IF THERE is one Lions player who will be able to handle whatever happens at Casey Fields for the groundbreaking AFLW clash between Brisbane and Melbourne, it is the multi-talented Kaitlyn Ashmore.
The Ballarat product has been a mainstay of the women’s exhibition game series over the past three years that preceded the inaugural AFLW and ensured she was a pre-draft priority selection by Brisbane.
The 25-year-old is a skilful, hard running midfielder but is also a black belt in karate and recently completed her teaching degree.
Kaitlyn Ashmore will play for the Brisbane Lions women’s team against Melbourne. Pic Jamie HansonSource:News Corp Australia
She gave up athletics, where she was a promising javelin thrower at national under-age level, to focus on football and has been plying her trade with the strong Melbourne University side in the VWFL.
Ashmore said the team aspect of Aussie rules set it apart.
“Both athletics and karate are individual sports … it can get lonely. When I played footy at school it was just so much fun. You had the same goal as your mates,’’ she said.
“When I took up footy, I had to give up one of the other sports and I chose to give up javelin. It was hard, a real leap of faith but it has paid off. I feel lucky to be here.
“I just love the team aspect. I love it up here. The club and the girls have been great since I moved up to Queensland. If I could choose to do it again, I would.’’
Lions captain Emma Zielke (centre) with teammates (from left) Emma Bates, Sabrina Frederick-Traub, Kaitlyn Ashmore and Tayla Harris. Picture: Jamie HansonSource:News Corp Australia
Ashmore was first drafted by the Demons but found a home at the Western Bulldogs for the exhibition games, where she was coached by Lions AFLW coach Craig Starcevich in 2015.
She said the key to success for Brisbane in the new competition would be defensive pressure and hard running which is where she will lead the charge with her athletics background.
“As soon as they get the ball, we’ll hit them hard and hopefully we can get on top and transition quickly because we have a lot of fast runners in our team and we’ll be looking to use that to our advantage,’’ she said.
The Lions AFLW side also landed vehicle and pedestrian data company Austraffic as their shorts sponsor in the build-up to the season-opener.
