QAFLW 2020: Coolangatta Bluebirds’ Kitarra Whap-Farrar and Courtney Ugle captained their side during Indigenous Round
For this footy star nothing quite beats the feeling of running out to play football during Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round. READ THE FULL STORY.
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FOR Kitara Whap-Farrar, nothing quite beats the feeling of running out to play football during Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.
A proud Mabuiag Island and Alawa woman, on Saturday Whap-Farrar and teammate Courtney Ugle were given the honour of captaining the Coolangatta Bluebirds during their 38-22 QAFLW victory over Wilston Grange.
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Wilston Grange player Emma MacNeill, the wife of Brisbane Lions AFL star Mitch Robinson, led a Welcome to Country ceremony before the match before the Bluebirds strolled to their seventh victory of the season.
“I found out I was going to be captain just as we were about to head out onto the field,” Whap-Farrar said.
“I was pretty shocked but very honoured to lead girls out on such a special day.
“This round means a lot to me and each year I play with all my heart because there are very few Indigenous players playing AFL so we’re so lucky to be playing at this level and have the opportunity to show off our talent.
“I’m honoured to be playing footy and it was such a special and emotional day to get to wear my colours and have my teammates Paige (Parker) and Courtney (Ugle) stand with me and be part of both teams coming together to acknowledge the owners of the land we were playing on.”
A 16-point victory was the icing on the cake but the 19-year-old believes the Bluebirds intent could be a sign of things to come.
“We changed our positioning around within the team a fair bit so and the girls really adapted to that and I can see us going deep into finals if we keep it up,” Whap-Farrar said.
“Gravsey (coach Nicole Graves) didn’t have too many negatives after the game so it was good to put into place what we’ve been practising.
“There’s always room for improvement with any team so I think going back to the basics will benefit us.”
Whap-Farrar also said she was relishing her return to football after an arthroscopic procedure on her knee ended her AFLW prematurely.
One of the three inaugural Suns AFLW signings, Whap-Farrar was delisted by the Suns last week without playing a game but she is hopeful of gaining another opportunity through the upcoming draft.
“I did see it coming but I was hopeful I would get more of an opportunity because it wasn’t my choice to be injured all season but I see the footy side of things and completely understand Lakey’s (David Lake) decision,” she said.
“It’s obviously been a tough year for me but my move from Bond University to Coolangatta has really benefited my football.
“To be coached by Gravsey has been great for my development and helped me love football a little more.”
Bond University also joined Coolangatta on the QAFLW Round 10 winners list after a 49-8 victory over the Aspley Hornets.
EARLIER: LILY TAKES NEXT STEP ON HER LEARNING CURVE
LILY Tarlinton’s senior QAFLW debut for Bond University has been 10 years and two cities in the making.
After growing up in Mackay and playing with boys for the entirety of her junior career, the Suns Academy product made a leap of faith earlier this year and relocated to the Gold Coast with hopes of being drafted.
A ‘learning curve’ followed as the 18-year-old began to adapt to the standard of footy down south but after eight games and 10 goals in the QAFLW development league, including a season-high bag of four last weekend against Wilston Grange, Tarlinton will make her senior debut.
“I was relieved I’d finally earned it as we’re a few weeks into the season so I’m really happy and shocked to get a shot at playing seniors and get that reward for effort,” the Queensland Under-18 representative said.
“The differences between the Gold Coast and Mackay are huge and the competitions don’t compare so it was hard to get used to the training load at first and all the AFLW players running alongside you.
“It was a big learning curve but deep down I knew it would happen and you know you deserve to be there.”
Originally from Springsure in central Queensland, Tarlinton didn’t know Aussie rules existed until she moved to Mackay.
“I kept trying to play rugby on the footy field but as I got further into high school, footy became my favourite sport,” she said.
Growing up, playing with the boys was the norm and it also happened to generate the highlight of Tarlinton’s footy career.
Playing for the North Mackay Saints in the same team as her brother Rory, the siblings combined to win an Under-13 premiership despite Tarlinton dislocated her finger in the first quarter and sitting out the rest of the match.
“I found it harder transitioning into a girl’s team and I think I have a different playing style to girls who haven’t played with boys,” she said.
But after witnessing the success of fellow north Queensland products Lauren Bella, Kitara Whap-Farrar, Ellie Hampson and Bond teammate Wallis Randall, all who moved to the Gold Coast to pursue their careers, Tarlinton decided to join the AFLW production line.
”It made it a lot easier seeing how it was possible and motivating that people from Mackay could do well,” she said.
“I had a host family lined up through the Suns and the day I moved in was the day I met them but they’ve been an amazing support network.
“It was a pretty easy decision to make because it was an opportunity to go and play the sport I’ve loved for 10 years.
“I’m working towards it (getting drafted to an AFLW club) and it’s the main reason I moved down here but I’m not super stressed about it and if it happens, it happens.
“The next few years will be all about my development and performing well in the QAFLW.”
Bond University take on the Aspley Hornets at 4pm on Saturday in Brisbane while the Coolangatta Bluebirds are set to take on Wilston Grange away at 2pm.
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