Palmerston Magpies’ Janet Baird and Buffettes’ Steph Williams dedicate their respective AFLW selections to their late siblings
BOTH the Territory’s AFLW Draft pick-ups – Darwin Buffettes’ Steph Williams and Palmerston Magpies’ Janet Baird – emotionally dedicated Tuesday night to their late siblings, saying the tragedies inspired them to make it to the elite level.On a memorable evening for Territory football, Williams was Geelong Cats’ 27th pick, and Baird – after a nervous wait – came in at 54 for the Gold Coast Suns out of the 61 available spots.
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BOTH the Territory’s AFLW Draft pick-ups – Darwin Buffettes’ Steph Williams and Palmerston Magpies’ Janet Baird – emotionally dedicated Tuesday night to their late siblings, saying the tragedies inspired them to make it to the elite level.
On a memorable evening for Territory football, Williams was Geelong Cats’ 27th pick, and Baird – after a nervous wait – came in at 54 for the Gold Coast Suns out of the 61 available spots.
“Yes. I hope I can bring the (Cats) jumper back and show it to my community, and where my mum works at Belyuen School,” Williams, currently based in Victoria, told the NT News.
That was after being asked if she would have a quiet word with her late older sister Karina later on in the evening.
Williams has shown incredible bravery speaking about mental health and suicide after her older sister’s passing.
The day after Karina, Steph’s No.1 fan who would watch all her games and who was seven years her senior, tragically passed away Williams remarkably won best on ground for Buffettes in the Under-18 NTFL Grand Final last year.
“I want to take my (Cats) jumper back to my community in Mandorah and take it to her grave,” Williams said.
It was also a highly emotional moment for Baird – with her family on hand at the Michael Long Centre – when she was read out at pick 54 for the Suns.
“I had a very long group hug with my family and then just my brothers, and it made my cry thinking about my little brother (Richard, who was just eight when he drowned in 2014),” Baird said.
“The under-18 national championships are around his birthday so I had him in mind then.”
It was Janet’s older brother Rodney – a star defender at Tiwi Bombers and a recent NRL NT premiership winner with Darwin Brothers – who kept pushing her when they both won the Rising Star award for the 2017-18 NTFL season.
And Janet’s whole family spurred her on to never give up after she tore her hamstring playing for Central Allies at the NAB AFL Women’s Under-18 Championships two years ago.
“Yeah (there were doubts) but Mum and Dad kept pushing me, and I have to thank them and my family,” Baird said.
Williams said a little bit of luck helped her build a connection with the Cats.
“Two years ago a couple of Cats guys watched me play and it was a bit lucky. I think they were up on a holiday and decided to watch my game,” she said.
“They said they’d speak to some people at Geelong to help me get a game (for Geelong Falcons in the NAB League) which helped me.
“I can’t believe this has happened right now. I’ve been crying. I love the Geelong club.”
Baird, also the 2018-19 Gwynne Medallist who can play as an outside midfielder or as a medium-sized forward, has also played NT Thunder Under-18s, national Allies and was in the NT Thunder VFLW team.
She is no stranger to the Suns, having spent two weeks training with the AFLW squad earlier this year in the lead-up to the Under-18 All Stars game which she starred in, and the AFLW Draft Combine.
Williams was also part of the high-performance experiences at the Suns, but ended up at the Cats after nominating Victoria as her region in the state-based Draft system.
A proud Larrakia woman, the 18-year-old is currently completing Year 12 at Geelong College, where she has boarded for the past couple of years and is now a school leader.
She has also represented NT Thunder Under-18s and the Central Allies as an electric small forward who has speed, agility and power.
For the Buffettes she played 14 games at under-18 level, and picked up two premierships as well as her grand final best-on-ground medal.
NT ThunderW Academy coach for 2020, Heidi Thompson, said Baird and Williams were worthy of their elite-level opportunities.
“It’s such an exciting time with two NT players drafted in the 2020 AFLW Draft, especially considering the disruption that COVID-19 has had with the Under-18 National Championships and VFLW season this year,” she said.
“Steph regularly creates something out of nothing with her exciting X-factor, and is an inspirational young woman who is paving the way for future NT footy generations.
“Janet is a smooth mover with silky skills, and is calm and composed under pressure.
“She has taken her game to the next level by completing all the extras and getting her body in excellent shape over the pre-season.
“We are rapt for Janet, Steph and their families, and we are so proud of them for overcoming past adversities and getting the chance to be on an AFLW list.”
Williams and Baird respectively became the 15 and 16th NT-affiliated player to be listed on an AFLW squad since the inaugural AFL Women’s Draft in 2016.
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