Territorian Sun Janet Baird enjoying life at Gold Coast Suns after her opening season

GOLD Coast Suns and former Palmerston Magpies star Janet Baird feels a season of AFLW in her legs has made her a better player and ready to once again compete with the best in the country

Gold Coast Suns AFLW player Janet Baird is back in town to train with NT Thunder Academy players ahead of the women’s curtain raiser at TIO Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Che Chorley

GOLD Coast Suns and former Palmerston Magpies star Janet Baird feels a season of AFLW in her legs has made her a better player and ready to once again compete with the best in the country.

The former Palmerston Magpie was originally picked by the Suns in the 2020 Draft and has impressed in her short time at the club.

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She made her debut against GWS at Blacktown on January 13 and hasn’t looked back.

And with the next AFLW season starting in December, Baird feels that her body is ready for another go at the top level.

“Finally getting drafted and going down there and playing was an overwhelming and awesome experience,” Baird said.

“Playing for the first time in Blacktown was awesome. My whole family came down to watch me. And just getting the experience against the best players in Australia was really awesome and something I am really enjoying.

“I’m so excited for the next pre-season and season. I feel like my body is right now and I’ve worked really hard in the off season.

“Training has been tough and sometimes you feel like you don’t want to do it but you have to get up and do it. It’s been surreal and the experience has made me a better player.”

The curtain raiser game before this weekend’s AFL blockbuster between Gold Coast Suns and Hawthorn is set to star any intra-squad game between the women of NT Thunder.

Both sides will also feature two Suns players, including Baird (pictured), Hannah Dunn, Kate Surman and Serene Watson with a team named after the hometown hero.

But what she wants more than anything else as a player that came through the same system is for scouts to take notice of the untapped talent apparent in the Top End.

“I’m so excited. I didn’t even know they were naming a team after me so that was pretty surreal,” Baird said.

“It means that I made an impact up here which is awesome and the fact that these girls have been training so hard for this game, I think it’s going to be a good game.

“I’ve said this before that there’s so much untapped talent up here and I feel like recruiters and people down south don’t get to see that as much, so I’m excited for this game.”

Suns head of women’s football Fiona Sessarago was excited to see all the Darwin Academy talent on show.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing some of the best talent from our Darwin Academy zone in action this weekend,” she said.

“We’ll have some Suns players playing in the match as well which will be fantastic for the local girls to brush shoulders with footballers at the highest level and see what it takes to become an AFLW player.

“We’re hoping we will see a number of girls follow the same pathway as Janet Baird and one day end up on the Suns AFLW list.”