HISTORY AHEAD
SUNS WOMEN’S STEP TOWARD 2020
IT was love at first sight.
Emma McKenzie grew up in surf life saving and played basketball in the WNBL for the Townsville Fire and South East Queensland Stars but 10 minutes was all it took to convince her to make the transition to Aussie rules.
Ahead of her Suns debut today against the GWS Northern Giants in the Winter Series at Sydney’s Tom Wills Oval, McKenzie revealed how she was introduced to footy.
“One of my friends actually just said, we need a ruck and could use your height; come and see if you like it,” she said.
“After 10 minutes of my first training session I fell in love.
“I have always followed AFL, I had just never tried it but I am super glad that I did.”
McKenzie, 190cm, trained with the Lions academy last year but attracted the Suns in a QWAFL match for Coorparoo against Bond University. Lauren Bella (netball),
Sange Carter (beach volleyball), Madison Goodwin (taekwondo),
Jenae Govan (martial arts), Tori Groves-Little (athletics, rugby league), Emma
“I got a call from Gugs (Suns coach Michael Gugliotta) and to be honest, I thought it was a hoax call, I didn’t actually believe it,” the 27-year-old McKenzie (pictured, basketball, surf lifesaving), Maddy Roberts (surfing, soccer, cross country, touch), Taylor Smith (athletics), Erin Sundstrom (athletics)
said. “They had watched one of my games and from that has come this massive opportunity so I am really grateful.”
McKenzie said today will be key in setting “a benchmark for who we are as the Gold Coast Suns” and gaining a direction as a team, as well as making a mark individually.
“Realistically this time next year the Suns are going to be looking at drafting their first ever team for the 2020 season so whatever we do now will really impact on how our next 12 months goes,” she said.
The Suns yesterday named Jordan Membrey and Beth Pinchin as inaugural captains.
MUSIC is Callum Ah Chee’s escape from football, so the Gold Coast Suns forward must be a master guitarist by now.
Ah Chee is one of Gold Coast’s silkiest players, with a reputation for his skills with Sherrin in hand and it appears he is just as good with a guitar in hand.
The 20-year-old West Australian started singing and playing the guitar in his first year at the Suns in 2016 and revealed he turned to music regularly at his Gold Coast home, where he feels a world away from football.
“I picked it up when I moved over here,” Ah Chee said ahead of the Suns Round 12 game against GWS at Spotless Stadium today.
“My older brothers Brendon and Jordan played through high school and we are a pretty competitive family, so I thought why not?
“It’s a little hobby on the side that I like to do while I’m at home.
“I’m not the greatest but I love playing and I love to sing … I bought a proper guitar when I arrived at the Gold Coast and have been learning ever since, but I need to get better before I play in front of the boys.
“When I play the guitar, my mind isn’t on anything else. A lot of the boys have different ways of escaping footy. It’s just a way to relax and switch off when I go home from the club.”
Ah Chee has played in Gold Coast’s last four AFL games after overcoming a broken hand and torn hamstring suffered earlier this year.
The crafty forward made his return via the Suns backline, where Stuart Dew used Ah Chee’s clean ball skills and intercept marking to strengthen Gold Coast’s defence before being sent back into the forward line last weekend.
“Dewy came to me when I cam back and spoke to me about playing down back,” Ah Chee said.
“He told me to back myself, take on the game and use my skills and intercept marking off halfback.
“I really enjoyed it and it’s given me more confidence.”