Girls have edge as AFL hits new turf
Ashmore happy to stay with Brisbane – and out to go one better
THE large number of Australians from southern states choosing to settle on the Cassowary Coast has prompted a new AFL team to kick off and girls are proving to be the most enthusiastic about the new idea.
Organiser Nigel Liddle is hoping the Cassowary Coast Crows can field two teams in this year’s Cairns AFL competition.
He also hopes to get six to nine-year-olds involved in a weekend competition through school-based Auskick.
“These games will be played between Innisfail and Cardwell on a Saturday morning.
“We brought a district girls team up to Cairns last year and it’s really gone ahead from that,” Mr Liddle said.
The “mad Adelaide Crows supporter” said the new club’s name had a good ring to it. Their biggest rival, Pyramid Power, emulated the famous South Australian teams’ contest. For more information email cccrowsfc@gmail.com or phone 0484 359 675.
KAITLYN Ashmore was never going to turn her back on the Lions.
When the in-demand forward announced she had resigned with Brisbane during the off-season, it was a major coup for the Queensland club.
Ashmore was one of the standout players of the inaugural AFLW season but hails from Victoria, prompting fears last year that she might not return to the Sunshine State.
And while she did enjoy a stint with Melbourne University in between AFLW seasons, Ashmore revealed she never really considered leaving Brisbane for the “Victorian bubble”.
Ahead of her return to the field today with the Lions, in their season-opening grand final rematch against the Crows, Ashmore revealed why Brisbane is her future.
“There was no second guessing or anything like that,” she said.
“I knew straight away that I wanted to join this club again and hopefully continue the success we had last year. I just love this club and I loved it from the start.
“If there was any doubt in my mind, it was obviously to do with being away from family. But I couldn’t even see myself in another jumper. I hope it stays that way.”
Ashmore said she can see a big future for the Lions in the AFLW, especially given how
I KNEW STRAIGHT AWAY THAT I WANTED TO JOIN THIS CLUB AGAIN AND HOPEFULLY CONTINUE THE SUCCESS WE HAD LAST YEAR KAITLYN ASHMORE
successful their first season was. Brisbane shocked the rest of the competition last year when they raced to the top of the table without losing a single game.
That was until their heartbreaking grand final against Adelaide, where they fell short by just six points. Ashmore said most of the players had put their 2017 frustrations behind them but would also not underestimate their rivals in today’s clash in Adelaide.
She also said their first year showed the potential Brisbane had for an exciting future.
While the bookies have them as outsiders – sitting in fifth for the premiership at $7 with Ladbrokes – Ashmore knows they are ready to prove everyone wrong once again in 2018.
“That’s what drives us the most,” she said of the doubters.
“I like to call it the Victorian bubble. It’s nice to get out of that bubble every now and then.”