Debuts on the big stage are always significant but Hawthorn recruit Sophie Locke’s is extra special, as she takes to the field honouring her mother Sarah, who tragically lost her long battle with cancer two weeks ago.
Sophie Locke in a practice match against Richmond at the MCG.Credit:Getty
Hawthorn’s winger Kaitlyn Ashmore said on Friday it meant a lot to the whole playing group to have Locke on the list.
“We played on the MCG two days after her mum passed and she was just so resilient. And the way she goes about it, you know, she’s only young as well and it just means so much to the playing group to have her around,” said Ashmore.
“I just want them to go out there and have some fun and, you know, she plays her best footy when she’s having fun …I think she’ll have a bit of extra motivation playing for her mum.”
There was no shortage of emotions when Hawthorn coach Bec Goddard told Locke she’d be playing and had arranged the midfielder’s father and sister Chloe to be in the room via a video call.
“I thought you guys would like to be given a phone call because Sophie has been selected to play round one,” said Goddard, which was followed by plenty of tears and hugs.
Speaking this week, Goddard said Locke would start on the ground and will be hoping to get her a goal.
“She shows the way she feels in the way she plays, and she’s an exciting player … she’s very special, very special.”
Locke, 21, is one of a dozen Hawthorn AFLW debutantes who will run out on Saturday night against Essendon at Marvel Stadium, including draftees Jasmine Fleming, Charlotte Baskaran, Mackenzie Eardley and Lucy Wales.
Goddard says the young ones will be supported by the more experienced players, such as Ashmore, who will be running out for her 50th game.
“I think the experience of players like Kashi (Ashmore) and having them in our program, they’re like an extension of me. I mean, they’re not as funny as me but they certainly drive the standards that I expect,” said Goddard on Friday.
Draftees will also be donning the sash for Essendon, including explosive forwards Paige Scott and Amber Clarke.
Hawthorn and Essendon also both have a slew of AFLW players promoted from VFLW ranks running out, including Dominique Carbone, Zoe Barbakos, Bridget Deed, Eliza Shannon and Catherine Brown for the Hawks and Federica Frew and Alana Barba for the Dons.
“I’m so excited. It’s a massive honour and privilege to play in the Bombers’ inaugural game. It’s been a whirl win couple of weeks off the back of the VFLW premiership but I’m cannot wait to run out against the Hawks,” said Frew.
“When G (Georgia Nanscawen, Essendon co-vice-captain) told me, it was a bit overwhelming but it’s a childhood dream come true and I could not be more excited.”
There will also be plenty of baby Swans taking the field on Saturday against St Kilda, with 11 debutantes in Sydney’s team, including No.1 draft pick Montana Ham and co-captain Lauren Szigeti.
“It’s going to be a big night for me. I’m just focusing on the fact that it is my first game and take time to take it in and think about how special it is for me,” Szigeti told the AFLW website.
“There’s been a lot of hard work going in to running out for my first game and on the captain’s side of it I got selected as captain for a reason, so I just need to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”
Goddard said she was excited to see the dozen debutantes play, while the Hawks will field nine players with AFLW experience. It will also be the third time in AFLW history two women coach against each other as Goddard lines up against Essendon’s Natalie Wood.
“It’s a really exciting time,” said Goddard.
“I’m a little bit nervous but I tell the girls, we don’t get nervous, we get ready.”
