WORLD OF SPORTS AT HER FEET
Newest Supercat facing elite sporting choice
GEELONG’S newest Supercat Madeleine Brancatisano has the world of two sports at her feet. But her fortunes at this year’s AFL Women’s draft might end up determining which path she takes.
The 17-year-old has just wound up her Northern Knights campaign in the TAC Cup, where she captained her side to the grand final against the Geelong Falcons.
While the decider didn’t go her way, a career in footy still beckons for the youngest of four sisters, just signed by Carlton’s VFLW team.
Brancatisano will press her wares with Vic Metro against Vic Country at GMHBA Stadium on June 16 to hopefully make the final cut before the under-18 championships.
In the meantime, she’s catching the train to Geelong to play SEABL basketball alongside her title-winning sisters Isabella and Charlotte.
“I’ve only ever played with Lily before in juniors, so now playing with Isa and Charlotte is very cool. I never thought it would happen,” Brancatisano said.
“I’ve only played a few (games) but it’s even a good experience just to sit on the bench.
“I’ve been training once a week at Geelong, so it’s been good to be able to do that.
“I’ll just keep doing it for as long as I can in both and see where it takes me I guess.”
Lily, 19, captained the Knights last year before handing the reins to her youngest sister, and played at St Joseph’s this year before earning a VFL call up to Geelong.
While the opportunity is there to turn to football more permanently, Madeleine wants to keep both sports in play.
“Doing basketball my whole life, I guess I’ve always enjoyed that,” she said.
“Recently picking up footy, it’s really good to keep changing it up so I don’t get sick of either one. I enjoy both of them as much as each other.
“I think with the draft com- ing up, I’ll probably go with footy, but having basketball at different times is good for me, too, I guess.
“Footy has helped a lot with basketball; I don’t even think about fitness now when I’m at training. But I think basketball is better for agility and I can take my basketball sense into football.”
Eldest sister Isa, 23, said it was thrill for her and Charlotte to share the court with Maddy.
“It’s really special; I honestly didn’t think I’d get the chance to play with Madeleine, just because she’s so much younger,” she said.
“But thankfully for ‘Herby’ (coach David Herbert), he likes her and gave her an opportunity, so it is special.”