Etihad start for rising trio
THE nerves will be jangling, but three of Geelong’s hottest female football prospects say they are champing at the bit to run on to Etihad Stadium for the first state of origin clash.
Sacred Heart College trio Lucy McEvoy, Denby Taylor and Olivia Purcell have been named in the Victorian line-up for the clash against the AllStars tomorrow.
The match is a curtainraiser to the NAB AFL Women’s State of Origin match between Victoria and the Allies.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said McEvoy, who is the Geelong Falcons’ under-18 captain.
“Playing on Etihad Stadium, it’s something that I haven’t done before and it’s a bigger ground, so I’m looking forward to that.” Taylor said: “It’s an honour. “We’ve trained really hard for this. It was a bit of a shock that all three of us got selection, because we’re from the same school.”
The eyes of football’s talent scouts will be on the match and McEvoy, Taylor and Purcell said they would feel the pinch come game day.
“It will definitely be nerveracking knowing people are going to be watching and putting down names of whose eligible next year, but it will be exciting at the same time,” Taylor said.
Purcells said: “I’m nervous but I’m mostly excited. I just can’t wait for the opportunity to play. It will be fun.”
“I reckon I’ll get nervous just before the game but at the moment it’s all excitement,” McEvoy said.
The cream of the under-18 crop will be on show, with McEvoy revealing it was a “dream come true” to pull on the Big V.
“I never thought I’d ever get the chance to play there,” she said.
“It’s a great opportunity to play before the State of Origin game. There will be a few people there for that game and hopefully we can show what we can do. It looks good for the future.”
Taylor said: “It should be a good game, lots of high quality football. It will be good to see some of the players coming through to the AFLW.”