AS the postponement of all seasons commenced over the last week, we head back to the preseason a few weeks earlier where we chatted to a number of athletes across the country. In a special Question and Answer (Q&A) feature, Draft Central‘s Taylah Melki chatted with Queensland’s Jasmyn Davidson at the state testing day hosted by Rookie Me.

TM: How did you get into Australian rules football?

JD: “My younger brother played and I always thought it was pretty cool, I would just kick on the sidelines but didn’t think I could play it or anything. “Then I started playing for school and then from there I got into the Sunsets and they put me into the Suns Academy.”

How have you found being a part of the Suns Academy?

“I think it’s pretty cool, it’s a great opportunity, and it’s helped me. “Obviously, I’ve improved heaps, got better fitness so yeah it’s pretty good.”

What do you see as your strength?

“I guess I’m pretty good at rucking.”

What is it about rucking that your like? The physical battle?

“Yeah I really like it, it’s fun to like be up in the air, it’s pretty cool.”

What’s your goal for 2020?

“Well first I want to make (the) Queensland (side), and then I don’t know if it’ll be this year, or the next couple of years, but I do want to get drafted.”

What would it mean to play for Queensland?

“Yeah it would be pretty cool. “I was in Suns Academy last year as well and I didn’t make it, but I really think I’ve tried to push myself harder this year, it would be reassuring that all my hard work is for something”

How have you found your second season at the Suns?

“I’m getting heaps more confident, acting more as a leader and actually being able to help girls and talk to a lot more of them as well.”

How do you go about juggling your workload?

“It’s pretty hard because I’m still in school. “I’m in Grade 12 this year so there’s obviously a lot more work involved, because I play club footy as well and I have a job so I don’t have much spare time to do school work and stuff but it’s alright.”

How do you manage training?

“I train four nights a week and then Saturday morning. “Then I work Sunday night, and I’m probably gonna start working in the mornings as well.”

How do you cope with all that training and still doing school work?

“I just kind of tell myself ‘oh you need to do this assignment on this day’, if I know I have time on that day then I make sure that I do it, but my schoolwork – I think my grades probably have dropped – but I like footy so it’s all for something!”

How has your preseason been?

“I think it’s going pretty good. “I think my fitness is a lot better than last year and I think I’m doing better than last year.”

Do you have a particular role model?

“Not really, there’s too many. “I don’t have one particular one it’s just heaps of players on AFL and AFLW teams that I think are pretty cool.”

Player notes:

Jasmyn Davidson crossed to Bond University from Broadbeach over the off-season and had played three Queensland Australian Football League (QAFL) Women’s games, two of which came at League level, and one in the Development League. In her sole match at Development level, Davidson booted two goals and was named in the Bull Sharks’ best to gain an immediate recall into the senior side.