Ebony O’Dea is heading to GWS after the Giants selected her with their final pick at the AFLW draft

New GWS recruit Ebony O’Dea was made to wait longer than everyone for her dream of playing AFLW next year to come true.

Ebony O'Dea was selected by GWS at the AFLW draft last month.
Picture: AAP/Dean Martin

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EBONY O’Dea could feel her dreams of playing AFLW next year slowly slipping away.

She was watching last month’s national women’s draft in Melbourne at fellow SA hopeful Jess Edwards’s house – Edwards moved to Victoria earlier this year – and O’Dea was getting more anxious as each selection went by.

When Carlton selected Edwards with pick No. 48, O’Dea was happy for her friend, but thought her own chances were dashed.

Then, to her surprise, Greater Western Sydney secured her with the day’s final selection – pick No. 68.

Ebony O'Dea will play for Greater Western Sydney – the team she supports – after the Giants selected her at the AFLW draft last month. Picture: AAP/Dean Martin

“We were streaming it (the draft) on a TV … and I ended up being the last pick of the day, which I didn’t even know existed,” the defender/midfielder says.

“There were a couple of minutes there were I thought I had not been picked because I thought the Giants had already used their final pick.

“There were tears and I was very relieved.

“To watch it with Jess and see her get picked was so great.”

The 19-year-old supports GWS, making the club’s decision to pick her even more special.

O’Dea will link up with South Adelaide premiership coach Krissie Steen, an assistant at the Giants.

O’Dea played under Steen when she coached Adelaide University in 2017.

Ebony O’Dea will link up with former South Adelaide coach Krissie Steen (R) and star player Courtney Gum (L) as both are at the Ginats. Gum and Steen are pictured earlier this year with their son Buz. Picture: AAP/ Keryn Stevens

“To have Krissie Steen there is pretty awesome,” O’Dea, of West Croydon, says.

“I can’t speak more highly of her and I’m keen to be playing under her again.”

O’Dea, originally from the Barossa, started playing football for Adelaide University in 2016.

Before moving to the city last year, O’Dea spent six hours a week driving back and forth for training and matches for Adelaide Uni, but said it was all worth it: “I was still living in the Barossa when I started, so I was playing in division two because I could only get to one training a week plus game day.

“I just love footy so much.”

Ebony O'Dea pictured in 2016 after being named the Adelaide Footy League women’s rookie of the year. She won the award despite missing four games with Adelaide University to go the unicycle world championships. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

O’Dea, who helped lead Norwood to an SANFLW flag last year, was looking forward to getting over to Sydney and developing her skills at an elite club.

“I’m going to work super-hard to get a game,” says O’Dea, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Advanced) at Adelaide University.

But through moving to Sydney she’s “not sure what I’ll be doing about study”.

Her immediate football education appears more assured. “I’m just looking to learn from all the experienced players there,” she says.

Originally published as Ebony O’Dea is heading to GWS after the Giants selected her with their final pick at the AFLW draft