Lion-hearted Tori beats her ordeal
FOR four hours of Tori Groves-Little’s life she couldn’t feel her legs.
It was the scariest time of the Brisbane Lions recruit’s life and nearly ended her football career.
The Gold Coast academy graduate, taken with pick 56 of Tuesday’s draft, says it was only through her work with the Suns she was able to find a way to get past her fears and reach the AFLW.
Groves-Little was playing for a spot on the Queensland under-18 team in 2016 when she was suffered a major concussion.
“I was playing against a women’s team in a trial match for the Queensland side and the game was really important to the selection of the team,” Groves-Little said.
“I was so eager to prove myself. I put my head over the footy and two women hit me at the same time.
“I couldn’t feel my legs for about four hours and I thought footy was over.
“It was the scariest thing I have ever gone through.”
Then-Queensland coach and current Lions head coach Craig Starcevich was with Groves-Little at the time along with the talented player’s family.
Groves-Little, 18, said she seriously considered giving up footy but with the help of
the Suns academy team she bounced back to win the QWAFL best and fairest award while playing for Coorparoo in her first year in the competition in 2018 before being drafted by Brisbane.
“The Suns did everything they possibly could to get me out of concussions because I had a few of them over the last year,” said Groves-Little, who now wears headgear.
“They helped me develop in the gym, as a person and as a player.
“They have done everything they possibly could and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to work with them.
“I managed to get through all my nerves and feelings about the concussions, learnt how to tackle and I haven’t had a head knock in the last year or so.”
Groves-Little has built a reputation for her speed and agility while playing at wing and forward.
She spent time training with the Lions squad over the past two pre-seasons but conceded it was a risk nominating Queensland as her preferred state ahead of the AFLW draft.
All women who enter the AFLW draft must pick a state to be selected from. Brisbane are the only team in Queensland – there are six in Victoria - and already have tremendous quality.
IT WAS THE SCARIEST THING I HAVE EVER GONE THROUGH TORI GROVES-LITTLE