Meet Tassie’s WAGs: The wives, girlfriends and partners of some of the state’s best footy players
Compared to the glamorous lifestyle of Melbourne’s WAGS, there’s a more down to earth side to the partners spotted cheering on the sidelines in Tasmania. THE WOMEN BEHIND THE STARS >>
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Compared to the glamorous lifestyle of WAGS living it up in the AFL capital of Melbourne, there’s a more down to earth side to the girlfriends and partners spotted cheering on the sidelines in Tasmania.
From an award-winning tourism ambassador, a top track runner and health professionals, the women behind some of the state’s best footy players are a group of talented and inspiring ladies kicking their own goals.
Shania Kava
Long term partner to SFL Lindisfarne player Michael Blackburn is 23-year-old Shania Kava. The loved up couple recently celebrated their fourth anniversary and met online.
“We met through the power of good old social media, my version of the story is he stalked me on Instagram and reached out to me first but for some reason he thinks it’s the other way around!” she said.
Kava is a Senior Dental Assistant in Hobart and said Blackburn had been supporting her from day dot while she cheers for him on the sidelines.
“I met Michael just as I began my traineeship Dental Assisting, so he’s supported me from the get go for as long as I’ve supported him in his footy career. The move in particular from TSL to SFL was a big change for the both of us.”
The pair bought their first home together last year where they live with their three Chow Chows Ted, Tilly and Jupy.
“Michael promised when we moved into our own house he would let me get a dog. Three months after buying our first home at the start of 2020, I found a breeder and organised to get a Chow Chow,” Kava told the Mercury.
“We loved him so much, we wanted to get him a sibling to play with on the days we were at work so I organised to get him a sister.
“When I got there, they were looking to rehome an older Chow Chow and I couldn’t say no. When I FaceTimed Michael I said here is Ted’s little sister, and then panned to the back seat and said and here is his big sister too! At first he wasn’t happy at the idea of having three, but now nothing could ever separate our family of five.”
Evident on both of their ‘grams, Kava and Blackburn are very much in love, captioning couple pics with “I can’t put into words how much I love and appreciate you. My absolute soulmate” and “Love doing life with you”, while holidaying together in Noosa, Queenstown and Bali.
Sarah Wells
Partner to Launceston’s premiership captain Jobi Harper is local girl Sarah Wells.
Although the pair met at St Patrick’s College at just 13 years old they didn’t get together until three years ago.
“I remember playing against him in senior netball and he absolutely smashed us — he’s always been sporty,” Wells told the Mercury.
Wells is evidently proud as punch to stand alongside Harper, sharing shots on her Instagram embracing the footy star after a premiership win,cheering him on along the sidelines of a marathon and smiling next to him suited up as a firefighter after recently joining the state’s emergency service.
After working as a Senior Adviser and Entrepreneurship Facilitator at The Van Diemen Project in Launceston the North Tassie girl will become a marketing manager for a well-known Tasmanian tour company in the next month.
Phoebe Rundle
Property stylist and graphic designer Phoebe Rundle is wife to Glenorchy onballer Sam Rundle.
The pair met on Tinder five years ago and tied the knot in September 2020 at a lavish ceremony in Freycinet.
The pair’s individual Instagram profiles boast a collection of couple pictures declaring their love and support for one another off and on the footy field.
“I love a good footy game! In the early days as he had moved to Hobart and was still playing for Launceston, there was a fair bit of travelling involved,” Mrs Rundle said.
“He has now been playing for Glenorchy for about three years and it’s a really nice environment for me when I go and watch. Such a family orientated and welcoming club, I’ve met so many great friends there.”
Mrs Rundle is currently on maternity leave from Shift Property with the newlyweds expecting a baby girl in the coming days.
Holly Bowden
Wife of one of Tasmanian football’s finest products, Jaye Bowden, Holly Bowden is a local icon in the fashion and tourism industry.
The two met at an event Holly was hosting days before Valentine’s Day and immediately made a connection.
“I liked the look of him and we kind of just started talking and we went out for dinner,” she said.
“It sounds cliche but you just meet someone and you know. It’s just so easy to be totally ourselves with one another.”
The 28-year-old is a model, brand ambassador, milliner, fashion designer and won Tasmania’s top tourism award for 2021 this May for her role as host of ‘Take on Tassie’ — a video series that follows her around the state, visiting hidden gems and meeting industry champions, while encouraging Tasmanians to explore their own backyard.
The couple recently celebrated their third anniversary after getting hitched at the lavish Villa Howden.
The husband and wife team run Epitome Hats together — a luxury hat brand that sells hand-stitched designs made from superfine Australian merino felted wool.
“It’s really fun to be able to work with him,” Mrs Bowden said.
“We share our ups and downs and he doesn’t have an awful lot of an idea about the creation of the hats but he is good with the other side of the business like bookwork,” she laughed. “It’s really awesome that we get to work together.”
Bec Kovacic
20-year-old track runner and psychological science student Bec Kovacic is dating Brighton SFL player Samuel Lewis Johnson.
The winner of the 2018 Richmond Gift and 2019 Burnie Gift competes in sprints and athletic comps and found love on the track with Johnson.
“Sam and I met when we were around 13-14 through little athletics but have only been together for just over a year and a half!” she said.
The Hobart couple own a Blue Heeler x Staffy named Marlee.
Hayley Bigg
Long term partner of Old Scholar Hutchins halfback Lewis Franks is Hayley Bigg who is a registered nurse in Hobart.
The couple have recently celebrated their six-year anniversary and got engaged at Cradle Mountain in September last year.
The pair are spotted in their Instagram snaps grinning ear to ear on getaways, attending footy matches and cuddling their pooch Dorothy.
According to her profile, Biggs is also an avid baker sharing shots of her spectacular cake creations with her followers.
Maddi Webster
Footy is in Maddi Webster’s genes. The Hobart woman isn’t just St Kilda star Jimmy Webster’s sister and North Hobart Demon Jonty Barwick’s girlfriend, she’s also a star on the field herself, playing for the Brighton Robins Women’s Football Team.
The happy couple have been together for over six years and met as teens.
“I always saw him walk past my high school so I messaged him and we met up and pretty much have been together since,” Maddi said.
“He is such a dedicated player. I definitely enjoy watching and especially when he plays against my brothers, that’s also pretty special.”
Emerson Morgan
Girlfriend of 23-year-old Launceston TSL gun Fletcher Seymour is Emerson Morgan. According to their gram the couple have been together for nearly two years and have recently shared plans on their Instagram of building their “dream home” together.
Couple pics adorn their profiles with snaps of Morgan proudly standing next to Seymour after a premiership win and at TSL award nights.
Chelsea Burdon
Fresh on the dating scene, Chelsea Burdon met Kingborough Tigers forward Luke Graham only a few months ago with the pair already calling things official.
“Luke and I met in February of this year on the dance floor of a club in the early hours of the morning and have been together ever since!”
The 20-year-old works as a conference and event organiser in Hobart and recently shared snaps from the couple’s first getaway together in South Mount Cameron in the state’s north.
“It makes me extremely happy to see him doing what he loves and being there to support him,” Burdon told the Mercury.
Hayley Cook
Long term girlfriend to Richmond ruckman Toby Nankervis is Hayley Cook. The pair are originally from Launceston and have been together for over six years.
The 27-year-old graduated with a Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science in 2017 and now lives in Melbourne with the premiership player and their black lab Hank.
The stunning blonde reguarly shares snaps embracing Nankervis on the sidelines after games and at elite AFL award events.
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