Katherine Smith wants to be drafted for first ever AFL women’s league

THE introduction of the AFL women’s league has given girls like Blackburn’s Katherine Smith the chance to realise their dreams of being a footy player.

Katherine Smith and Gemma Lagioia from Blackburn Girls Football Club represented Vic Metro at the National Under 18 Youth Girls Championships, where they won convincingly. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

THE introduction of next year’s AFL Women’s league has given girls across the country the chance to realise their dreams of being a professional footy player.

And it’s something Blackburn’s Katherine Smith, 17, has been thinking about since she was running around with the boys while playing under-9s.

Katherine, a passionate Carlton fan, wants to be drafted to an AFL team next year, and has put her best foot forward by captaining the Victorian Metro girls squad to grand final success earlier this month.

The gun midfielder can play across the park; she was named at half-back in last year’s under-18 Girls All Australian squad and was named best on ground while playing half-forward during the 2016 Youth Girls National Championships grand final on May 6.

Katherine led the team to an astonishing 95-0 premiership victory over Western Australia.

“The squad was amazing and we had such good leaders, so to be captain of the girl’s was incredible, but it was a closer game than the score suggests,” Katherine said.

“I kicked a couple of goals, and I got best on ground for the grand final which was awesome.

“I played half-forward which was a good experience, and I did what I needed to do there, but there were so many girls who could have been awarded it though.”

“To play on the MCG — you can’t describe it — it’s the MCG.

“It’s the dream of every kid in Australia, or Victoria, to play on the ’G — it was unbelievable to be honest,” she said.

Vic Metro captain Katherine Smith celebrates winning the national championships grand final against Western Australia at the MCG. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Katherine was joined by her Blackburn Football Club teammate Gemma Lagioia in the trophy-winning Victorian Metro side.

Mt Waverley’s Gemma, was the “baby” of the squad, turning 15 during the tournament.

“It was definitely tough going up against some of the bigger bodies, but I gave it everything I could and went hard at the ball,” Gemma said.

While Gemma has a few more years to wait before she can have a shot at playing top flight football, Katherine is doing everything she can to get noticed ahead of the first ever women’s draft.

“I’ve always wanted to be a footballer — it’s been my dream since I was a kid — and I guess now it’s actually a real goal which can be achieved being female,” Katherine said.

“It’s great to see how far it’s come.

“Being drafted is definitely the goal, and I’m definitely working towards that by putting a lot of time and effort into getting there,” she said.

Katherine Smith and Gemma Lagioia have been nominated for the Leader Junior Sports Star award, presented by Sportsmart.

Visit heraldsun.com.au/leader/sportsstar to nominate a local sports star.