OVERCOMING an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury throughout her bottom-age season, talented tall Grace Tracey made up for lost time late in the year. She squeezed in for a game with the Allies, made the Under 17 Futures squad and won the MVP for her side, which propelled her into the National Academy.
We spoke to the Sydney Swans Academy talent about her football journey, inspirations, game, and goals for the year ahead.
Note: Unfortunately, Tracey re-injured her ACL at training after this interview took place.
Q: Grace, tell us a little bit about your footy journey?
GT: “I started playing when I was around nine. My older cousin started playing and she’s someone that I really look up to so I just wanted to do the same thing. Played for school in the Paul Kelly Cup and joined my local club Figtree Kangaroos. Got in the Swans Academy, been doing that for the last couple of years and then in 2014, two weeks before nationals before both AFL and netball, I tore my ACL which obviously is not a fun one to do, so had all of 2024 off.
“Came back for 2025 season. My first game was with the Sydney Swans against Tasmania, Anzac Day game for Coates league. It was a pretty big first game back. Then I just really wanted to go through the process of just getting back and having a really good year, and then I got a call-up for the Allies game, their last game against Queensland. Had great exposure, had a good game there and then made the National Under 17 Futures game as well. Got MVP which was crazy and such a surreal experience, and then National Academy at the end of last year when we went to New Zealand. That was just a bunch of fun and great exposure.”
Q: Have you put netball to the side for now, and what level did you get to?
GT: “In my Under 15s made the All-School Australian team and then in the Under 17s when I was 16, I made the New South Wales team. Then that year was really hard to balance both of them, and then after tearing my ACL, I decided coming back I just wanted to focus on one. I love AFL, and it was such a supportive environment and that was where I could really grow. Then I made that decision at the start of last year to just play AFL.”
Q: Do you watch a lot of footy? Who do you support?
GT: “Yeah, the Sydney Swans.”
Q: Are there any players you look up to and model your game on?
GT: “I really like Niamh McLaughlin from the Suns. I just feel like she’s such a reliable and consistent player and that’s something that I really look up to, especially playing in defence. I just want to be that consistent one that teammates can look to and just know that I’ll get my job done and her work ethic is unreal.”
Q: Are you looking to nail down that key back role or mixing it up through the year?
GT: “I really want to hone in on key defender and just really know my strengths and skills where they lie and really work on them. But I’m also happy to play in the forwardline, and sometimes for club I’ll get in the ruck as well. I can play multiple positions, but key defender’s really my go.”
Q: Can you run me through some of your strengths and improvements?
GT: “My aerial ability I would say is probably my biggest strength. My communication and fall of the ball, the read of the game is where my strengths lie. Then this year I really want to work on being explosive out of stoppages in the backline and use a bit of run and carry which I often don’t do in my game to move the ball out and get it into the midfield.”
Q: What are some of the goals you’ve set up for the year?
GT: “Well obviously everyone’s end goal at this stage is to get drafted, and that’s what I’m working towards, but I think it’s the little goals before that really count. I think that’s just playing consistent footy and good footy every game, and I think that’s just taking small steps at a time and playing good games.”
