Western Bulldogs captain Katie Brennan dreamt of playing AFL when she was just five years old

WESTERN Bulldogs captain Katie Brennan is strong, determined and courageous and at just 24 owns her own business. She sits down with Kate Salemme to talk footy and life.

IF YOU were following the lead-up to the AFLW’s inaugural season you would have heard the name Katie Brennan a few times.

Named Western Bulldogs captain, Brennan led the Bulldogs to their first win of the women’s league only to be struck down by an ankle injury after the loss to the Crows in Round 2.

KATIE BRENNAN: I WANT TO BE LIKE THE BONT

In a bid to return, Brennan was then ruled out for the rest of the season after hurting her quad at training but if there’s one thing we know, it’s that this ambitious 24-year-old will be back bigger and better in 2018.

The marquee centre half forward first picked up a football at age five and has dreamt, since that moment, of playing professionally.

Katie Brennan in action for the Bulldogs. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

She’s strong, fierce, courageous and determined and relocated from Queensland to Victoria to take her football to the next level. And at just 24 years of age, already owns her own business.

Brennan sat down with KATE SALEMME to talk all things life and footy.

KATE SALEMME: Who was your sporting hero growing up?

KATIE BRENNAN: When I was growing up it was the time around Cathy Freeman and the buzz around her in the Olympics and I was fortunate enough to go to that Olympics and watch her race. I think previously she was my sporting hero but after that day she just went to another level for me. The fact that she’s indigenous and a woman, it made me really look up to her and really admire her for what she’d achieved and then also for the work she does in the community as well.

KS: Greatest sporting memory is?

KB: I always go back to playing on the MCG and how incredible that feeling was because you dream about it all your life. But being part of this now, it’s trumped that. Those (exhibition) games were amazing — they were the build-up to this. But this feels real. Here, now, at Whitten Oval and to actually be wearing Western Bulldogs colours and playing for premiership points, that’s a dream come true. I know it’s not really a memory yet but I think it is my greatest sporting achievement so far.

KS: Who did you barrack for growing up?

KB: I was a Brisbane supporter and they were in hot form at that time, especially in the early 2000s. But I’ve always watched the Bulldogs from afar. I think my uncle was a Doggies supporter and I just loved the blue so I’ve had a bit of the Western Bulldogs in me from the start. But definitely Brisbane and loved them through their incredible success.

Katie Brennan led the Bulldogs to victory in Round 1. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

KS: Finish this sentence: I wanted to be a footy player because …

KB: Because it’s the best game in the world and it’s been my dream since I was five years old when I picked up a footy. And because it should be there for all — it should be there for all young females or all females. It’s equality at all levels and it’s a really important thing going forward that this whole women’s league and the whole of women’s sport has gone to a whole new level and it’s provided a lot of opportunities for a lot of young girls to dream big and to actually do what they want to do.

KS: What is a common misconception people make about you?

KB: Probably that my life revolves around footy. I love it and I’m very entrenched in it but I do have a lot of other hobbies and being a young business owner as well, you’re kind of in the sporting industry and the fitness industry and that’s where you do spend a lot of your time. I’ve got a really good balance of things outside footy — I love going to the beach, love hanging out with friends and family but I think I just love the game so much that I’d rather watch footy than watch movies at night.

KS: What do you do when you’re not playing footy?

KB: I have my gym — kb.performance — it’s not just a 9am-5pm job, it’s all different hours and you can barely switch off at times. That’s the passion and that’s what I love doing but if I’m also not at footy you can find me at the beach or at a cafe. There’s a running joke that I have too many ‘athlete days’, which consist of just going out for brunch and drinking coffee. I assure them that I am doing work at that time but I think the Instagram story shows all the highlights of my athlete days.

Katie Brennan owns her own business, a gym called KB.Performance. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

KS: Do you have any pre-game routines and/or superstitions?

KB: Superstition would just be strapping my left ankle before my right and putting on my left sock and left shoe before my right. My pre-game routine is always to get a coffee before a game but I try and steer away from too many superstitions or too many routines because it constantly changes. You don’t want to not be doing a certain thing before a game and not feeling prepared.

KS: What’s the show you like to binge watch?

KB: I like to watch a lot of American basketball so I might sit down and watch a bit of that but probably footy and sport in general. I’m not really massive on TV shows or Netflix or anything like that, I don’t have time.

KS: If you were in charge at AFL house for a week what would you do?

KB: This might be a bit controversial but I’d probably pump a bit more funding into the women’s side of things. But it’d be amazing just to look at all their processes and how they go about things, it’d be a massive learning experience. I certainly don’t envy their position sometimes because they do have to make such massive decisions but I’d just use it to have a bit of a look around and see what happens behind closed doors.

Katie Brennan celebrates the Bulldogs’ Round 1 win with teammate Lauren Spark. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

KS: If your house was burning down, what’s the first thing you’d grab before escaping?

KB: Probably my phone to be honest … and my computer.

KS: How much sledging happens in women’s football and what’s the best sledge you have ever heard?

KB: There’s a fair bit actually. We’re pretty competitive beasts. It’s more the funny stuff that cracks you up. You get some really bad ones but you also get some funny ones where it’s just banter because you know the people, you’ve either played against them or played with them so it’s a bit of back and forth.

KS: Most embarrassing sporting moment?

KB: Not that I remember much but I think I ran into the football post when I was quite young and knocked myself out so that was pretty embarrassing at the time.

Originally published as Western Bulldogs captain Katie Brennan dreamt of playing AFL when she was just five years old