Star Darwin Buffette Dom Carbone indicates she will sign with Hawthorn's AFLW team
A Territory footy export's dream of gracing the MCG turf is fast becoming a reality after she committed to an AFLW expansion club.
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As a Melbourne Cricket Club customer service worker, the Territory's latest footy export, Dom Carbone, dreamed of gracing the turf of "the G" during lunch breaks.
After the 20-year-old committed to signing with Hawthorn’s AFLW team this week ahead of the 2022 season, that dream inched a little bit closer to reality.
Talking to the NT News on Friday, the freshly-minted Gwynne medallist said working at Melbourne’s sporting cathedral was the “coolest thing ever”.
“I will bring my lunch and just find myself sitting in the stands and just watch (the ground),” Carbone said, who also won a Women’s Premier League flag with Darwin Buffettes last season.
“To see the stadium go from dead silent ... the next day there’s 70,000 people, it’s crazy. It’s such a good job.”
However, better things are now in store for the prolific on-baller.
After two impressive seasons with Hawthorn’s VFLW team, a club recruiter asked for a one-on-one meeting recently.
“I was very nervous,” she recalled.
“I didn’t sleep all of the night (before) ... I wondered what he wanted to meet about.”
Turns out it was all good news – the expansion club wanted Carbone for its initial, 2022 season – and she was soon frantically calling her family and boyfriend on the way to the MCG for work.
“There were a lot of virtual hugs that day,” she said.
Twice nominating for previous AFLW drafts without success, Carbone was served by an impressive attitude — referring to the dual knock-backs as simply “feedback”.
Instead, she asked herself how she could improve.
After a big pre-season, and an invaluable period as a train-on player with the Gold Coast Suns late last year, Carbone says her skills and overall fitness sharpened: “It was an eye-opening experience.”
The journey from Buffette to Hawk began four years ago when Carbone, a top basketballer with Lightning, was invited to have a crack in the Women’s Premier League with Darwin.
“I loved playing basketball... it was my main sport as a kid,” she said.
“I had my heart set to play basketball (professionally) one day.”
However, her sporting path changed dramatically after she took to Aussie Rules with relative ease.
“I was a little bit hesitant at first, I’d never played contact sport before,” she said.
“But I was always very physical playing basketball.”
As Carbone’s abilities improved, she suddenly became a fly in, fly out player, joining Hawthorn’s VFLW team.
After the Buffettes lost last year’s grand final by 11 points to PINT, Carbone moved to Melbourne permanently in March to chase her footballing dream as a 19-year-old.
Carbone is now hoping to one day to hit the G as a footballer, not just an MCC employee: “That would be an absolute dream.”
Darwin Buffette Dom Carbone commits to Hawthorn
Star Territory footballer Dom Carbone has committed to signing with Hawthorn’s AFLW team this season.
Carbone, who was judged best on ground in the Darwin Buffettes' Women’s Premier League grand final win over Nightcliff, has indicated she will sign with one of the league’s expansion teams for the coming season.
Carbone will join a growing list of Territory talents at AFLW clubs, which includes Janet Baird and Ashanti Bush (Gold Coast Suns), Danielle Ponter and Jasmyn Hewett (Adelaide) and Stephanie Williams (Geelong).
The 20-year-old onballer has been overlooked in previous AFLW drafts.
However, strong performances with Hawthorn’s VFL team, plus winning the Brenda Williams medal in the NTFL decider in March, was enough to convince Hawthorn recruiters she belonged at the highest level.
Premiership coach Mel Taylor told the NT News “(Carbone's) Buffs family will be with her every step of the way”.
“Her determination, dedication, passion and achievements so far are from her own hard work,” Taylor said.
“She has been guided along the way but this achievement is a reward for individual growth and sacrifices.”
AFLW List Manager Mitchell Cashion told the club's website Carbone had impressed with her workrate and want to improve.
“She has an excellent commitment to improving and getting the best out of herself,” Cashion said.
“Dom boasts a high workrate and is a high-endurance player that creates a lot of scoring opportunities for her teammates.”
In a statement on its Facebook page, the Darwin Buffaloes said it was “so proud” of her achievements so far.
“(We) wish her all the best in her football career, if it’s anything like the courage and determination she showed winning the... grand final and best on ground, her career with Hawks will be a long one,” the club said.
Thirteen Territory players named in Allies squad
Thirteen of the Territory’s best Under 18 female footballers have been picked to represent the Allies in the NAB AFLW National Championships.
Making the 25-member squad are: J’Noemi Anderson (Thunder Academy), Kyanne Campbell (Thunder Academy), Erini Gikas (St Mary’s), T’Sharni Graham (Palmerston), Rhania Hewitt (Southern Districts), Cassie McWilliam (Nightcliff), Grace Mulvahil (Southern Districts), Ciaralii Parnell (St Mary’s), Tatyana Perry (Palmerston), Emma Stark (St Mary’s), Grace Whittaker (Southern Districts), Freda Wosomo (Darwin) and Kierra Zerafa (Waratah).
