Suns AFLW: Kitara Whap-Farrar was one of the Suns inaugural three signings after moving from Cairns
When a junior football coach mooted Kitara Whap-Farrar as an AFLW star of the future, not she nor her parents believed him.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
WHEN a junior football coach mooted Kitara Whap-Farrar as an AFLW star of the future, not she nor her parents believed him.
Originally from Cairns, Whap-Farrar recalls watching footy every weekend with her dad but she was a sprinter by trade and spent her afternoons at the athletics track busting out 100m and 200m repetitions.
SUNS AFLW COUNTDOWN: JORDANN HICKEY
SUNS AFLW COUNTDOWN: KALINDA HOWARTH
“My goal was to run in the Olympics but then it all got too much in grade nine and I needed a break from athletics and to find another hobby,” she said.
“Mum and dad both agreed I should give team sport a go and they mentioned footy.
“It started as a hobby but now it’s my life.”
Starting as one of three girls in a team of boys, Whap-Farrar’s first game for the Pyramid Power saw her thrown into the ruck and questioning what she’d gotten herself into.
“I didn’t stick my knee up and I copped a knee in the rib so I was winded,” she said.
After one year playing with the boys, a then 15-year-old Whap-Farrar begun playing under 17 girls’ footy and quickly stood out with her token run and carry.
It was around then Pyramid Power coach Brett Kennedy had a conversation with Whap-Farrar’s parents which perfectly foreshadowed her AFLW destiny.
BONDING TO BATTLE FOR SPOTS FOR SUNS
“I remember to this day, he said the Suns are coming into the league in 2020, and he said ‘what are your thoughts of Kitara, I think she’s going to get picked up’ and I didn’t believe him,” she said.
“I thought he was crazy but it kind of stuck in my head.
“I thought girls had been playing footy since they’d started walking so I didn’t think that I was talented enough to make it.”
In 2018, Whapp-Farrar played 12 games for South Cairns in the AFL Cairns Women’s league, taking out the league best and fairest for the second year running.
Sensing an AFLW career may be within reach, she decided to move down to the Gold Coast in early 2019 and played four games for Bond University in the QAFLW as well as representing the Suns in the Winter Series.
SUNS OPEN TRAINING PHOTO GALLERY
“I struggled the first few months down here,” she said.
“I had to go back a few times because my mum was quite sick so I was worried for her as well as three younger siblings and dad acting as mum’s primary carer.
“Even though I was chasing my dream, it was still hard to leave.”
In February last year, the 18-year-old was announced as one of the inaugural three players, validating her move and commencing a year-long wait to finally live out her AFLW dream.
“When I was told, it didn’t hit me until late last year that I’d made it,” she said.
“It’s exciting because you already know but you have a whole year and I was playing under 18’s for Queensland so I felt like I had to prove I deserved my place on the list.
“As soon as I chuck the jumper on, I’ll be speechless.”
‘Brand new’ Suns ready for Lions in sold out QClash
If ever there was an occasion for the Gold Coast Suns to prove they are worthy of playing AFL finals, it’s Saturday’s sold out QClash against the Brisbane Lions in front of their fans at home.
‘Holy s—, this is nuts’: Selwood tragedy brings mental health crisis into focus
The tragic deaths of Troy and Adam Selwood prompted Coolangatta coach Pearce Hanley and his players to confront the mental health crisis in their own ranks - launching a grassroots awareness round aimed at breaking the silence gripping young Aussie men.