Special Bond sees pair unite for final
GEORGIA Brehmer has ruled herself out of Bond University’s QAFLW clash with University of Queensland this weekend to pull on a different guernsey in support of her best mate Taylor Smith.
Smith will run out for the Brisbane Lions in their AFLW Grand Final against the Adelaide Crows on Saturday and Brehmer will be in the crowd wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with Smith’s face.
“I spoke to Taylor’s mum about it even before the Lions made the Grand Final,” Brehmer said.
“I said, if they make it, I’m coming. It’s the sort of thing
that could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
But Brehmer’s loyalty to Smith led to anxiety about how her Bond teammates and Bull Sharks AFL general manager Michael Swann would react.
The university’s QAFLW side is on a five-game winning streak and undefeated this season. Brehmer need not have worried.
“We were meant to have a bye round this weekend but that got changed,” she said.
“I spoke to Swanny and he said, ‘Go for it. We don’t want you to miss out on this’.”
Brehmer and Smith
formed a tight bond when both attended a Gold Coast Suns summer academy two years ago.
Shortly after, Brehmer moved from Brisbane to the Gold Coast to join Smith at the Bull Sharks.
Smith was later picked by the Lions and has enjoyed a breakthrough 2021 season despite only three-and-a-half years in the sport.
“I played one game last year and this year I’ve played every game and we’re going to the Grand Final, which is insane,” Smith said.
“To be honest, until recently I didn’t even know
what AFL really was. I played a little bit in Grade 7 and 9, but barely watched the sport.
“Four years ago this would not have been on my radar.”
Smith is excited at the prospect of playing in front of a big crowd at the Adelaide Oval. The 2019 QAFLW Grand Final at that venue drew 53,000 people.
“It’s daunting,” Smith said. “The most we’ve played to this season is not even 4000.
“I don’t know if we’ll get a huge crowd but it would be pretty cool if we did.”
The Lions played AFLW deciders in 2017 and 2018 but are yet to claim a flag.
“There are seven girls who have played those two grand finals and this weekend, it’s third time lucky, hopefully,” Smith said.
“It means a lot to them and that drives our team attitude.”
The Bull Sharks also play on Saturday in Brisbane against the University of Queensland, who are second on the ladder behind Bond.
“We’ve got a pretty good streak going at the moment so hopefully we can continue that,” Brehmer said.
She hopes to link up again with Smith at the Bull Sharks later this season, pending Smith’s Lions commitments.