Kyneton’s Ainslie Kemp didn’t think she was in the picture to make her debut for Melbourne Football Club’s women’s side in an AFL exhibition match on Sunday.
At just 19 and in her first full season of open-age women’s football with the VU Western Spurs, she’s been happy just to play against the likes of top women players Daisy Pearce and Katie Brennan in their VFL competition.
“I didn’t think I was at that [AFL] level to play for Melbourne,” Kemp said last week.
“I’m still learning … the skill and intensity are so much greater.”
Selectors thought otherwise and Kemp lined up alongside Pearce in the Demons’ side which took on Brisbane Lions at the MCG.
It was a 71-point win for the Demons, with Kemp among the goalkickers.
Kemp said she “lost it” when she received the phone call from Demons coach Michelle Cowan telling her she was in the side.
“I didn’t really know [I was in contention],” she said. “I played in the under-22 match between Vic country and Vic metro and didn’t hear anything after that.
“Then I got a phone call from Michelle Cowan and I missed it. I heard the voice call and I was so nervous to call her back.
“She said ‘congratulations you’ve been picked in the team’.”
Playing on the MCG was a long way from the football field in Trentham, where Kemp started playing football with boys.
“I played at Trentham until I was 13 and a half and then I was too old. I had no idea girls football was a thing,” she said.
“Kyneton formed a girl’s team and it was a perfect time to be part of it.
“There were seven of us originally and the first game we had no idea what was going on. The next week we had 21 players.”
Kemp played with the Tigers until last year.
When she got too old to play in the Bendigo Youth Girls competition, Kemp had a big decision … where she would play next.
Several clubs wanted to speak to her but the decision came down to two teams, the Spurs and Thunder.
“It all depended on where I went for uni,” she said.
“I was going to play for the Thunder if I got into Latrobe [in Bendigo].
“If I got into uni at VU, I would play for the Spurs. My first preference was VU.”
Despite having to travel more than an hour to get to training and games, Kemp loves playing at the Spurs.
She has nothing but praise for the team, especially coach and women’s football legend Debbie Lee.
“She has had so much experience,” Kemp said. “You trust you are getting right information.
“She has been thinking about it and what she’s telling you she probably used as a player.”
