EMMA Humphries is one talented young sportsperson.
Not only has she played club soccer, she was part of the Tasmanian Roar state cricket squad, as a batter and leg-spinner.
Now the only non-Victorian women’s player in Melbourne’s 2017 squad, the 21-year-old Tasmanian is eager to make her mark for the red and blue in the AFL Women’s competition.
“It’s a bit of an unknown for us,” she told melbournefc.com.au.
“On a personal level, I’d love to play, because we have got a squad of 27.
“It’s my fourth season of playing football, so I just want to learn as much as I can.”
Humphries, who is from Burnie on Tasmania’s north-west coast, said it was a bit daunting at first moving across from the Apple Isle.
“The club has been really good and really supportive of me moving over from Tassie. They’ve helped me out and made it a smooth transition. It’s a good environment and a good bunch of girls, so I think we’re set for a good year,” she said.
“I played football with Burnie and then played state football and then it all went from there. I nominated Victoria in the draft, so I knew I would go somewhere in the Melbourne area.
“I knew some of the names and played with a few of them in the exhibition games, but otherwise didn’t know anyone. But the club has been really good, as have the girls, and Brooke Patterson has taken me in.”
Four Tasmanian players went to AFL Women’s clubs in the recent NAB AFL Women’s Draft: Humphries to Melbourne at pick No.57, Jess Wuetschner and Britt Gibson to the Brisbane Lions at No.34 and No.141 respectively and Ellyse Gamble at No.69 to the Western Bulldogs.
Humphries, Gibson and Gamble were from the Burnie Dockers and Wuetschner from Clarence.
Humphries who was working for Hudson’s Coffee in Burnie, before crossing to Melbourne, has also worked in the fitness industry and is hoping to build her personal training skills in the foreseeable future.
Ultimately, she wants to have a genuine crack with Melbourne and do her state and town proud.
Long-term, Humphries hopes to be an inspiration for girls and boys from Tasmania who want to play football at the highest level.
“I’d love to go back to Tassie and get the girls up to scratch down there,” she said.
“All of the girls have got different skills, so I want to learn as much as I can.”
“I think a lot of girls look up to us [in Tasmania] and they’re starting to believe that it’s possible to play at the highest level now. It’s good to know that people know about it now – there is a lot of support now.”
