Daughter of Dogs champ stars as Vic Metro sinks Vic Country

[Bulldog4life]

https://womens.afl/news/18051/u18-championships-daughter-of-dogs-champ-stars-as-metro-sinks-country


POTENTIAL Western Bulldogs father-daughter selection Isabella Grant kicked three goals as Vic Metro comfortably accounted for Vic Country by 44 points in their AFLW Under-18 Championships clash on Saturday.

With father Chris sitting in the stands, two of Grant's goals came from 50-metre penalties, but her strong hands and mobility stood out in the 10.10 (70) to 4.2 (26) win at Werribee Oval.

Bottom-age teammate Alyssa Bannan chipped in for three of her own with a strong second half from the smooth-moving mid-sized forward.

Midfielder Ellie McKenzie (bottom-age) provided plenty of run in the first half as Metro dominated Country around the ball, with wingers Mimi Hill (bottom-age) and Georgia Patrikios prominent.

Draft-eligible players Gabby Newton (pictured above) and Britney Gutknecht showed their class in patches without dominating the game.

Vic Country skipper Millie Brown – who is a potential father-daughter signing for Geelong with dad Paul having played for the Cats – was kept busy in a key defensive post but read the ball well in the air.

Highly rated draft prospect Lucy McEvoy is in her third position in her third under-18 championships, having played in 2017 as a key back, 2018 as a full-forward and playing on the ball this year.

The Geelong Falcon's contested play and ability to create and set up teammates in space impressed.

Small forward Renee Saulitis showed a clean pair of heels when she bobbed up to kick two quick goals in the last term when the game was done, while Tyanna Smith and Paige Shepard battled hard in the middle.

The teams have two weeks off before round two of the championships begin on the Gold Coast, running from July 8-12.

There, they will take on Queensland, Western Australia, Eastern Allies (combined NSW/ACT and Tasmania) and Central Allies (South Australia and Northern Territory).

VIC COUNTRY 1.0 1.1 2.1 4.2 (26)
VIC METRO 3.3 5.6 8.9 10.10 (70)

GOALS
Vic Country: Saulitis 2, Simmons, Notman
Vic Metro: Grant 3, Bannan 3, Morris-Dalton 2, Georgostathis, Newton

BEST
Vic Country: McEvoy, Smith, Shepard, Saulitis, Douglass, Caris
Vic Metro: McKenzie, Grant, Lagioia, Bannan, Hartwig, Newton

[mjp]

Are there going to be Mother-Son selections?

[bulldogtragic]

Are there going to be Mother-Son selections?

The AFEL said they'd do that down the track a while back. If anyone believed them to keep their word in many years time.

[Axe Man]

Are there going to be Mother-Son selections?

Wonder what the games qualification will be? They play a handful of games a season and can change clubs at the drop of a hat so it shouldn't be high.

Club legend Brennan played a massive 13 games in red, white and blue.

[Axe Man]

Western Bulldogs legend Chris Grant’s daughter Isabella Grant in frame for AFLW spot (https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/aflw/western-bulldogs-legend-chris-grants-daughter-isabella-grant-in-frame-for-aflw-spot/news-story/5fff10bb495dfb348c2d5daed4ae77c5)

Western Bulldogs father-daughter prospect Isabella Grant says she has not “looked back” since quitting basketball to pursue an AFLW career three years ago as she strives to follow in the footsteps of football trailblazer Daisy Pearce.

The daughter of former Bulldogs captain Chris Grant — who played 341 AFL games — Isabella shapes as one of the top draft prospects for the AFLW this year, having been part of the AFL Women’s Academy.

The 174cm right-footer has spent time as both a midfielder and forward this year with Vic Metro and NAB League club Western Jets and is considered a strong runner and natural leader.

Grant, 17, took up football in 2016 after the AFL announced it would start a women’s competition the following year and said it took little time to realise it was the game for her.

“I’d always wanted to play footy but never really saw it as an opportunity to make a living out of it or succeed or really enjoy it at that next level,” Grant said.

