Brooke Barwick | Western Bulldogs AFLW player live interview 9/8/2024

with pick four the Western Bulldogs select Brook Barwick from the tazzy devils and bori not only has Brianna had such a wonderful career at ganoi but I believe she has a sister young Brook Barwick uh who has been recruited into the major league and I think I can see her face in be beside us there Pete and Brooke can you hear us I sure can hey guys how are you oh we're going you might recognize the the face uh just beside me here your dear old dad uh you must be very excited to be watching this game uh on behalf of your sister knowing that you've seen the majority of her games and know what it means to her and to your family yeah so excited I think she's worked so hard for this moment and she's such a resilient woman and you know growing up with her and being by her side for all her achievements is it means to the world to not only me but my family so I'm really happy to watch her Play and play so well oh that's fantastic so you have had uh been influenced by her or what sort of a a sister was she for you was she she's the sort of person that guided you or was she one of those ones that hid the footy didn't give you a kick and you had to built the living suitcase out of it to get a grab no she absolutely guarded me I I say to her that I would not be in this position that I'm in today without her like she made she put her foot forward into tazzy football and I followed her footsteps and yeah if she didn't make that choice then I probably wouldn't be down this route that I am at the moment so yeah she's done so well she supported me and um yeah she's a great sister to have and I'm so super lucky now let's just talk about the little bit of Journey that you are on it must have been very very exciting at draft night when you're sitting there and at the the very lofty pick at number four when all of a sudden the name Barwick came up can you just tell me a little bit about that feeling that you had when the all the dreams and aspirations finally became that realization yeah I it's really hard to describe I think I just wasn't expecting to go that high I think I was just enjoying my footy and especially my story is so much different to everyone else that got drafted having an injury so to be able to go that high and be my name being called out I think it was a dream come true and it just shows that hard work does pay off and if you put your mind to it you really can achieve anything okay so here it is I'm just a wise old fell now so it's brilliant that you've got there but now the hard work begins how has the pre-season been going so far yeah it's it's very hard I mean preseason is what it sounds like it's you've got to put the work in and you've got to be physically strong and mentally strong as well so um it's been an absolute Challenge and a ride but I think we're at the the pointy end of it and we're really achieving some good things as a team so I'm so excited so you've gone to the Bulldogs and uh tell me a little bit about how they've been in accepting you into the to the F yeah I think I'm super lucky being picked up by the Bulldogs I think we're a very um new team at the moment we've got about 12 girls that are new um so we've all kind of forced to be family and be connected with each other so I don't think I could have fit into a better club and a better team and we're striving for the best and that's that's the best way to go so I'm very lucky to be with them it's very exciting thing to be part of professional footy and it's wonderful now that in the female space there's been some great recognition and not only recognition also financially that hopefully you can get a little bit more money so you can really concentrate on on what you're doing to be fully professional how are you finding then the competitive nature in and amongst the group so in one way you've joining all these new teammates which are kind of your your friends if you like but the reality is that girl that you're standing next to to getting ready for a bit of circle work is the one that you're trying to get her position is it a little bit of a mixed emotion in relation to that oh I guess so but in saying that I think we're all there for each other and we're not really you know we're not playing selfishly like if my teammates get a position before me I'm nothing but happy for her and she's done the work and we're both working as hard it's just whatever the team needs on that occasion or or whoever ing so I think you know like it's good to have that competition with them but at the end of the day it's whatever's best for the team and what the the staff need on that game now Brooke I have a young son Henry who's 28 and he professionally works for the the sons and uh he's in charge of the female program up there so I understand that the Bulldogs might be going up there for a game against the the Suns and he was telling me about this other young lady that he has under his chage and her name is Elise Barwick now tell me a little bit about that if all of a sudden it is Barwick the Barwick how would that go yeah I think um it would be an absolute aggressive fight I think we would both we're both very competitive people and I think um yeah we' just be trying to do the best for our team so it would be really amazing to play um against her I think I haven't played against her for many of years now so it'll be awesome to see be on the same field as her but I think we'll both be fighting for the footy just as much as each other with a name with a surname Barwick I put it to you you'll be fighting and you'd be as hard as a cat's head you know I don't know Pete that I'm allowed to say she's a very attractive young lady I hope that's not sexist at all because that's just the way it is you're a fine strapping looking young lady as uh as a trout and uh but the reality is in professional sport it's really tough um I I just want to say congratulations to you so far it is just the entree into the Caper and now the hard work begins I I would suggest that the president of the gloi football club and your dear old dad is there anything you'd like to add to this um oh well it's lovely to see you bro actually so yeah that's probably the first thing but uh yeah look um you know I I know how how hard both Brianna and Brook have worked and Elise you know um look she left the state and and went over and and apped a trade in South Australia um because there was limited opportunities here you know and and I think that's the thing it's so exciting for Tasmanian football now that you know in in in the next couple of years we have a vfl and vflw and then AFL and aflw so um you know Brook and I are having a conversation via you know social media or or via um the telephone or whatever we're actually having a conversation at home because you know young male and females don't have to leave the state so I think I think you know that that really is important and um uh shouldn't be shouldn't be underestimated you know and you see as I mentioned some some great young Talent out here at the at the footy um tonight and what we should you know hope that this will inspire you know amazing young athletes to to come through and be the best version of themsel as as Brooke always says and and uh knowing that they can they can do that now in their own State wearing their own jumper and it's uh it's an amazing sort of opportunity so um you know these these Brave young girls that have gone before and and and Pioneers and Making Waves in the rlw you know they they now have a choice um whether they do that uh on the mainland or they do it here in their home state so yeah fantastic opportunity I think and um you know what these girls have done to to create this and what you know the great young men players have done to create this is is well well overdue and we're all really really excited about it so well I guess Brooke the old saying is you can't be what you can't see and you you must be thrilled Andor inspired when you're watching the Olympic Games at the moment and seeing the amazing representation from uh the young ladies representing our country winning so many gold medals yeah yeah it's amazing I think it's yeah it the hard work that you put in is what you're going to get out and I think it's really really inspiring to see the Olympics do that and especially the women coming home with gold so it just shows the world what we're capable capable of and um it's so exciting in every single sport seeing women do well well Brooke thank you so very very much for joining us we'd love to talk all the time but we've got to go and see a bit more of the game and with your sisters playing in so all the best for you in your preseason we really look forward to you making your debut for the Bulldogs in this season and I do have one final question um uh given that we might be going to the game on Sunday between the Hawks and the blues now I know they uh I know that your mother is a hawk supporter and there's many in the family like like your your uncle Gary and cousins and all that so here it is Sunday Hawthorne or Colton well we all know the answer to that it's obviously Colton's hey well done Brooke thanks so much for taking the time and all the best no thank you guys thanks for having me a to Brook offu there we go obviously Brook's done a bit of work in in the office in Tonga bit of Tonga yeah bit of Tonga bit of Tonga office there for sure well the ladies are back out onto the ground which is uh fantastic so we're really looking forward to the second quarter It Is glori 2214 Clarence c220 I'm just getting a message through from Jerry saying we might potentially have that one little break before we get starting into the coverage so we're going to have that quick break before we come back with the game in the third quarter very shortly [Music]