Pride in the first win and the round
ON Sunday, the Gold Coast Suns AFLW team celebrated an important win. It was our first of the season – and our first as a team since 2020.
Despite trailing the West Coast Eagles by 10 points with only 10 minutes remaining, our Suns dug deep.
We transitioned the ball into our forward half and kicked five goals to win the game.
We stuck by each other, we absorbed the pressure and we celebrated the victory as a group.
With round 2 behind us, we look ahead to round 3 – an important week on the AFLW calendar: Pride Round.
The women’s game has long blazed the trail as a space of inclusivity. The fact, we now have an annual Pride Round allows us to celebrate the diversity within the community that we represent.
At the Suns we have a number of players who identify with some part of the LGBTQIA+ rainbow and we are proud of the inclusive culture we continue to develop at the club.
One of our players, Tori Groves-Little, recently became the first openly nonbinary player in the AFLW.
This means that Tori identifies neither as male or female and prefers the use of they/them pronouns.
Tori is a trailblazer and a pioneer. They have paved the way for others to feel safe enough to express their true selves on the national stage.
We’re so proud of Tori for what they’ve done not only for themselves, but the wider community.
As a teammate and friend of Tori’s, I feel privileged to be able to listen to their story and understand the responsibility I have to educate myself and others on the use of correct pronouns.
I would encourage everyone reading this to do the same – to do some research and learn more about gender and sexual identities.
This is why Pride Round is so important: it gives players in the AFLW a stage and a voice to express themselves.
For the first time as a club, we will have a dedicated Pride Round jumper this weekend – one that some of our own players have helped to design. I’m so proud to be able to play in a round like this that means so much to so many.
Make sure you show your support by coming along to our game on Saturday at 6:10pm, which is also a QClash against the Brisbane Lions, at Metricon Stadium. Entry is just $10!