“But as soon as AFL Women’s came around I thought, ‘Wow, this is happening’. I just didn’t think in my generation that would be something that you could even think about.

“I went to a couple of training sessions down at Spotswood and instantly fell in love with the game. I love the culture so much that I pretty much quit all of my basketball commitments immediately.”

Grant said her father — who polled the most votes in the 1997 Brownlow Medal count but was ineligible to win — had been a big support since she made the switch but had not pushed her towards football.

“He’s really supportive of whatever sport I play but he did coach my club team as soon as I started playing and he’s still involved at Spotty now,” Grant said.

“That’s been a really good support network and he really enjoys it as well.”

The Caulfield Grammar Year 12 student said while she still had work to do to earn an AFLW opportunity she was determined to make the most of the remainder of the year as she strives to be like her AFLW idol, Melbourne star Daisy Pearce.

“I really like the way Daisy Pearce goes about her footy but also about her personal life and the way she holds herself,” Grant said.

“The ultimate goal is just to try and maximise opportunities and improve as much as I can.”

Grant is taking part in Round 2 of the AFLW Under-18 Championships on the Gold Coast this week, which wrap up on Friday.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

With Chris robbed of a brownlow if we aren't able to recruit Isabella I will kidnap Ian Collins unless he is dead already.

[bulldogtragic]

From draft central:

FOR 17-year-old Isabella Grant, the path to football has been a little bit different with a big interest in basketball shaping a lot of her junior sporting journey, while her father Chris Grant played 341 games for Western Bulldogs over a 17-year period.

“I initially played basketball for the majority of my primary school and into secondary school years, and then AFL Women’s came about and I was like ‘oh my god this is awesome, I’ve got to jump on this’ so I went down to Spotswood,” Grant said. “I went down to about two trainings and as soon as I started the culture just completely drew me towards it. I quit all my basketball commitments and went straight into footy I loved it that much.”

While having a football legend for a father could have seen Grant begin her footy journey a lot earlier, she was never pushed into the sport and was able to make her own decision about pursuing any sport she wanted.

“His passion has definitely driven me, absolutely,” Grant said. “But he’s just very supportive of whatever I want to do whether it was footy, basketball, whether I didn’t want to play a sport or not, he’s just really, really great so either way I definitely love footy.”

While she has now played football for a number of years, Grant said her development at the Western Jets has proved the importance and professionalism of the pathway even though it’s still in the early stages. Grant has also been given the opportunity to progress through the AFL Women’s Under 18 ranks, playing for Vic Metro in both 2018 and 2019.

“Everything about it, the professionalism, the development programs, just all the support they provide whether that be on or off the field, I’ve definitely developed as a person,” Grant said. “That (Metro in 2018) was really scary. “But I think coming together with other girls who are really skillful, it helped me learn off them it was so amazing, but definitely another development opportunity, they were all inclusive and great. “It’s a bit intimidating, it’s a bit scary but I think the support that Jets provide and family and friends, it makes it all a lot less scary.”

With a good kick and eye for the big sticks, Grant’s skill in front of goal makes her a massive threat able to adapt to anywhere on the field and have an impact. Grant said she prefers playing the midfield and wing, credit to her run and carry, but will play wherever she is needed showcasing her team-first attitude.

“I definitely need to improve on my left foot kicking, that’s something I’ve been working on towards the last couple of years,” she said. “Strengths maybe my fitness and run and carry, that’s something I’ve been better at, but again there’s so many things I could improve on there’s such a big list.”

[ratsmac]

She can be the youngest female player to kick 50 goals in a season and also the first!

[Axe Man]

She can be the youngest female player to kick 50 goals in a season and also the first!

The whole team is lucky to kick 50 goals in a season (what is it 8 games?).

[Axe Man]

Isabella Grant hopes to forge her own footy name as she eyes AFLW Draft (https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/aflw/isabella-grant-hopes-to-forge-her-own-footy-name-as-she-eyes-aflw-draft/news-story/0b7d9e91df1fc7e55071c048b02dd00c)

Isabella Grant is determined to make her own name.

