TasWeekend: North Melbourne’s Tasmanian star Britt Gibson is tougher than the rest
Raised on a farm, driving tractors and playing footy with her older brothers laid the foundation for a fearsome reputation in the AFLW. Now former nursery labourer and full-time wharfie Britt Gibson is living her dream.
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IMAGINE Britt Gibson’s surprise when, up to her elbows in dirt, weeding, nurturing, planting and packing seedlings in a nursery on Tasmania’s North-West coast, came the call that changed her life. The Brisbane Lions had just named her in the 2016 AFLW Draft. A few weeks later, Britt left that job, said goodbye to her family and friends, and packed her bags for Queensland.
A bit more than three years on, Britt is juggling a busy life as one of the AFLW’s most feared defenders, working as a wharfie on Melbourne’s waterfront, wife to same-sex partner Jaime, and mother to adorable son, 16-month-old Henry.
Before that, living was easy for the 27-year-old Tasmanian. Britt played footy for the Burnie Dockers in the Tasmanian State League Women’s competition and worked on the seedling farm, having grown up on the family beef and potato spread at Wilmot near Lake Barrington with her mum and dad, two brothers and pet goat Chester.
“I was happily working in a seedling nursery in Devonport as a labourer,” she says. “We grew vegetable seedlings — broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes and herbs — mainly for professional growers, as well as pine and gum trees.”
Farm life revolved around driving tractors and harvesters, and footy with older brothers Deon and Bayden.
Britt says that toughened her resolve and laid the foundation for her fearsome AFLW reputation — they don’t call her “Dozer” for nothing.
“I grew up scrapping and fighting with my brothers, whether it be over food or the footy, we were always mucking around,” Britt says. “I’ve been playing footy since I was about eight years old, when I started with the Cats mini-league in Devonport.
“I’d being going along to watch Deon and Bayden and having a kick with all the brothers and sisters who were there watching as well.”
Britt met Jaime Bradley at the Burnie Dockers, and they formed an unbreakable bond. Jaime was the perfectionist coach. In 2016, Jaime became first woman to be player-coach of a Tasmanian State League Women’s premiership team when she led Burnie to the flag.
In the same season, Britt won her second Burnie best-and-fairest award, and Jaime was runner-up. Britt also went on to win her second league best-and-fairest award as well as being the competition’s leading goal kicker. Little wonder the Brisbane Lions came knocking.
Britt and Jaime married in November 2018 — 11 months after same-sex marriage became legal in Australia. “I would have married her anyway,” Britt laughs. A year later Jaime gave birth to Henry.
Becoming a semi-professional footballer was a dream for Britt and, as she enjoys her fourth season in the AFLW, she has not had a moment to gauge how it changed her life.
“That’s a really good question,” she says. “I’ve never really sat back and thought about it. I’m a pretty open kind or person, but I don’t get involved in social media and get into all of the hype to put myself out there.
“I would hope it hasn’t changed me as a person. I am really grateful for the opportunities I have been given. I’m playing the game I love at the highest level you possibly can against the best in the country.”
Britt was a bargain at pick number 141 for Brisbane. She debuted in Brisbane’s inaugural game in the AFLW and — after 23 games, six goals and two grand finals (for the Lions later) — she has not looked back.
“Without Brisbane giving me the chance to play I probably wouldn’t have been in the league for the past four years,” she said.
It was the Lions who made her a wharfie.
“When I went to Brisbane the club was active in helping us find employment, because it’s not a full-time role playing football,” she says.
“They showed us a couple of job options that we could apply for, and with stevedoring being such a male-dominated industry, it worked out that I applied at the right time and ended up getting the job.
“I was a groundskeeper as well, as I needed to try to fit two jobs into my life to get the money I needed to survive being away from home.”
Britt’s other job was at the esteemed Brisbane Boys’ College. “They had some prestigious grounds and cricket fields, so I spent a lot of time preparing the cricket pitches for the boys to play on at the weekend,” Britt says.
Eventually Britt could not juggle the two jobs, and she went for wharfie, which suited her farming background. Being a stevedore is hands-on, climbing on and off huge ships and driving the strange-looking straddle carriers that move shipping containers and can lift up to 60 tons.
“We go up onto the ships and we lash and unlash the containers,” she says. “The cargo that we need to pull off or put back onto the ships, it’s secured down by big, long rods, and you’ve got to go up and unlash it so you’re able to take it off the ship.
“At the moment I’m primarily driving the straddles — they are machines that take the containers and move them around the yard to the cranes to be loaded onto ships or trucks. I drive other machinery as well.
“We sit about 20m up in the air when we drive the straddles around. The ships that come in have 1500 to 2000 containers and we have to get them out within 24 hours. I move between 50 to 70 ‘boxes’ a shift.”
