Two QBE Sydney Swans Academy athletes have this weekend been part of the first instalment of the 2023 AFLW Academy training camp in Geelong.
18-year old Marnie Robinson from Newcastle and 17-year old Olivia Morris from Cherrybrook joined the best young talent in the country eligible for the this year’s NAB AFLW Draft.
Both girls have big goals of becoming elite level AFLW players and selection and participation in the camp gave them a taste of the next level.
“It was the best thing I’ve ever experienced in my footy career to date,” Robinson said on completion of the first camp.
“Now that I’ve finished that camp and had a taste of the elite level there’s nothing else I would want. Seeing how other girls train and the intensity and determination they have for the same sport I love has just made me see what I want to get out of the Academy program. I’ve learnt so many new skills I’m keen to bring those back to my teammates and share.”
Morris echoed her QBE Academy teammates’ thoughts saying it was a ‘massive privilege’ being part of the AFLW academy.
“Now I’ve had a taste of it I am more determined to get to my goal than ever,” Morris said.
“We were able to meet a few AFLW players and listening to how they talk about how much culture the whole team has and how they don’t want to just improve themselves but the others around them by training with each other, really makes me want it more to be apart of it. It would be a dream come true.
Robinson, who heralds from Newcastle and plays for UTS, began her football journey when she was 12-years old. She began playing for ‘fun’ when her main sport was netball, that was until she took part in the Paul Kelly Cup and her talent was noticed.
“My teacher at the time, Mr Bradshaw, showed me a few skills and I fell in love with game and wanted to play more,” Robinson said.
“After that I went to the trials for the QBE Swans Academy and was I fortunate enough to make it in and it’s been a great ride since.”
Her QBE Academy teammate Morris, who currently plays for Pennant Hills, also started playing Australian Rules at a similar age, playing for the U12 girls Northwest Lightning team in 2017 after wanting to play football like her brothers.
“I started playing after years of watching my brothers and I always wanted to get out on the field with them, Morris said.
“After my sister played in the first year of girls footy at Westbrook I knew I too wanted to play. At the end the end of 2018 I had to opportunity to trial for the Swans Academy which really drove my footy career.”
Alongside the pair’s QBE Sydney Swans Academy program this year, their commitments with the AFLW Academy will continue throughout 2023 with further camps in April and June and also a match later in the year.