The daughter of Bulldogs great Chris has this week opted out of a family holiday to Noosa, instead electing to stay home under the watchful eye of her grandmother with Year 12 studies and the AFL Women’s draft combine in full swing.

And while she might only be watching the participants of the latter be put through their paces in front of club officials, she said her 341-game father and current Western Bulldogs football boss had taken an active step back from her football pathway so as not to cast any shadow.

“He’s always really encouraged me to be me, and be proud of who I am,” Isabella said.

“Don’t try to be somebody else. So I think that’s really helped me — not with just footy but with all of the other aspects in my life. It’s easy to get into that mindset of wanting to be somebody else and be somebody better, but being satisfied with who you are is almost more important.”

It was her choice to ditch the holiday, saying she would regret not throwing all of herself into her schoolwork and football commitments before her high school days are over.

“It’s the last holidays before exams,” she said.

“If I was unhappy with my exam results and thought ‘I could have done more’, I thought I would be disappointed, so just trying to make the most of all the little opportunities before footy might get a bit busier.”

Grant had played basketball before switching to Australian rules when the Western Bulldogs gained an AFLW licence, thinking “this is really happening”.

Naturally she is keen to be a Bulldog, but is hopeful of following her AFLW dream at any club after an impressive national championships campaign for Vic Metro under new Dogs coach Nathan Burke.

The 17-year-old — who is considering studying science next year — is currently building her back strength after being diagnosed with a sway-back, a curvature of the upper lumbar spine.

It’s meant lots of “gym stuff, lots of glute bridges” and “little muscle stuff”, she explained, and is hopeful to be at full fitness for the draft — scheduled for October 22 — and the 2020 AFL Women’s season.

“The muscles in that part of my back have basically never been used, so they’re not super strong at all,” Grant said.

“Just even the smallest bit of movement compared to everyone else is really different. My body just doesn’t know how to turn them on.”

The AFLW hopefuls will be tested at the draft combine on Wednesday across a two-kilometre time trial, agility sessions and the famed “Yoyo” test.

“I’m just really excited for the experience and to see the girls again and to cheer everyone on and make sure everyone does their best,” Grant said.

[Doc26]

Isabella Grant hopes to forge her own footy name as she eyes AFLW Draft (https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/aflw/isabella-grant-hopes-to-forge-her-own-footy-name-as-she-eyes-aflw-draft/news-story/0b7d9e91df1fc7e55071c048b02dd00c)

Isabella Grant is determined to make her own name.

The daughter of Bulldogs great Chris has this week opted out of a family holiday to Noosa, instead electing to stay home under the watchful eye of her grandmother with Year 12 studies and the AFL Women’s draft combine in full swing.

Naturally she is keen to be a Bulldog, but is hopeful of following her AFLW dream at any club after an impressive national championships campaign for Vic Metro under new Dogs coach Nathan Burke.


With her pedigree and development, and with a father / daughter rule in place for the AFLW, it's impossible to imagine Isabella being at any other Club but the Bulldogs.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

“I definitely need to improve on my left foot kicking, that’s something I’ve been working on towards the last couple of years,” she said. “Strengths maybe my fitness and run and carry, that’s something I’ve been better at, but again there’s so many things I could improve on there’s such a big list.”

Hmm maybe Chris can get out the dvd of his match winning left foot goal from the boundary in that 2000 game against the bombers.

[bornadog]

Isabella signed up.

It's raining Cats and Dogs: Famous names join AFLW as father-daughter signings (https://womens.afl/news/18387/it-s-raining-cats-and-dogs-famous-names-join-aflw-as-father-daughter-signings)

Great thing is we still have Picks 1, 6, 8 and 9

[bornadog]

https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/71825462_10157511073387487_684390389938913280_o.jpg?_nc_cat= 102&_nc_oc=AQndr81A9uPpX4YIu1mxKy1LOPm3xjapb7dAxxzRhWhzB3ULQNYFG TBubTy_WQp6Anc&_nc_ht=scontent-syd2-1.xx&oh=ca64b74557352bdd58f71453cf2f7e18&oe=5E1FB822

[azabob]

How great is cool is this? Seriously cool I reckon.

