character was terrific for the club and catapulted the football program during her time at Saints.

“Courtney was tremendously talented,” he said.

“Style-wise she was a top ten kick out of all the men and women at the club.

“Everyone loved her, she trained at a different level and she took the standards of footy at our club to another level.”

Saints' Courtney Jones in the Cairns Women's match between the Cairns Saints and the Cairns City Lions, held at Griffiths Park, Manunda. Picture: Brendan Radke

Jones played in an undefeated season and kicked two goals in a winning grand final against Manunda Hawks, playing a pivotal role as an inside midfielder and forward in the Saints line-up.

“It’s the best culture I’ve seen at a local club ever,” she said.

“Tiarna Ahwang introduced me to the club.

“I was so proud of the girls for overcoming the weekly pressure to keep winning.

“They were undefeated before I jumped in but we tried to stay humble and maintain the streak.”

“I have thought a lot about flying back for the footy seasons after I retire in the future.”

It's been a massive year for Jones, who requested a trade to Richmond from the Suns in March to be closer to family, specifically her younger sister, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in January.

The move was driven by the most personal of reasons, and both clubs – and their fans – were phenomenal in their treatment of Jones.

“My first trade (from Carlton) was a much worse experience than the second time round,” she said.

“The support I was shown by my (Gold Coast) teammates and staff was incredible.

“Richmond said they love me as an athlete but value me more as a person and gave me the opportunity to come back and care for my sister.”

Jones has kicked six goals in even games for the Tigers, and will be keen to slot a few more majors at a venue, in a city, she still holds dear.

AFLW Star returns to Cazalys for 50th game

Hawthorn’s Greta Bodey has returned to where it all began to celebrate her 50th game as an AFLW player.

The Hawks forward started her Aussie rules journey in the Far North back in 2019, and it seems fitting that Cazalys Stadium and the Cairns footy fraternity can play a role in helping the former Saint celebrate such a milestone.

Her stay in Cairns wasn’t a long one, spending only six months in the tropics as part of a placement, but it was crucial in the way it shaped her future as an AFLW premiership player and All-Australian.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 19: Greta Bodey of the Hawks handpasses the ball during the 2023 AFLW practice match between the Melbourne Demons and the Hawthorn Hawks at Casey Fields on August 19, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Felicity Elliott/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

A student of the World Game before her arrival in Cairns, it was through Saints, in particular Keiran Daley, a former AFL Queensland regional manager for Cairns who is now part of the Gold Coast Suns staff, that she made her mark.

It was Daley who convinced Bodey to get involved with UQ and play her way into a rep game in Cairns, which was watched closely by scouts for the Suns.

“He was really influential in making me continue to play footy when I moved back to Brisbane and put me in contact with some clubs down there,” Bodey said.

“Also the girls, my housemates who also played at Saints, I’m keen to see them again.”

Cairns AFL pre-season matches at Cazalys. Cairns City Lions v Cairns Saints. Saints' Greta Bodey and Lions' Laquoiya Matlop. PICTURE: STEWART MCLEAN

The Lions snapped her up and the rest is history, as she compiled four superb seasons for Brisbane before life as a Hawk this year.

“It’s pretty surreal actually to be playing my 50th here at Cazalys,” Bodey said.

“Cairns is where I first picked up a footy four or five years ago, I played my first game here as a (practice) game at Cazalys Stadium.

“To come back here for my 50th game is surreal, it hasn’t sunk in yet.

“I’m still in contact with some of the Saints girls and hoping to see a big Saints turnout at the game.”

Bodey was cleared to play after a nasty head clash with Sydney’s Aimee Whelan, but will be fine to take the field with some strapping.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 01: Greta Bodey of the Hawks kicks the ball during the round five AFLW match between Hawthorn Hawks and Brisbane Lions at Kinetic Stadium, on October 01, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

Midfielder Kaitlyn Ashmore said the 14th-placed Hawks (2-5) anticipated a tough clash with Richmond (3-4), who sit three spots higher on the ladder.

“We’re looking forward to a hotly contested game,” Ashmore said.

“We’re pretty close to the Tigers on the ladder so I think it will be a good showcase of AFLW for the Cairns locals.

“It will be incredible, os young and the second year in the comp, and obviously being Indigenous Round, it’s special.

“It’s really exciting.

“It’s such a really special community, we were able to get up here earlier and be around the girls.”

While the post-AFLW career might be a fair way off, Bodey joked she might one day pull on the red, black and white of Saints.

“Once I’m a bit too old for Hawthorn, maybe I’ll come back up here, enjoy the weather, get out to the reef and play a few games,” she said.

The Indigenous Round clash will feature a game between Cape York House Girls and Far North Queensland Best as a curtain raiser.

A Welcome to Country will begin the official proceedings, before the game starts at 6.45pm.

Hawthorn will again wear its 2023 Indigenous Guernsey, designed by Woi-Wurrung Wurundjeri and Yorta-Yorta designer Simone Thomson. The guernsey is titled ‘Ballerrt Ngawan’ and means ‘strong sun’.

Originally published as ‘Found my love for footy in Cairns’: AFLW Stars return to Cazalys