Photo credit: Scott Barbour/AFL Media
By: Tash Gunawardana
CARLTON AFLW-listed ruck Breann Moody debuted for South Belgrave-Lysterfield Wolves in the Deakin Uni Eastern Region Women’s over the weekend, kicking three goals in a best on ground performance.
With strong ties to South Belgrave Football Club, the daughter of champion horse trainer Peter Moody was thrilled to run out to represent her local community against Blackburn.
“I was actually so excited leading into the game to finally represent my local footy club,” Moody said.
“It was pretty exciting to be able to have so much fun and to get success with the local girls it was very rewarding.
“I suppose I was just happy to have fun and I worked really hard with the girls early and got a couple of goals on the board.
“I was able to help the girls to realise what they’re capable of as well and not only did I kick three goals but a couple of the other girls kicked a couple as well and yes we had a good score on the board at the end.
“I will go and play in the VFLW for Carlton for the remainder of this season.
“It was a bit of a showcase game I guess for the South Belgrave-Lysterfield Wolves in the EFL.
“I will still continue to train with those girls as much as I can just to help them out and to get some extra skills in for myself, but going forward I will play for Carlton in the VFLW.”
Moody in action for Carlton. PHOTO: Michael Wilson/AFL Media
Moody has brought invaluable AFLW expertise to South Belgrave-Lysterfield, after winning the 2018 Carlton women’s best and fairest.
“I suppose just the confidence to encourage and support players and give feedback and also to accept feedback from them too, but the main thing is probably just going out there and playing my brand of footy and helping others play their footy as well,” she said.
Moody was taken by the Blues with pick 67 in the 2016 draft and played seven matches for Carlton in the AFLW this season, including the grand final against Adelaide.
“That was an unreal experience to go from being probably the least expected AFLW performing team at the start of the season to making it to the grand final was pretty unreal,” she said.
“I think we were going out there with no expectations, we just wanted to play our brand of footy but unfortunately they (Adelaide) got on top of us earlier than we would have liked, and they were the best team on the day.
“It was an unreal experience to be there and represent the club that I’ve been with for the last few years since they started.”
Moody did not play Australian rules from juniors similar to many women playing today.
“My football journey it’s probably been a bit unorthodox to be honest,” she said.
“I grew up riding horses and played a little bit of school footy at St Margaret’s in Berwick.
“It was an all-girls school, so I think it was term two, Friday nights did a little bit of footy there but didn’t really play too much juniors I think I filled in for my sisters team maybe a handful of times at Berwick.
“I finished school in 2015 and decided I’m going to have a go at footy and played the 2016 VFL season with Cranbourne and was pretty fortunate enough to be picked up by Carlton in my first season of football.
“I haven’t looked back since, loving every minute of it and looking forward to still building my style of footy and learning from all my teammates as I go.”
For Moody, her biggest mentors in her career have been her Carlton teammates and footy-mad older sister Cara and twin Celine, the latter listed with the Western Bulldogs.
Breann (far left), father Peter and his wife Sarah, and Celine. PHOTO: Tony Gough/Herald Sun
“Definitely just following I suppose in their footsteps a little bit and competing with them, they have helped to get me to where I am today,” she said.
“My teammates at Carlton too have always been so supportive and we love giving each other feedback and support.
“All my teammates at Carlton have been big mentors as well.”
Women’s football is growing rapidly at grassroots level since the introduction of the AFLW a few years ago, with the Deakin University Eastern Region Women’s competition growing from 18 teams last year to 34 this year.
“I think it’s very exciting for women’s football across Australia,” Moody said.
“Not only is the AFLW really taking off, the amount of girls joining clubs from a grassroots level which is so exciting and not only will they be able to play Auskick into their juniors, they will be able to continue playing through to women’s and develop as footballers into the AFLW.
“It’s very exciting for football and it’s only going to continue to grow, as we get more teams and more young girls coming through who have just got that passion for football.”