WNCL final: Sammy-Jo Johnson opens up about friendship with fellow Lismore native Adam Gilchrist ahead of final against Qld
Ahead of the WNCL final, Lismore native and NSW star Sammy-Jo Johnson has opened up about the support she has received from Adam Gilchrist’s family after her father’s suicide in 2012.
It’s a long time ago since Adam Gilchrist left Lismore, but a part of him never left at all.
Hidden quietly is the Gilchrist family’s close bond with NSW Breakers star Sammy-Jo Johnson, who at age 32 is out to break her team’s and her own personal drought in the WNCL final against her former team, Queensland, on Sunday in Brisbane.
Johnson lost two WNCL finals against NSW when she was forced to move to Queensland to pursue her dreams due to the stacked nature of a Breakers XI which virtually replicated the Australian team.
But Johnson has blue blood running through her veins and after returning to the Breakers five seasons ago, it feels her entire career has been leading up to this moment when she has a chance to lift the women’s 50-over title with NSW.
Johnson’s father, Robert committed suicide back in 2012 and Gilchrist’s parents, Stan and June have been like second parents to her – offering her a scholarship to play in England when she was a teenager.
Gilchrist texts often and the pair reunited a fortnight ago at their childhood field of dreams Oakes Oval for a charity match to raise money and awareness for the Lismore region still reeling from the devastating floods in 2022.
When Johnson was in Queensland she used to “run and hide” at State of Origin time given the way the Maroons were dominating at the time, and she has never lost her true identity as a New South Welshwoman.
Now the outstanding all-rounder, desperately unlucky to have never played for Australia, is primed to bring the WNCL silverware back to NSW for the first time in six years.
“I’m hoping it’s third time lucky and I can get one in the back pocket,” Johnson said.
“It’s kind of a weird one playing 10 years for Queensland and now coming back down to my home state to play against them in a final, it’s pretty special so I’m looking forward to it.
“Literally the goal for me growing up as a kid was to play for NSW. That’s all I dreamt about.
“All my underage stuff I just wanted to wear a baggy blue.”
Johnson appreciates everything Queensland did for her to launch her career, but it was destiny for her to return to NSW.
“The NSW at that time (I left) was literally the Australian side. They were absolutely packed,” she said.
“Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy, Alex Blackwell, Lisa Sthalaker, Leah Poulton, the names just keep rolling off your tongue. It was just a superstar line up.
“To go away, I’m so grateful to Queensland, they gave me an opportunity to play nine or ten seasons up there. I wouldn’t have made a name for myself if I hadn’t gone and chased an opportunity somewhere else.
“The special thing is to come back in 2020, get my baggy blue and to play the last five seasons in this team.
“It’s been a grind but super grateful to even get the opportunity to pull on that baggy blue.”
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