AFLW Finals 2023: Adelaide Crows captain Chelsea Randall opens up about baby son Tomi ahead of Sydney clash
Chelsea Randall is a triple premiership captain and a four-time All-Australian. But the AFLW star has a new title she’s even more proud of: mum. She opens up about footy, family and the future.
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Chelsea Randall is a triple premiership captain, a four-time All-Australian and AFLW peers have voted her the league’s most courageous player on five occasions.
The Adelaide Crows skipper has a new title she is extremely proud of: mum.
“It’s unbelievable,” says Randall, who welcomed her first child, son Tomi, with fiancee and Crows assistant Marijana Rajcic on October 27.
“The last three weeks has been life-changing and an incredible time just enjoying it with Tomi and MJ.
“We’ve both always wanted to be mums.
“To be able to create our own little family is something that is very special and I just look forward to what the future holds.”
Randall, 32, describes Tomi as a “little trooper”.
“He’s starting to get some longer blocks of sleep in throughout the night, which is nice for MJ and myself,” she says.
“He’s already growing up so quickly so we’re just trying to be present and are taking lots of photos and videos.
“We’re just enjoying every moment we get with him.”
The lead-up to Adelaide’s games, including Saturday night’s knockout semi-final against Sydney at Norwood Oval, now look very different for Randall.
For the better, she says.
Pre-game nerves and finding ways to kill time have been replaced by morning cuddles with Tomi and doting on his every need.
“It’s probably been better for me having little Tomi in our lives because you kind of wake up in a morning sometimes on a game day and you try to plan your day to keep yourself busy,” Randall says.
“You don’t really have a plan when you’ve got Tomi, it’s ‘he needs this now’ and then you look at the time and go ‘wow, that’s gone fast, I better go to the footy’.
“It’s nice because when you’re younger in AFLW, you’d stress the 48 hours beforehand and almost use all this energy up worrying about something that hasn’t even started.
“Now I’m just able to be really present, get to the game an hour and a half before and just switch yourself on, and focus on the job at hand.
“I love that because when I’m playing footy, there isn’t anything else in my mind, I’m out here doing my thing.
“Then I can come home and get my cuddles with Tomi, and it’s just perfect.”
Randall is one of three mothers in the Crows’ squad.
Winger Deni Varnhagen has one-year-old girl Hali, while Irish recruit Yvonne Bonner is mum to daughter Brid, 2.
Crows coach Matthew Clarke, himself a father of three, has encouraged Randall and Rajcic to bring Tomi around the squad whenever they like.
“We’ve got a little family happening at the club,” Randall says.
“MJ’s family are great supports for us and my teammates as well – there’s 32 auntys pretty much knocking at the door saying ‘hey, we’re here, do you need us to do anything?’
“I’ve always admired watching Erin (Phillips), Tex (Taylor Walker) and Sloaney (Rory Sloane) bring their kids, and now Deni and Yvonne bring theirs to the footy club or training days or the off-season or to games.
“I’ve always wanted that so to have our own child now growing up around the footy club and around some incredible, inspiring people is just awesome.”
Randall faced North Melbourne 48 hours after Tomi was born.
He is expected to be at the Swans game, probably in Rajcic’s arms in the change rooms beforehand and in the players’ race during the match.
Adelaide’s season is on the line on Saturday after its two-point qualifying final loss to Brisbane, the Crows’ second defeat of the campaign.
Randall says the team’s defensive pressure was strong against the Lions but it struggled with inside-50 execution.
“We understand there’s only one chance left this weekend and we’ve got to get it right to keep progressing,” Randall says.
“The Swans have found some really nice form and have got some talented players.
“We just want to go out there and give it everything we’ve got.”
Randall is not someone who required any extra motivation with her footy, as one of the league’s fiercest competitors.
But no longer is she just playing for her teammates, the club and Crows fans.
“You’re also doing it for your own little family,” she says.
“When Tomi’s a bit older and looks back on some of the photos, hopefully he’s really proud of the journey through AFLW and his mumma bears, and what they’ve been able to achieve.”
Randall was on the sidelines at Alberton Oval a fortnight ago when close friend, premiership teammate and former Adelaide co-captain Erin Phillips played her final game.
Just how far away inaugural Crow Randall is from her own swan song is to be determined.
“I’ll just go as long as I can and as long as my body will let me,” she says.
“I’ve loved this game since I started at 11 years old in a boys’ team (in Western Australia) … and I loved that footy brought people together.
“It brought my family together when I was young and it still brings my family together at this level 20 years later.”
Originally published as AFLW Finals 2023: Adelaide Crows captain Chelsea Randall opens up about baby son Tomi ahead of Sydney clash
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