‘Raw’ talent King’s journey from East Launceston to AFLW grand final

North Melbourne star Mia King has come a long way since the “raw” youngster who once forgot her footy boots before a Devils away game. We caught up with her first junior coach Deb Reynolds before Sunday’s AFLW grand final.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 01: Mia King of the Kangaroos runs out before North Melbourne’s clash with GWS last month. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Mia King’s first coach Deb Reynolds still remembers when the North Melbourne AFLW star rocked up to the airport before a Devils away game without her football boots.

The 22-year-old has come a long way since those days as a raw, but naturally talented, former basketballer and gymnast.

King didn’t play football until Grade 10, and credits Reynolds for playing a huge role in moulding her into the player she is today as she prepares for her first AFLW grand final against Brisbane on Sunday.

The pair still call each other or exchange texts before most games, seven years after they helped East Launceston to two straight under-17 grand finals in 2016 and 2017.

“I maintain contact with Mia regularly and touch base before most games,” Reynolds said.

“I’ve followed her journey, I’m proud of her and how she’s gone about it. She’s worked really hard and gone right through the pathways, and was always open to feedback from whoever it might be in terms of being the best footballer and person she can be.

Mia King (second from left) and Deb Reynolds (right) during the North Melbourne AFLW stars' Tasmanian Devils days in 2019. Picture: Supplied

“I watch her games and you can see the development from a young Mia King that first walked onto the ground at the NTCA (North Tasmania Cricket Association) that was very raw, who went through Launceston (TSL, where she tasted more premiership success) and the Devils, to where she is now.

“She’s done it with consistency and persistence. I’m really proud of her, and I watch her most weeks with a very warm heart.

“She doesn’t forget where she comes from, it’s nice she remembers that.”

King, one of the first AFLW players to come through Tasmania’s pathways, said Reynolds’ initial influence of her game was crucial to her journey.

AFLW Draft at Victoria Pavillon, Melbourne Showgrounds. Mia King after being drafted to North Melbourne today . Pic: Micheal Klein

“She’s been influential throughout my whole football career,” King said this week.

“She was the first person to teach me the game, and I owe her so much. Even now, before every game she’ll send me a message to say good luck or bits of advice.

“After the game on the weekend (preliminary final against Adelaide) she sent a voicemail. She’s been unreal and I owe her a lot.

“Deb’s doing great things in Tassie for female athletes, she’s definitely a great coach.

“It’s nice to see she’s still on board and supporting me.”

Reynolds said King, an inside midfielder strong at winning the contested ball, honed that on-field leadership from day one at East Launceston.

Mia King playing for Launcesto. Picture: Solstice Digital

“She was very raw, but had that natural game sense of finding and winning the ball,” Reynolds said.

“It was then just a matter of working on her craft, but her ability to see things in tight was there.

“Back in that time the ball spent a lot of time on the ground - the girls would prefer to kick it off the ground then pick it up. Mia was one of the girls who would pick it up, so that’s a sign of the game sense she had early coming through.

“It was probably her explosive (that I noticed initially). An ability to break lines and break tackles through speed, and her ability to read the ball.

“I’d grown up with football, but no one her age had been able to play the game. So someone who can find the footy, break a tackle and can have some ability initially with basic skills, it was about improving that as we went along.

Mia King at Arden St earlier this week. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

“Her leadership was done on the ground. She showed what needed to be done and included her teammates in that.”

Reynolds is still involved in junior football and also coaches Tasmania’s representative women’s side.

She said the journeys of players like King are important to inspire the state’s female footballers, particularly with its own AFLW and VFLW teams on the horizon.

“It’s really important juniors can see what they want to be, and Mia is really good at that,” Reynolds said.

Tasmanian Devils under 18's players Brianna Oates, 17 and Tahlia Bortignon, 19 alongside Tasmanian AFLW Kangaroos players LR Britt Gibson, Nicole Bresnehan, Ellie Gavalas and Mia King ahead of today's games at North Hobart oval. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“The pathways now in front of these young ladies, she was probably one of the first who went through that for Tasmanian females, and now it’s a very recognisable pathway.

“She spent some time at East Launceston recently and she was really patient with the young girls, she has that nice connection.”

The Kangaroos beat defending premiers Melbourne in week one of finals, before edging perennial heavyweights Adelaide by a point in the preliminary finals.

It has reminded King of her early football days at East Launceston, rising from some heavy defeats to toppling big guns Launceston and Evandale in finals to win flags.

“I think it was after the Melbourne game, in one of her messages to me she said it has a bit of an Easts feel about it,” Reynolds said.

While she’s now established herself as an AFLW star, and hopefully premiership winner come Sunday, there might be some raw traits King could find tough to shake.

“She’d be ringing you at the last minute to confirm what ground we’re playing at,” Reynolds said.

“I remember when we were at the Devils, she got to the airport and she didn’t have her boots. “She always laughs about now, but I don’t think it’s changed all that much.”