The rise of Sarah Hartwig, from St Peter’s juniors to the Western Bulldogs
Sarah Hartwig started playing football when the South Metro league began its juniors girls competition. Here’s how she followed the pathway all the way to the AFLW.
Vic Womens
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You started playing football when you were eight or nine.
That was with St Peters, in 2011, the first year of the South Metro Junior Football League’s girls competition.
Your friend Grace Bridges asked you to play.
Your first match was at East Sandringham’s ground. It was the first of many in junior football for you. You reached 150 games.
You caught on to football quickly. Soon you were playing well, and in a premiership for an Under 14 team when you were 10.
There were best and fairests and high finishes in league medals, and the interleague selectors picked you. The league director of coaching, David Sheridan, gave you a boost in the local paper. Called you a “fantastic rebounder’’ with “incredible pace and a long kick’’. Said you were an excellent mark and read the game well.
They named you MVP. You were a state-level high jumper but the award got you thinking you might be able to take your football a long way, maybe even to the AFLW.
Selection in the Victorian Under 15 schoolgirls team was another spur.
In 2017 you went to the Sandringham Dragons. Tamara Hyett went there too, as coach. You built a good relationship with her; Hyett built a good relationship with all the players.
Vic Metro and Academy honours came your way. Last year you played for Metro under Nathan Burke on the Gold Coast and thought he was an excellent coach. He put you at ease.
Hyett put you in the leadership group this year, but COVID-19 cut the season off after three games. You and your teammates were disappointed but you kept up a training program.
The invitations to the AFLW combine came out. You got one. Six of your teammates did too.
Hyett wasn’t surprised AFL clubs were interested in you. She reckoned you’d been the best defender in the NAB League Girls for the past two years. She loved your intercept marking and how you turned defence into attack. Said you were rarely beaten in one-on-one contests. Noted your penetrating left-foot kicking and tough tackling. Predicted privately that you were a certainty to be taken.
The draft was set down for Tuesday night, October 6.
You were nervous. You’d spoken to all the Victorian clubs but you didn’t know who would select you.
You watched the draft with your family at home. Richmond took Elle McKenzie at No 1, the Western Bulldogs selected Jesse Fitzgerald at No 2, West Coast Eagles nabbed Isabella Lewis at No 3.
The top 10 was finalised ….
And then you went at No 11, to the Western Bulldogs.
What a buzz! Doggies coach Nathan Burke phoned and said congratulations and how happy he was that he and the club had been able to draft you. Teammates new and old were bombing you with messages. Same with family and friends.
Someone from the Dogs dropped off some gear at the front door. You put the jumper on, took some pics and in no time the Dogs had it on social media. Welcome to the Kennel!
It was a big night for the Dragons. Alice Burke, Winnie Laing, Bella Eddey, Eliza McNamara, Abbi Moloney and Daisy Walker were drafted too. Seven picks in the top 36: soon they’ll be talking about a Dragons “footy factory’’. Hyett was chuffed.
You were a Cats supporter. Now you’re a Dog.
You’ve had to get things organised quickly, because training starts today.
You’re Sarah Hartwig, the former South Metro junior, now AFLW newcomer.