Gold Coast Suns draftee Cheyenne Hammond on the cups of debuting in second professional sport
The thirst to find the missing link to her career has Cheyenne Hammond on the cusp of becoming the next cross-code athlete to debut in two different professional sports.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE thirst to find the missing link to her career has Cheyenne Hammond on the cusp of becoming the next cross-code athlete to debut in two different professional sports.
Hammond, selected with pick was 18 when she signed for W-League club Adelaide United and made her professional soccer debut that same year.
But something was missing and it ultimately led her to give up her to take the risk of giving up her soccer career in order to chase the excitement levels she felt starved of.
“I played soccer for about 12 years and being selected for Adelaide United was cool but I decided to switch my sports up because I wanted to have a bit more excitement.”
She found that in Australian rules.
Hammond played for local football club Willunga and then trialled for South Adelaide where she went on to play 11 games in her SANFLW debut season in 2018 where she won the premiership and was named best on ground in the grand final.
“(Australian rules) probably has better morale. A lot of girls get behind you and your football and you get along really easily where as in soccer there wasn’t a lot of morale,” Hammond said.
“It’s just a different vibe compared to AFLW.”
Hammond said she felt privileged to be in a position where she could make her debut at the top level of a second code.
“It would be very special and I’m privileged to have that opportunity,” Hammond said.
“It was great debuting in soccer so I can’t imagine what it would be like in the AFLW.”
Hammond said the skills she learnt in soccer had made her transition to football easier.
“I feel like my ability to read the play comes from soccer and I can probably still get better at it,” Hammond said.
Track Watch: Doubts grow over star Sun’s Opening Round chances
The Suns could be on the verge of a major Opening Round blow, with one of their brightest stars now officially in doubt to make their first clash of the season against the Bombers.
‘F*** I miss it’: How the Cutters managed to sign former Sun
After stepping away from the AFL due to mental fatigue, former Richmond Tigers premiership star and Gold Coast Sun Brandon Ellis has rediscovered his love for the game, signing with the South Cairns Cutters for the 2025 season. This is why.