Ella Ross had all but given up hope of being selected by the GIANTS in the AFL Women’s Draft two weeks ago.
“I was at work listening to the draft, I had one earphone in my ear… I think it got half way through and I was like, I tried it was good and minimized the screen,” she said.
“20 minutes later I got a call and it was a guy from down the hall at work and he said congratulations.
“I went back to my screen and there was my name and a picture of me… it was all such a blur from there.”
Ross was one of three Canberra players selected by the GIANTS in the inaugural Women’s Draft.
The addition of Ross, Britt Tully and Clare Lawton brings the total number of Canberrans in the squad to five with Rookies Jess Bibby and Ellie Brush already at the club.
For 23-year-old Tully being drafted has brought some welcome, yet unexpected attention.
“It’s bigger than I thought it would be, I’ve had people who are playing youth girls and even Auskickers say stuff to me and knowing who I am which is a bit crazy,” she said.
“But I think it really gives girls something to strive for and a pathway to go through, that they know if they are doing some representative stuff that eventually it can lead to this.”
Lawton believes that inspiring the next generation of footballs is important however, for her there’s an added incentive to being drafted.
“I come from a footballing family so pretty stoked to be giving it to my brothers, to say I’m the best footballer in the family now.” She said.
“My family is 100 per cent behind me.”
Lawton – a tall athletic player that can play forward, back and in the ruck – doesn’t just have the support of her family.
The electrical mechanical officer in the Australian Defense Force has been given the full backing of her commanding officers.
“When I went through and found out I was being drafted they were all for it,” she said.
“I got some calls from some important people and from here it’s just working with them and finding out what the go is.”
With preseason beginning for the AFL Women’s squad on November 14, the trio of draftees is enthusiastic about getting started.
“I know how hard we have had to work to get where we want to be but I know we’re willing to put in and show just how great women’s football is,” Ross said.