[Doc26]

Geez the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with Isabella. Hopefully she’s anointed the number 3 after Brennan’s departure.

[KT31]

Geez the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with Isabella. Hopefully she’s anointed the number 3 after Brennan’s departure.

Great stuff.
I'm not really sold on the AFLW, but it is pretty great that past players can have their daughters and not just son's run out in the same guernsey they played in.
Surely Isabella start in 29 then works her way up into the 3 jumper.

[bornadog]

Great stuff.
I'm not really sold on the AFLW, but it is pretty great that past players can have their daughters and not just son's run out in the same guernsey they played in.
Surely Isabella start in 29 then works her way up into the 3 jumper.

The standard in AFLW is improving every year. The men had a head start of 100 plus years to improve the game. ;)

[Twodogs]

Pick 105 ladies and gentlemen!

[bornadog]

Talking to Chris Grant tonight at a function, he said Isabel has been struck down by glandular fever and will be lucky to play one game this coming season.

[Hotdog60]

Talking to Chris Grant tonight at a function, he said Isabel has been struck down by glandular fever and will be lucky to play one game this coming season.

That sucks, I wish her all the best.

[Twodogs]

Talking to Chris Grant tonight at a function, he said Isabel has been struck down by glandular fever and will be lucky to play one game this coming season.

The first thing that Dr St Claire at the clinic in Paisley street said to my mum when the bloods came back to confirm my diagnosis of glandular fever was "Oh yes, Who have you been kissing*?"

I wonder who Issy has been kissing?


*glandular fever is commonly known as the kissing disease. It's one of the commonist ways of getting it.

[strebla]

I copped it pretty bad and could do nothing for months !!!!
As an aside didn't her dad also. Cop it one pre-season ???

[Twodogs]

I copped it pretty bad and could do nothing for months !!!!
As an aside didn't her dad also. Cop it one pre-season ???

He did. His third preseason from memory.


I ate nothing but condensed milk for months. My throat was so sore.

[Axe Man]

Isabella to wear number 3.

https://i.postimg.cc/yxV5TX9W/GRANT.png (https://postimages.org/)

[Axe Man]

Talking to Chris Grant tonight at a function, he said Isabel has been struck down by glandular fever and will be lucky to play one game this coming season.

Must have been a quick recovery as she played in the first practice match v Richmond:

'Where is everyone?' Lost Dog's first-game nerves (https://womens.afl/news/41503/-where-is-everyone-lost-dog-s-first-game-nerves)

ISABELLA Grant's first game for the Western Bulldogs didn't start out the way she had hoped.

The forward was so excited about the informal practice match against Richmond last Saturday that she turned up to the wrong ground.

"I was so nervous," Grant said.

"I didn't read the memo clearly enough and I went to Whitten Oval."

"I thought 'Where is everyone?' and called 'George' (Elisabeth Georgiostathis) and found out it was actually at Punt Road."

"Once I got there I was a bit flustered but I did a bit of meditation and got in the zone."

Captain Ellie Blackburn and veteran Brooke Lochland were quick to get around Grant and calm her down.

"Ellie (Blackburn) made me do the toss, which I was so scared about. But that made me feel a bit more confident," she said.

Grant always arrives at games half an hour before she's meant to, so she wasn't late, but she did get a fine from the playing group.

"I've definitely racked up the most (fines) so far," she said.

The start was a little smoother for No.1 pick Gabby Newton, who was able to really soak in the moment before her first game against another AFLW team.

"Just pulling on the jumper for the first time was like 'Oh my gosh, this is actually happening'," Newton said.

After finally relaxing, Grant – the daughter of club great Chris – felt the sense of occasion, too.

