Smyth makes a name for herself at AFLW Combine

Two weeks out from the 2017 NAB AFL Women’s Draft Combine, Nelson Bay’s Pippa Smyth was set to watch on from home.

But following Ellie Dalgarno-Fixter’s inability to attend, 22-year-old Smyth found herself on the list of players from New South Wales to test.

Having attended the GWS GIANTS AFL Women’s testing day three weeks ago, the GIANTS invited Smyth to Melbourne, to put her through her paces.

“I was so excited [to get the call up],” says Smyth.

“We did trials maybe three weeks ago and then I got a call about two weeks ago, and I just couldn’t believe it. I was just so excited.”

The personal trainer plays for the Nelson Bay Marlins in the Black Diamond Australian Football League, and also trains as a part of the Hunter Coast AFL Academy.

“I’ve played for three years and am a ruck or a forward, but I am happy to play anywhere. I was a defender when I came over from netball, so I enjoy defence as well.”

Despite bringing her overhead marking abilities across from netball, Smyth says she still has room to improve with her skills – an area of her game she concentrated on before heading to Melbourne.

“I did so much training. I asked Libby [Sadler from the GIANTS] what sort of training I had to do and what sort of tests we’d be doing, and I literally did it everyday.

“I practiced my skills heaps because I thought we were going to do skills, but it’s just been fitness. I enjoy the fitness part though.”

In fitness, Smyth excelled. Over six endurance and agility tests conducted during the NAB AFL Women’s Combine, she ranked in the top ten of five events, including the fastest time in the ‘Smartspeed 20m Sprint’ at 3.24 seconds.

Humble in her achievements, Smyth says she is ‘happy’ with how her Combine concluded.

As for the possibility of joining the GWS GIANTS AFL Women’s side in 2018, Smyth has her hand firmly in the air.

“I’d love to. One-hundred percent, all the way.”

Western Sydney’s Haneen Zreika also polled well in the endurance events. In the new Yo-Yo Run, Zreika was the final player in her group left standing, finishing seventh overall – just one level behind Smyth.

Zreika was also one of only four players to stay within the eight-minute mark of the 2km time trial, taking third spot in the coveted event.

TOP 10 AFLW DRAFT COMBINE RESULTS