By Ewen McRae
Jess Davies won’t have to go far to find her new AFLW teammates, with the Western Bulldogs VFL player snapped up by the Western Bulldogs at last week’s draft.
Davies, 22, went to the Bulldogs with pick 46 in the AFLW draft – the final pick for the Bulldogs.
She said the reality of realising a dream was still sinking in.
“I honestly didn’t expect to hear my name called out, so it was all a bit of a shock,” Davies said.
“I was watching the live stream with my partner … when I heard my name I went a bit crazy at first and then just sort of shut down. Once the real-ness of it all started to sink in, I started to contemplate what it all means.
“I had a pretty injury-riddled year in the VFL, so I went in thinking it would be great to be picked up but not expecting much since I missed probably half the season. They must have seen something in the games I did play.”
A 170-centimetre utility player, Davies was used in a variety of roles when she got on the park this year.
“I’ve been playing a lot on the wing or as an outside midfielder, but I feel like I’m a bit untapped at the moment,” she said.
“I don’t mind playing in defence and [having] that freedom of coming off half-back and reading the play. Both last year and this year my goal at the start of the season has been to get drafted, and that’s what I’ve been working towards. So I guess I need some new goals now.”
Davies said working with the team at Footscray would help her with the transition to the national stage, with the AFLW and VFLW sides often training together and having access to similar facilities.
“The Bulldogs treated us equally with the AFL girls all year, so knowing the area and the club already makes it a lot easier to transition, I think,” Davies said.
“Their culture is so positive, successful and really well driven.
“Even though they’ve just won the premiership, they’re all hungry to repeat, so it will be good to be their teammate and grow as a footballer around that group.”
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www.starweekly.com.au/sports/draft-naming-big-thrill-northern-knight/