Britt made her debut in the Lions’ inaugural game against Melbourne at Casey Fields on February 5, 2017, when a huge storm threatened to end the game. “There was thunder and lightning, and we had an extended half-time break because the lightning was so close,” she says. “I was worried that we weren’t going to get back out there at all.”
“Dozer” made an immediate impact with her physical style.
“I remember running off the bench and nailing this girl with a big tackle, kicking a goal and singing the song after we won — they are the special moments I remember,” she says.
Brisbane made the grand final in its first two years, only to be beaten both times, but it was an experience Britt will never forget.
“For myself, who has played in two losing grand finals, I am grateful because a lot of players have never even made it to a grand final, so to think I have played in two, it’s very special,” she says.
The North Melbourne Tasmania Kangaroos came knocking last year and Britt’s AFLW dream got even better.
“I’m a huge North Melbourne fan — North Melbourne is my one true love,” she says. “Mum struggled to get my North Melbourne jumper off me when I was kid.
“I was always running around wearing it, or if I was at school for sport or something, I always had the blue and white on.
“When the opportunity came to come down to Melbourne and be closer to my family, because all of my family is in Tassie, it was fantastic.
“I did it with a heavy heart, though, because I enjoyed my time in Brisbane. The family factor came into it and, being a North girl, I’ve loved it, being in Melbourne.”
Said to be the “heart and soul” of the Brisbane Lions, North Melbourne recognised the impact Britt would have at the Kangaroos, making her vice-captain to midfield star Emma Kearney.
“It’s a huge honour to lead such a great group with Emma at the helm as well,” Britt says.
It was a special day making her debut for North Melbourne in the club’s inaugural game in the AFLW against Carlton in front of 5000-plus fans at North Hobart Oval last year.
“I was very emotional before the game,” she says. “Not only to play in North Melbourne colours, but my grandfather had recently passed away, so I had a whole wave of emotions that day.
“I love that we can go home and play in front of family and friends in Tasmania. I loved my time in Brisbane, but I’m a true-blue North Melbourne supporter, so I’ve got strong connections to the club.
“Playing for North Melbourne is what I’ve dreamt of since I was a kid. To top it off as vice-captain is wonderful. I know my family is very happy and proud — as am I — to put on the colours and hopefully I can do well.”
The women’s game is growing exponentially and evolving fast, and Britt enjoys the challenge of keeping up.
“It is constantly changing, and you are constantly trying to improve yourself so you can continue to challenge yourself against the best,” Britt says.
“It’s amazing, and to have people come and watch you play is so special.
“The first time I saw someone — a little girl hanging over the fence, she had a sign with my name on it — it completely blew me away that this little girl had sat in her lounge room and cut pieces out of the newspaper to make the sign, and she was so excited to see me play. I felt like a bit of a super star.”
The stars of AFLW like Tayla Harris, the player behind that kick, and Tiger Katie Brennan, are becoming more and more well known.
“They are becoming household names, and to think I can rub shoulders with them is incredible. I am so excited for the future of women’s football all around the country,” Britt says.
“There are a lot of girls becoming involved, and it is improving from the grassroots up. It’s great for the game, and I’m sure the AFLW will go up another notch this year again as well.”
The pay packets are also on the rise, although not in the same ballpark as the men.
“They are increasing every year and are far better than five years ago,” Britt says. “Personally, I couldn’t care less what I get paid. I love playing for North Melbourne and I love being out there and having the opportunity to showcase women’s football.”
Playing in a high-profile sport and working full-time is a challenge that, like her football, Britt throws herself into headlong.
“It’s an ongoing battle,” she says. “One week you’ll be flying and fit as a fiddle, had your eight hours of sleep and all the meals you’re supposed to have.
“The next week you’re on the night shift and you’ve worked all night and then have to be at training the next morning with no sleep.
“I work closely with the coaches to get me through and manage my load. It’s a constant battle to be sure I’m not peaking and dropping in my performance.”
Britt makes sure wife Jaime and Henry come first.
“I spend as much time as possible with my wife and little bub,” she says. “To do that, I sacrifice sleep to be with them, having a little play, going to the park.”
The Father-Son Rule — where the son goes to the club where his father played — is a common term in AFL, and the Father-Daughter Rule is now on the increase.
Britt is one player who will give rise to the term Mother-Son Rule.
“In 2036 Henry is eligible for the AFL Draft — it’s not like I’m counting down or anything,” she said. “He can play for any team he likes — but he has got to be a Kangaroos supporter.”
Britt Gibson will be in action for the Kangaroos in the AFLW on Saturday when North Melbourne plays Greater Western Sydney, at UTAS Stadium in Launceston from 3pm.
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