AFLW worth the wait for Codie Briggs

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 23: Codie Briggs of the GWS Giants in action during the GWS Giants Womens open training session at Olympic Park on November 23, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media)

Written by Leyla Kaya.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 23: Codie Briggs of the GWS Giants in action during the GWS Giants Womens open training session at Olympic Park on November 23, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media)

GWS GIANTS AFLW player Codie Briggs has been selected to take the field against the Melbourne Demons at Blacktown International Sportspark for Round 5. We caught up with Codie to find out how she came to be playing for the Giants in the inaugural AFLW season.

How did you become involved with the AFL?

“I first started playing football when I was in Year 7, against other high schools in the area and I just fell in love with it. My father also created his own club, the Worawa Football Club and every weekend I would end up being the water girl or helping out at the canteen, anything to get involved.”

“AFL has just always been in my family and still continues to be. My uncle (David Wirrpanda) played for the West Coast Eagles and once I moved up to Sydney, I started playing for the Newtown Breakaways.”

 

How did you feel when you were selected by the GIANTS?

“I was extremely, extremely happy. Unfortunately I didn’t get selected in the draft. I waited and watched on for two hours and not being called was disappointing. I’m not saying I was expecting it, my expectations weren’t high, but everyone wants to be called!”

“It was a week later that I received a call when I was at work saying I had been selected as a free agent and I was just ecstatic. I think that waiting and the fact that I didn’t get selected initially has helped me to focus more, and know what I actually want. It was exactly what I needed to be here now and give it my all.”

 

How did your friends and family react when you told them?

“I have a lot of people behind me who are always supporting and looking out for me. All of my brothers and sisters just ran up to me and I tried to hold back tears. I want to be someone they can look up to and be a role model, not only for them, but anyone else who is watching.”

 

What have you enjoyed most about the experience so far?

“I really like the team. We are girls from all over the place, from Townsville, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, and we have all just gelled. We are all in the fight together, we are a group of girls with the same aim and it’s a great feeling!”  

 

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

“My brothers and sisters are my main motivation. I have eight behind me. There are eleven of us all up and I am the second eldest. I was lucky that they actually came to our Brisbane [practice] game, which was our first game playing as a GWS team, so hearing them calling out my name from the sidelines was something that as a big sister I was very proud of.”

 

What advice would you have for other young girls who want to play AFL?

“AFL for women is blossoming now and there are so many opportunities available for young girls. I think it’s only going to get bigger!”

“Personally, I played Auskick with the boys and the boys never wanted to kick the ball to me, so I had to play with my brother and sister. Now, you have Auskick programs just for girls so the opportunity is there to jump on board and to have that support and learn skills from a young age.”

“So jump on, do the training, know where you want to go, enjoy the sport, and just love it!” 

 

 Codie Briggs and her GWS GIANTS teammates will take on the Melbourne Demons as part of a double header at Blacktown International Sportspark on Friday 3 March at 5:05pm. Tickets available from ticketmaster.com.au