Shae-Lee Murphy-Burke at the quarter time huddle. 80974 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By MICHAEL ESPOSITO
AT JUST 17-years-old, Shae-Lee Murphy-Burke has done more for the women’s footy movement than most people.
One of the main reasons the Altona Youth Girls teams was formed was so the club could keep its star player, who as the only female in Altona’s Under 14 side, won the best and fairest award.
She has been visiting primary schools and spruiking Aussie Rules in an effort to recruit girls for a new Under 12s team, which will play in a 10-week competition run by the Western Region Football League.
With Altona fielding a senior team for the first time this year, women’s footy seems to be experiencing a surge in popularity in the West.
The challenge for Murphy-Burke is convincing young girls that there is a long-term future for them in footy. “I’m letting girls know you can start off and keep going. You don’t have to give up football because you’re too old or don’t have any team to play for,” she said.
Murphy-Burke is using her own story as an example. She began her junior career playing with the boys, but girls are not allowed to play in the boys’ competition beyond the Under 14s.
She was a part of the first Altona Youth Girls side, which played scratch matches every week because there were not enough players to field a team. But more girls joined as the word got out, and three years later the Youth Girls is thriving.
Murphy-Burke, who is coaching the Under 12s side, told primary school girls about making the interleague squad, Victorian Under 18 squad and AFL Youth Girls Academy. She also told children about the AFL’s plan to have a nationally broadcast women’s competition up and running by 2020.
With the formation of the Under 12s side and the senior team, girls can progress from Auskick to seniors without having to play with the boys.