"Walking into the change rooms and seeing the No.3 and knowing that's my jumper made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up a bit," Grant said.

"I feel grateful for the opportunity and really proud too."

With such a young list, the Bulldogs' expectations for the 2020 NAB AFL Women's season don't revolve around wins and losses, but Newton believes her new team is more than capable of upsetting other sides.

"For us, being young isn't an excuse. We still want to be really competitive," she said.

Newton has a few games circled on the fixture, starting with the Dogs' season opener against St Kilda, where she could match up against former Vic Metro teammate Georgia Patrikios.

"I'd really love to win in round one – nothing against Patrikios, just I think it's so exciting playing a new team and it's (Bulldogs coach Nathan Burke) 'Burkey's' old club."

"The Pride Match (against Carlton), I'm really excited for that one as well."

The Dogs got through unscathed in their hitout against Richmond at Punt Road.

Newton and Grant both had stints through the midfield and up forward, as they have throughout their junior careers, but one surprise was seeing Isabel Huntington line up across half-back.

"She (Huntington) played amazing – the marks – just absolute sticky fingers," Grant said.

"She looked a bit different with the buns, I kept on forgetting that it was her. She was an absolute magnet."

It was a step up in physicality and speed for both of the first-year players, especially for Grant who was only ticked off for full contact training a few weeks ago after dealing with a bout of glandular fever.

"I was still getting used to getting bumped around. I felt like a bag of sticks or something because they're all so strong," Grant said.

The Dogs will host Geelong in their first league-sanctioned practice match on Saturday, January 25 at 10.30am at Whitten Oval.

[bornadog]

Must have been a quick recovery as she played in the first practice match v Richmond:

Good for her

[ratsmac]

Anyone know how we went in that game against Richmond?

[ledge]

Anyone know how we went in that game against Richmond?

Won it easily , we have won both matches.

[Twodogs]

"Walking into the change rooms and seeing the No.3 and knowing that's my jumper made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up a bit," Grant said

That'd be pretty awesome

[strebla]

That'd be pretty awesome
This is why I love father sons/daughters and when we pick up a local boy who grew up in the west . I still find it hard losing Ward to GWS I don't blame him but seeing a local boy leave really hurt .

[Twodogs]

This is why I love father sons/daughters and when we pick up a local boy who grew up in the west . I still find it hard losing Ward to GWS I don't blame him but seeing a local boy leave really hurt .

Keeping in mind that his mum was the annoying younger sister of one of my school friends from 40 years ago I have heard that Callan's mum didn't speak to him for a couple of years after he left the bulldogs. She only came around to him playing for GWS after the 2016 Prelim.

He was lucky-If I'd done that to my club my entire family would have sent me to Coventry and not just for a couple of years either.

[strebla]

Keeping in mind that his mum was the annoying younger sister of one of my school friends from 40 years ago I have heard that Callan's mum didn't speak to him for a couple of years after he left the bulldogs. She only came around to him playing for GWS after the 2016 Prelim.

He was lucky-If I'd done that to my club my entire family would have sent me to Coventry and not just for a couple of years either.
I always remember him quoting his dad " don't barrack for the Bulldogs they will only break your heart". Well he broke many hearts when he left then we broke his in 2016 !!! His dad was a phrophet

[Twodogs]

I always remember him quoting his dad " don't barrack for the Bulldogs they will only break your heart". Well he broke many hearts when he left then we broke his in 2016 !!! His dad was a phrophet

I've actually got a Yarraville footy club card with Greg Ward on it somewhere. I even knew where it was before the last time I moved.

[strebla]

I've actually got a Yarraville footy club card with Greg Ward on it somewhere. I even knew where it was before the last time I moved.

Was that from the late 70's early 80's ???

[Twodogs]

Was that from the late 70's early 80's ???

Yep. IIRC it would have come from 1980.

https://www.facebook.com/1750913715159087/photos/a.1751291551787970/1925368381046952/?type=1&theater