STARS IN EYES
BELLA CHASING AFLW DREAM
LAUREN Bella is a step closer to her dream of playing in the AFLW after being picked in the under-18 women’s AllAustralian side.
The Bond University student is busily training six times a week with Gold Coast Suns men’s academy players Bailey Scott and Dirk Koenan ahead of the national draft taking place in Melbourne from Monday to Wednesday.
It’s been a busy year for the Bond University ruck and sport management student.
She played for the Gold Coast Suns in the AFL Winter Series and was vicecaptain of the Queensland under-18 team.
“It was amazing to be picked in the All-Australian side,” the 18-year-old said.
“I’m finishing my junior representative footy career so it was an amazing way to cap that off.
“I made the side last year but that was as an interchange player.
“This year I was named in the ruck for the run-on side, so that was really special.”
The 188cm ruck was also named in the QWAFL team of the year at the Grogan Medal function in Brisbane.
Bella’s move to Bond University from Mackay has already paid dividends and she is now on the verge of being picked in the premier women’s AFL competition.
“Being drafted is the ultimate goal, it has been a dream of mine for a number of years now,” said Bella, who played state level netball as a junior.
“I am so close to it now, it feels within arm’s reach, I can taste it. I’ve been training so hard to get good results before the draft.
“Training with the academy boys is a very intense environment but I am really enjoying it.
“We’ve been practising the testing and are doing programs to hopefully get us drafted.
“We are doing gym sessions, lots of conditioning and footy skills. Six times a week.
“I’m training more now than I was in season.
“We don’t have games on the weekend now, so we can now push a lot harder, it is probably more like a preseason to get us ready for the draft.”