Dromana 18-year-old Bridie Kennedy becomes an AFLW player after being drafted by Carlton

DROMANA’S Bridie Kennedy likened the AFLW draft to an emotional rollercoaster ride after she was drafted by Carlton.

Bridie Kennedy on her way to winning the Yo-Yo test during the AFLW Draft Combine at Etihad Stadium earlier this month. On Wednesday, she was drafted by Carlton. Picture: Michael Dodge

DROMANA’S Bridie Kennedy likened the AFLW draft to an emotional rollercoaster ride.

She had to be patient, enduring almost an hour of “stress” before Carlton drafted her with its last pick.

The moment she became a Blue, Kennedy was bombarded with hugs and kisses from her grandma, two grandpas and parents who were with her at Docklands.

“We were all very stressed throughout the draft but they are very happy now, they can sleep easy tonight,’’ Kennedy said on Wednesday night.

“I’ve had so many messages form old coaches and friends, it’s been amazing.’’

Kennedy said she was rapt to join Carlton.

“I’m very happy about that,” she said.

“I really had no idea this morning, but I didn’t think Carlton. They didn’t think it either. They were saying I’d probably be gone by the time it was their pick so yeah I felt like they were a bit shocked I was there as well.

“I’m very happy they picked me up.”

Kennedy, who turned 18 earlier this month, has had a meteoric rise in football since crossing over from basketball three years ago.

Bridie Kennedy in action for the Dandenong Stingrays.

Kennedy wins the 2km time trial at the AFLW Draft Combine at Etihad Stadium.

Starting out with Dromana’s youth girls side at 15, she then made her mark with the Dandenong Stingrays, jointly winning the TAC Cup league best and fairest award.

This year Kennedy played in the VFL Women’s with Cranbourne, impressing with her running power and athleticism.

She shone at the AFLW Draft Combine last week, winning the 2km time trial and the Yo-Yo test, a high-intensity modification on the beep test.

Life is definitely not boring for Bridie Kennedy. She turned 18 a fortnight ago, got her driving licence, was drafted and sits her first VCE exam in two weeks.

“So everything’s going very good at the moment,” she said.

Bridie Kennedy (right), and Chloe Molloy were joint winners of the TAC Cup Girls best and fairest award in April.

Kennedy is in Year 12 at Padua College — and remarkably is in the same class as Hunter Clark, who is expected to be drafted into the AFL next month.

“Hunter is in my home room actually,” Kennedy said.

“So hopefully we get two AFL players out of my home room.”

Kennedy played representative basketball with Southern Peninsula Sharks before a friend, Anna Gibbs, urged her to have a shot at footy.

“One of my friends dragged me into it, she said you’d be really good playing footy,’’ Kennedy said. “I said, ‘okay I’ll give it a shot’, and I just fell in love with it straight away. I quit basketball and just focused on football and I’m no happy I did.

“I want to thank Anna Gibbs, a shout out to her!”

Carlton women’s coach Damien Keeping was delighted to secure Kennedy.

“She’s an elite athlete and she’s a wonderful character. To be able to get her at the number that we did, we were incredibly pleased. We think she’s going to thrive in our environment,” he said.