Western Bulldogs recruits Isabel Huntington, Monique Conti and Daria Bannister to make immediate impact in first season
WESTERN Bulldogs will unleash their new breed against Fremantle in their season opener, with No.1 pick Isabel Huntington, Monique Conti and Daria Bannister set to make an immediate impact — and they share a close bond.
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Isabel Huntington, Monique Conti and Daria Bannister are the AFLW’s future.
The Western Bulldogs 18-year-olds have all been part of the AFL’s national academy and are the generation the league is hoping will take its female version of the game to the next level.
Huntington and Conti have been playing since they were very young and have followed a pathway similar to that of their male counterparts.
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Bannister is a convert, swapping from netball a couple of years ago, but she’s quickly risen to the top.
“I think over time, it might not be in its first year, but over time definitely the access to the facilities and the elite standards of football the young girls will have will really drastically increase the standard of the competition,” Huntington, the No.1 pick in last October’s draft, said.
“A lot of the girls who got drafted have played football their whole life, whereas much of the playing field last year was made up of people who had been paying football not their whole life and hadn’t had much access to it.
“I think we’re pretty lucky to have been involved in that and been at the right age to have had facilities and pathways.”
As well as increased experience, the players bring an infectious enthusiasm for the sport.
Conti, the Bulldogs second pick and No.4 overall in the national draft, has only really just arrived at the Kennel. All summer she’s been playing with Melbourne Boomers in the WNBL, limiting what she could do at football training.
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The pain of a grand final series decider loss on January 21 was somewhat soothed when she had to knuckle down at football training a day later. She had to forget about basketball pretty quickly.
“It was difficult being part of two elite teams, it felt a bit odd going from one to the other constantly,” Conti said.
“Now that basketball’s finished and I can focus on football now, it feels more like I’m part of it.”
Huntington wants to be a doctor and is likely to study science at Melbourne University before hopefully changing to medicine the following year.
But football is her focus now, with Sunday Huntington’s first game in 16 months after recovering from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, which required a full knee reconstruction.
“I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself,” Huntington said.
“I think for anyone coming back for their first game, it can be pretty nerve-racking.
“Hopefully I deal with the emotions and just enjoy being back out there.”
Life is moving pretty fast for all three teens.
Bannister has moved from Tasmania and is living with a friend of a friend in Glenroy.
She has been accepted into a nutrition/science degree at Geelong’s Deakin University, which starts at the end of February.
She’s getting used to the rhythm of a football club, with training at the Whitten Oval starting at about 5pm, three days a week.
“I’ve settled in well, loving Melbourne,” Bannister said.
“Coming up from Tassie, I only used to train two days a week.
“We’re training three days a week and gym outside of training days, it’s been a big step up but I’ve definitely adapted to it.
“The session go for four, five hours each, I’m just getting my body used to all that. Sometimes I wouldn’t get home until like 11, 11.30pm.”
There’s genuine affection between the trio — you can tell they enjoy each other’s company.
Conti and Huntington first played football together in 2014, at VFLW club Melbourne University.
Conti has played in front of almost 4000 people in a basketball stadium, but Sunday will be different.
“I love big crowds,” Conti said.
“I just love the atmosphere and the energy it brings.”
Their debut is a big moment for a growing league and its future but for Huntington, Conti and Bannister the emotion is intensely personal.
“I think we’re all going to cry,” Bannister said.
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