ONE OF a number of talented Queenslanders in this year’s AFL Women’s Draft, Southport’s Rhianna Ingram had a top-age season to remember. Performing strongly throughout the Coates Talent League Girls and AFLW Under 18 Championships.
We spoke to the Gold Coast Suns Academy member about her journey through the pathways, her game and who she looks up to at the top level.
Q: Rhianna tell us about your football journey?
RI: “I started playing Oztag and touch when I was younger, and then I went to a lot of Suns games with my dad and this other family, and then they told my dad to get into footy. Then basically my dad told me to try it out when I was 12 so starting high school, and then I went to the first training session and honestly just absolutely loved it. It just started from there and have played ever since.”
Q: You’ve come through Southport and the Suns Academy, how have you found the pathway?
RI: “It’s been really good, I started at Pac Power (Pacific Pines) just the local club near me. I wanted to move to another club that had a better pathway through for women’s and then obviously moved to Southport at 15s. Then have been up through and played seniors this year and won a flag which was really good, and then I’ve been doing the Suns program since 13, so went through hubs, did 13s, 14s, 15s and then 16s got more serious had gym, travel, games, education and then same with 18s and obviously now I’m here so it’s been really good.”
Q: How have you found you performed in your top-age season coming through representing Queensland?
RI: “I think I’ve been really happy with my season. I think I’ve had consistent season with performing quite well through the games and it’s just been really good I think this year compared to how I’ve started and the growth that I’ve made.”
Q: Winning the QAFLW flag this year, what was that feeling like?
RI: “Yeah well honestly you can’t get much better than that being where I am now. You can’t really take nay negatives out of that, positives all round and a good thing to achieve.”
Q: In terms of your own game, what are some of your strengths in your game?
RI: “I would probably say my footy IQ and vision, and how I see the game. And my skills and how I dispose of the footy is probably up there.”
Q: What do you see as some of the improvements you’ve got to make?
RI: “I would just say my one-on-one in d50. Just making sure my opponent doesn’t get too much space and close them off to stop them from leading or everything like that.”
Q: Who’s someone that you’ve looked up to or modelled your game on at the top level?
RI: “I don’t really have specific players, I’ve watched both men’s and women’s. Recently I’ve thought Zippy Fish plays quite well for Swans off half-back, but I also think Josh Daicos plays quite well off half-back and so does John Noble in the Suns and even Nick Blakey in Sydney and people like that.”
Q: Who’s had the most individual influence on your career?
RI: “I’d probably say my parents. My parents have been really supportive, like dropping me to trainings, especially my dad taking me all the time. Both my parents mum and dad never miss games, they’ve always supported me, taken me to trips like up to Hervey Bay one time, they’ve just always been there. They’ve been really helpful and supportive through the whole thing.”
Q: Receiving a National Draft Combine invite, what was that like when you found out?
RI: “It was surreal, honestly. You couldn’t ask for anything better, being invited here at this level of the year, it’s just amazing. It’s good news and you can’t really take it any other way.”
Q: Queensland and Suns Academy have a lot of draft prospects this year, how have you gone about managing those expectations and knowing there could be other clubs out there that you have to keep an eye on?
RI: “They’re pretty hopeful to get a lot of us. I guess we don’t know anything until the end of the year so just have to wait and see how it goes. Honestly going anywhere, getting drafted anywhere is the dream so that’s pretty good as well.”
Q: From here, what’s the plan between now and the AFLW Draft?
RI: “This will probably be the last thing before the draft that has been pretty serious this year. I’m still in school so I’ve got exams coming up in end of October. I’ve just got to finish off Year 12, I’m doing ATAR so I’ve for a few exams coming up. I also work at Coles so I’ve got work, and I’ll keep training, keep up my fitness and the gym. You just can’t drop off through this off-season, so keeping up the standards and come in strong start of next year.”
