Identical twins Gemma and Sarah Wright realise their AFLW dreams within seconds of each other
It was only fitting that Gemma and Sarah Wright were drafted within seconds of each other. The identical twins and best friends have been partners in crime since birth. But how will they cope on different teams?
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They were born one minute apart, they’re best friends and now identical twins Gemma and Sarah Wright have realised their AFLW dream within seconds of each other.
But it’ll be at different clubs.
Sarah, the older of the 25-year-olds, couldn’t celebrate being drafted by North Melbourne at pick 32 until her sister’s name had also been called — two picks later to Geelong at 34.
“It was easier knowing we both had been picked. It’s obviously exciting but it’s hard to be happy unless Gem gets picked up too,” Sarah said.
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“(There wasn’t much excitement) when I got called out, it was a bit low-key. But when Gem got called the hugs came out.”
“Our local coach (Emma Kerry) flipped a chair,” Gemma said.
Their road to AFLW hasn’t been easy. Sarah broke her neck, fracturing her C6 and C7 vertebrae during the first quarter of a Grand Final for Keilor last year when she copped two knees to the head.
She bravely played on and didn’t seek medical treatment until three days later, even joining in Mad Monday celebrations the following day.
“You do what you can for your team,” Sarah said.
“It was a really funny feeling, a bit like whiplash. I thought I was OK. I had some pins and needles — they started from my head and went down and towards the end of the game it was my feet so I had to come off. I wasn’t good.”
Gemma was in awe of her sister when the seriousness of the injury was revealed.
“When I got the news on the Wednesday I was like ‘wow, for her to get up and keep playing was amazing’,” she said.
Gemma has also had challenges and injuries to overcome — mostly thanks to her sister, who’s knocked out her teeth three times.
“She pushed me,” Gemma said and she recalled one occasion before Sarah jumped in, “I didn’t push you.”
“She pushed me,” Gemma continued, “off some seating. My sisters (Kristie and Ashley) were playing netball and the whole game stopped because they were looking for my teeth.
“Sarah cried probably more than me.”
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The pair bicker but it’s all in good fun, with their respect and love for each other obvious.
“She’s someone I look up to. I know we have our moments but she’s probably, I could put it as hero, I do look up to her. We do compete but she’s always there to make sure I’m all right and make sure that everything is going OK for both of us,” Gemma said.
Sarah agreed: “She’s my best mate. We can obviously have our differences and we compete but at the end of the day we both just want to see each other do well.”