Teague’s big leap pays off

FORMER basketballer Anna Teague says she “took a big risk” in hopping codes, but has no regrets after landing a rookie spot on Melbourne’s AFLW list.

Teague, 28, was selected with pick 6 in yesterday’s rookie draft to join Geelong VFLW teammates Lily Mithen, Rochelle Cranston and Erin Hoare at the Demons.

It was less than two months ago Teague, a former captain at the Geelong Supercats, watched her ex-teammates take out a SEABL championship.

As hard as that was, the investment by the Demons in her has justified the jump.

“I took a big risk, a big leap of faith in moving to footy,” Teague said. “Basketball was what I knew. I had no idea what would happen in going to footy.

“As happy as I was to see the girls win the SEABL championship — I was rapt for them, so proud of them — there was that feeling of, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve missed that’. But I still had no regrets and this (being drafted) cements that.”

Teague, a teacher, wasn’t able to follow yesterday’s draft live.

She missed out on Wednesday’s first draft and with just 19 spots up for grabs yesterday, she was hopeful more than anything. Melbourne had spoken to her as well as the Western Bulldogs, but she had been given no guarantees about finding an AFL home.

“I was a bit more nervous heading into today,” she said. “I begged my pardon and had my phone out in class and just let the students know, and I checked it at 12.30pm and had a bunch of missed calls so I had to duck out then.

“I’m rapt, I’m so pumped, I’m excited, I’m nervous, but all of those feelings mixed into one I guess.”