Getting to Know: Heather Anderson

By Bronte Kerr and Isabelle O’Brien

Anderson hasn’t had the normal pathway to AFL stardom.

Hailing from Belconnen, Canberra, Anderson would never have imagined she would one be day be running out onto the MCG.

Anderson had her first proper taste of AFL as a young girl when her family moved to country Victoria for her dad’s posting in the army.

“I had never even heard of AFL before we moved to Victoria,’ Anderson said.

“This was a country town that lived and breathed their footy. Soon enough, I grew to love playing footy and love watching it, I just couldn’t get enough of it.”

Anderson didn’t hold high expectations for herself when she travelled to Melbourne for the draft.

“The draft meant that I had chance to go down to Melbourne. I was really more excited to be there than anything else and to see how it all worked. I knew I had done everything I could so I wouldn’t have been disappointed either way.”

Her local club, the Belconnen magpies, have been a great continuing support and instrumental in Heather’s journey.

“They were over the moon for me, particularly the girls – they were really happy for me and really proud for me,” Heather said.

When we sat down to chat with Heather, we were surprised to discover that the 2015 draftee had recently relocated to Darwin.

An army medic by trade, Anderson sees football as her release, where she can just have a bit of fun with her mates and maintain her fitness.

Recently posted to the garrison city of Darwin, Anderson hasn’t had the typical preparation for her upcoming debut with the Western Bulldogs.

While she has participated in trial matches with her teammates, most of preparation has in fact taken part in Darwin.

“I usually drag someone from work onto the oval and make them kick the ball to me,” Anderson laughed.

Anderson grabs any chance she can to prepare for the upcoming game, and confesses that she even taken to handballing against shipping containers as part of her training regime.

Heather speaks highly of her workmates; there will be always be someone around to kick the footy with her and support her in the lead up to this weekend’s curtain raiser.

Anderson concedes that she is feeling the nerves ahead of Sunday’s game, especially as she hasn’t had much playing time with the other girls.

 “I haven’t really had a proper chance to get to know the other girls however when I met them at the trial matches they were all really lovely, really positive and gave me really good feedback and support.” 

Anderson keeps her preparation for her game pretty simple and is a firm believer that a good attitude will take you along way.

“I’m really focusing on the fact that I have done everything to prepare. I have trained as hard as possible as I have could. This is something that I have dreamed about for a lot of years.”

Despite her reputation as a tenacious defender, Anderson is realistic about her own personal game, admitting that there are areas she wants to improve on.

“I haven’t had much opportunity to train with other people. I want to understand how all their plays work and the tactics of the game. I’d love to improve my overall game sense and expand my general understanding of the game.”

Above everything else, Anderson is stoked to be playing footy on the ‘G.

“It’s a dream come true having the opportunity to play on the MCG. So many men and women dream of this moment; it makes the experience mean a lot more.”

A win on the weekend would be icing on the cake for Anderson.

“I would love for the bulldogs to come out with a win. It would be amazing not only getting to play but if we ended up winning as well. That would be unreal.”

Anderson envisages a bright future of female footy in NSW/ACT and thinks Sunday’s game is a sign of great things to come.

“The youth girls program is fantastic and there is a lot of young talent coming through. The women’s development squad is really fantastic.”

“It’s always going to be hard going because footy is a lot smaller here than it is in Victoria.”

Anderson’s message is clear and simple for young girls wanting to pursue a career in footy.

“Just enjoy it! Make sure no matter what happens, and what level you get to, continue to love your footy- it makes it so much easier. It takes the pressure off, and keeps you in the game a lot more.”

To see Anderson in action, head down to the MCG and watch Melbourne taken on the Western Bulldogs at 12:20 pm this Sunday as a curtain- raiser to the men’s match.

Alternatively, you can follow the game on the AFL Website, which will live stream the game from 12:15 pm here http://www.afl.com.au/womens.