On Sunday afternoon Kate Lutkins will run out at her beloved Wilston Grange home ground as a professional AFLW player for the Brisbane Lions. It will be a moment in her life that she could never believe would happen.
“Not in my wildest dreams,” she said.
“I’ve been here four years now so it’s going to be really special running out there on Sunday afternoon.”
Lutkins grew up in Brisbane playing footy for Morningside, Yeronga and more recently the Gorillas.
The vice-captain has started to realise the direct impact she and her teammates have on the next generation of girls coming through playing footy.
“It’s pretty amazing and humbling,” she said.
“It really brings you back down to earth.”
Many of those girls will be at the game this weekend, including Gorilla junior Matisse Easton. She is only eight years old and has already been playing for three years.
Lutkins is her favourite, along with Nat Grider, who is still to make her debut.
Easton, who plays each weekend with and against the boys, said she can’t wait to watch the women play on her home ground.
“We can come down and all the locals can as well and watch them play,” she said.
Lutkins is astounded by players like Easton and is determined to do her proud this weekend.
“I think it’s great and it’s such a great family club and it’s amazing having so many girls involved in this club,” she said.
“They’re always coming to our games and we’re always going to their games. It’s absolutely incredible.”
The Lions meet the Demons in the Round 3 clash and are looking to retaliate after their recent loss to Fremantle.
“We evaluated the game, learned some lessons and moved on,” Lutkins said.
“Every team in this competition is a really quality side this year and every game is pretty much a Grand Final. I’m really looking forward to the hard contest out there this weekend.”
She is hoping thousands will travel to Hickey Park’s first AFLW game on Sunday.
“The crowd last week out at Moreton Bay was amazing. That was the loudest crowd we’ve ever had.
“They crowd getting behind us, they just lift us up a gear, a gear, a gear.”
