Winnie Laing kicks on for Sandringham Dragons
Winnie Laing happily admits she couldn’t kick the ball when she started playing junior football. But she’s improved enormously and the popular Dragons captain is a chance to be picked up in the AFLW draft.
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Winnie Laing sat the last of her scheduled Year 12 practice exams this morning.
It was for psychology.
Mostly remotely, she’s also studying PE, English language, maths and health at St Michael’s Grammar in St Kilda.
Her final exam will be in late November. Laing is uncertain what should would like to do after she completes Year 12.
“I’m not 100 per cent sure yet. I’m just trying to do the best I can to keep my options open, really,’’ she said.
She is more definite about her football. She’s fixed on playing in the AFLW, and a chance may come her way in next Tuesday’s draft. Laing was one of seven Dragons listed for the combine and has had interviews with five clubs.
“The goal is to be drafted and that’s pretty set in stone, and has been for the last two years and even more so this year,’’ she said.
“I put my best foot forward, especially with my training in the off-season, put in a lot of work with my skill development and my running. I’m hoping clubs can see the work ethic I have and will pick me up.’’
She’s starting to feel a few nerves, but she said excitement was her main emotion. “To think that in five days there’s a possibility I will be with an AFLW club kind of conquers everything else,’’ Laing said. “I’ve put everything I can into it, as an individual and with the team, and we’re all helping each other.’’
Dragons coach Tamara Hyett is adamant her charge belongs at AFLW level, not only for her ability as an inside midfielder, but her leadership. She said Laing drove other players’ standards while maintaining her own.
“Winnie’s growth across the three years in the program has been amazing,’’ Hyett said.
St Kilda local Laing joined the Dragons for the 2018 season, having started playing football at Port Melbourne Colts.
She happily admits she couldn’t kick the ball when she began with the Colts. But with a dedication that Hyett holds up as an example to other players, and lots of coaching, she improved quickly.
Laing had been playing basketball and doing athletics, and she thinks the skills she acquired in those sports have helped with her football, competitiveness and hand-eye coordination with hoops, running with aths.
Two friends encouraged her to make the switch of sports, saying she would love football. She went and watched them play, and right away started playing herself. Her friends were right. She loved it.
After one season at Colts Laing joined the Dragons. In his first year on the NAB League Girls list she was selected in the Vic Metro Under 16 team, alongside fellow Dragons newcomer and her former basketball teammate Bella Eddey.
Hyett has since given Eddey the nickname “Silk’’. Perhaps she could have called Laing “Stone’’ in recognition of her strength around the ball.
She does call her a “contested ball beast’’ with the pace and power to slip away from a stoppage, “tough as nails’’ and “very driven’’.
Hyett named Laing captain for the 2020 season that was sawn off by COVID-19.
Winnie was chuffed and appreciates the support and encouragement the coach has given her in their three years together.
“Building that relationship with Tam has really helped, not only my love for footy but also my development,’’ she said.
“She’s worked really closely with me to try and sort of go from that good level to more that elite level. I was working on a mix of things this year. I think my skills came a long way and I was focusing on my running as well. I’m an inside midfielder and I want to be good with my hands in the contest work, so I worked on that a lot. Same with my ground kicking, hitting targets. So Tam was helping us cater for our individuals needs.’’
The skipper did well in the three matches played before COVID-19 kicked in. Like her teammates she was deeply disappointed when the season was called off, but in between her studies she’s continued to work away at her football.
Laing is unsure what career she would like to pursue. But she knows where she would like to go with her football. May her chance come next Tuesday.