SUNS ACADEMY member Mikayla Nurse has gained plenty of experience over the years through the Queensland pathway, splitting her time between her Academy duties and the QAFL Women’s with Southport both at the top flight and Reserves level.
We spoke to Nurse at the recent Queensland Preseason Testing Day about her football journey, gamestyle and who she looks up to at the elite level.
Q: Tell us a bit about your earliest footballing memories and when you started to fall in love with the game?
MN: “Basically I was forced to play from my dad when I was about nine. I was meant to be in a team where it was just Touch, but I wanted to do tackles, so I joined an Under 13s division when I was nine and then I fell in love with it from then.”
Q: Have you had any key mentors along the way?
MN: “Honestly probably Kath (Newman, State Female Talent Manager). I think she’s been really supportive towards me and I think she gives me all the things that I really need to succeed in my games.”
Q: How’s your preseason been?
MN: “It’s been pretty good, I’ve been focusing on my running a lot this preseason, so I think my fitness level’s gone very high compared to last season, so that’s good.”
Q: How would you describe yourself as a player?
MN: “I would say I’m pretty hard at the ball, I try and win the footy no matter what.”
Q: Can you tell me some of your key strengths and some things to work on?
MN: “My key strengths would be groundballs, probably hitting those quick targets like the small ones, and driving my legs. The things I need to work on are probably my aerial contesting, especially in contested marks above my head. I think I just need to be stronger with my hands.”
Q: Do you tend to watch a lot of football, who do you support?
MN: “Yeah, Melbourne Demons. My dad. He grew up in Melbourne and basically from that he followed them and he’s just brought it into the family.”
Q: Are there any players you look up to or try to play like?
MN: “I look at Christian Petracca a lot. I think he’s a really strong player. I follow him on Instagram and TikTok for his little cooking shows.”
Q: In terms of your goals for the year, what are the key landmarks you want to tick off?
MN: “I’m hoping to get drafted obviously. But I think I just want to become a better player on and off the field and bond with my teammates a lot more this year, so it will just be about support and see each other succeed.”
Q: It’s a National Draft, have you thought ahead to that?
MN: “I feel like I’ll be happy wherever I end up, but I think my main goal is to get drafted to the Suns just because it’s home but of course I’m going to take any opportunity that I get.”
