As we enter our second season of the AFLW, and prepare for the 2023 AFLW season, we bring you our new series On the mark, presented by Bing Lee where we meet our AFLW team and find out what makes them tick.

Stay tuned to sydneyswans.com.au/aflw for all the latest interviews and AFLW news.

“When I didn’t get drafted, I had a point to prove,” Jaide Anthony tells Sydney Swans Media.

The road to the Sydney Swans was not an easy one for the up-and-coming forward. After giving up cricket for football, Anthony recalls the disappointment of not earning a contract in her first draft year.

Thanks to her resilience – one of her greatest strengths according to Anthony – the 19-year-old persevered and joined the Swans inaugural AFLW squad in 2022. Now in her second year with the red and white, she speaks on what continues to drive her at the club.

At what point did you realise you could take your passion for AFL into a professional career?

“I think it was my last year of NAB League, 17 turning 18. That was when the sport really started to ramp up. We had the works of CBA with pay and fixtures, that’s when AFLW started to become more semi-professional/professional. There’s still a long way to go but that was the turning point for me.”

What age were you when you first started playing?

“I would have been 13 or 14. Dad wouldn’t let me play until there was a girls’ team.”

Who do you credit for your success?

“Definitely my family – Dad especially. He’d always drag me out to the oval and kick and mark his balls. A lot of my skills are due to him.”

What life lesson did you learn the hard way?

"You have to really work for it, and you might have talent but some people will still ignore that.”

Can you recall the most defining moment of your life so far? 

“Not getting drafted my first year. I’ve had a lot of achievements in footy and a lot of people were expecting me to get drafted. Unfortunately, I didn’t in my first draft year, but I did in my second year. Having to bounce back from that – I could have chosen a different sport – but I stuck at it and didn’t give up. When I didn’t get drafted I had a point to prove.”

If you weren’t playing AFL, what do you think you’d be doing?

“Cricket, definitely. I had to make a choice in my last year when I was juggling both cricket and football at a high level. I chose to play AFL because my body can take cricket later down the path, but you can’t wait for footy.”

What are you most grateful for? 

"What they’ve done for me and how many hours they’ve driven me around the countryside for all my sports. Including my grandparents who come to a lot of my games. My friends, I’ve got a really tight circle of friends and my girlfriend who has been a really big supporter of mine.”

What is your most controversial opinion?

“It’s very controversial but when people make Vegemite on toast, not butter, just straight Vegemite. I don’t need butter. I do a lot of Vegemite.”

Whether you’re preparing for training or a match, do you have any superstitions or things you must do beforehand?

“Every training session and every match I wear two pairs of socks. Then, on our socks we have the ‘W’ logo which is supposed to show on the outside of your foot. Because we have so many pairs of socks we just mix and match. It really annoys me when I see the W not on the outside. It’s a pet peeve.”

In your own opinion, what are your greatest strengths?

“With footy I have a high footy IQ. I’m also pretty resilient.”

Who is your sports hero?

“I’d say Dad. He was lucky enough to play VFL at both Sydney and Carlton and he’s taught me a lot of life lessons, like making the most of the opportunity. He was also the person who taught me how to play football, taught me my skills and how to read the game as well as anyone else has.”

This profile series is presented by Bing Lee.

The 2023 AFLW Season will commence on the first weekend of September with the full fixture yet to be confirmed, sign up to become a 2023 AFLW memberships and show your support for the team. Follow the Sydney Swans AFLW social media channels on Instagram and Twitter for all AFLW news and updates.