The Allies will take on a NSW and ACT composite team on April 18 at Blacktown International Sports Park.
However, players from NSW and the ACT will join the Allies squad for the second and third matches of the competition: April 22 against South Australia at Werribee and April 30 versus Queensland on the Gold Coast.
St Mary’s young gun Emma Stark, 16, said it was “huge news” to be included in the Allies team but expected it to be “a lot harder” to make the squad for the final two games.
“It’s great for my footy career that’s building, hopefully,” Stark said.
“This will be the biggest games of our lives at the moment, we’ve really got to make the most of it.”
Stark was also part of the Under 18 NT Thunder Academy team which beat the Murray Bushrangers in late March by two points.
“I got a goal which was nice, and we got the two point win which was pretty sensational,” she said.
“They came back, I was a bit nervy to be honest.
“The experience was awesome as well, we literally flew down to Melbourne, we were in Melbourne for less than 24 hours.
“It’s the kind of experience that AFLW players had this season.”
NT Thunder beat Murray Bushrangers in two-point thriller
The NTFL may be done and dusted for another year, but the footy doesn’t stop there with the NT Thunder Academy Under 18 Girls set to travel to Victoria to take on the Murray Bushrangers in the NAB League Girls final round.
The one-off clash for the Thunder is a chance for the Territory’s brightest young stars to prove themselves on the next level.
The Thunder and Bushrangers clash will be exclusively live streamed by the Herald Sun and NT News as part of a season-long NAB League Girls deal.
From the initial squad of over 50 players, 24 young Territorians have been selected to pull on the famed NT Thunder jumper and play at Highgate Recreational Reserve this Sunday.
AFLNT Talent Manager Simon Hargraves said after lots of hard training across the Territory and interstate, his team had the talent to be competitive against the Bushrangers.
“Over the past five weeks, preparations have been solid with the girls putting in a lot of hard training in amongst regular club training,” Hargraves said.
“In many cases, these trainings were in addition to the NTFL finals series
“I want to also recognise the efforts of our full squad of over 50 girls.
“Whilst only 24 players could be selected for this match, we look forward to further opportunities to show off the talent of the entire squad through the inaugural Winter Series this year.”
The Bushrangers will come into the clash with plenty of momentum after scoring wins over Bendigo and Gippsland in their past two outings.
Led by midfield excitement machine Zarlie Goldsworthy, who has averaged 26.4 disposals and 10 tackles per game this season, the Bushrangers need a win to stay in finals contention.
NT’S PLAYERS TO WATCH:
J’NOEMI ANDERSON
One of two players from the NT who was selected as part of this year’s AFLW Academy and was voted the 2020/21 NTFL NT News Rising Star. Over the past year, Anderson has also spent time training with the Gold Coast SUNS and their Academy. During the 2021/22 TIO NTFL season, Anderson was a solid contributor across the field for St Mary’s. Is a strong inside midfielder who can also run up forward and hit the scoreboard.
KYANNE CAMPBELL
The second NT AFLW Academy member. Campbell is a bottom ager in the program at 16 years of age. Campbell, hailing from Alice Springs, is a deep forward option who played for the Central Australian Football League’s Rovers Football Club in both the Under 16 and Senior Women’s Premierships in 2021. She also kicked four goals on debut in the 2021/22 season of the TIO NTFL Women’s Premier League for Southern Districts.
CASSIE MCWILLIAM
This 2021/22 TIO NTFL Women’s Premier League Grand Final player is relocating to Melbourne after signing with Williamstown in the VFLW after her stellar season. This will be McWilliams’ first appearance with the Cazalys NT Thunder Academy and will play as a strong centre half forward option for the team.
GRACE WHITTAKER
The 16-year-old has taken her footy to the next level over the past year after debuting for the Women’s Premier League and becoming a TIO NTFL Under 18 Premiership player. She since has relocated to Adelaide to play for Norwood in their Development Squad. Whittaker will be a key target up forward, although can play across half back and take a solid overhead mark.
KALLOPI GIKAS
St Mary’s player, Gikas was selected for the 2022 Cazlays NT Thunder Academy squad following a standout performance in the inaugural Women’s Michael Long Cup development weekend and during the NAB AFLW Under 17 Championships last season. A strong runner, Gikas can play along the wing and midfield.
Cazalys NT Thunder Academy Team List:
J’Noemi Anderson
Kyanne Campbell
Emma Clifton
Erini Gikas
Kallopi Gikas
Rose Maree Gonion
T’Sharni Graham
Lily Harden
Rhania Hewitt
Annabel Kievit
Sophie Maddalozzo
Cassie McWilliam
Ciana Niesner
Ciaralii Parnell
Tatyana Perry
Emma Stark
Brooklyn Tarrant
Djimila Totham
Grace Whittaker
Thea Wischusen
Freda Wosomo
Amber Wunungmurra
Kierra Zerafa
Charlie Simmonds (E)
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