Family pride give Lions star lift
IT’S GOOD TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE CONTEST AND MAKE AN IMPACT. ALLY ANDERSON
AFLW: Aussie rules got a bunch of new fans when Ally Anderson was signed by the Brisbane Lions.
Her father Reggie is one of 14 siblings whose roots lie with the Gangulu people from central Queensland.
Anderson grew up in Brisbane but often returned to Theodore, two hours outside Rockhampton, to attend huge family gatherings.
Suffice to say, she has a lot of uncles, aunts and cousins, but hailing from league territory said: “I don’t think anyone in my family liked AFL until I started playing”.
That all changed when she was drafted by the Lions for the inaugural AFLW season in 2017.
Dad Reggie, in particular, did his research.
“Somehow he’s managed to pull out AFL facts I didn’t know he knew,” Anderson said.
Now a star with the Lions, the 21-year-old had followed in the footsteps of older sister Mikayla by taking up Aussie rules.
“She started playing in high school, I wanted to be like her,” Anderson said.
Anderson proved a natural at the game and was eventually enticed to join the girls team then just formed at Zillmere by one of her teachers at Kedron State High School, Ross Clayfield.
“He pretty much forced me to come along,” she said with a laugh. “I had to.”
From there, the hard-running midfielder made state under-18 teams, and then it was onto the Lions.
Anderson endured an interrupted start to her AFLW career, having missed much of her first pre-season due to a trip to United States.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – booked before the AFLW had fully formed – but it impacted on her preparation.
“I felt I was a step behind last year,” she said.
“I would get to a contest and the ball would be gone.
“It’s good to be able to actually make the contest and make an impact (this year) and be able to get to the next one as well.
“I’m feeling much better about my form at the moment.”
Anderson, who is studying to be a paramedic and has also done some on-camera work for NITV covering NT Thunder games in the NEAFL, played arguably her best game for the Lions in last week’s loss to Melbourne.
She gathered 19 disposals and laid five tackles.
The Lions, runners-up last season, are currently second behind the ladder-leading Bulldogs, but ahead of the Demons by percentage only, with three matches remaining.
The top two teams after eight rounds will contest the grand final.
Anderson will be a key player when the Lions take on Collingwood today at Moreton Bay as they look to reach another premiership decider.
“It’s definitely a must-win game,” Anderson said.
“Actually, all of our games are must win.” Today: Lions v Collingwood, 3.35pm, GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs, 6.10pm (both AEST)