Tara Murray
For Essendon’s first AFLW player Georgia Nanscawen the Essendon Football Club feels like somewhere she can belong.
Having been part of the club’s Victorian Football League women’s team since 2019, the VFLW co-captain was recently announced as the club’s first signing as it enters the AFLW season next season.
Nanscawen said the realisation that she would be part of the Bombers first squad was still settling in.
She had been expecting to head into a meeting for initial discussions about what the AFLW list might look like, when she was given the news.
“It’s a bit of a funny situation at the moment with the VFLW still happening, so there’s been a lot of things to focus on.
“After a couple of days I started to come to the realistation that it has happened. It’s a huge honour and I’m extremely proud.
“What it means to be part of the historic club and a new era and new chapter that hasn’t sunk in yet.”
For Nanscawen whether she got selected by Essendon or not, it was where she saw herself playing her football the next few years.
The club getting an AFLW license was something that was in the back of her mind last season. Despite winning the Lambert-Pearce Medal as the VFLW best and fairest winner, Nanscawen decided not to nominate for the AFLW draft.
“I didn’t nominate last year,” she said.
“I had discussions with a few close people around me about do I put myself out there.
“Essendon feels like a place that I can develop and the really good opportunity to play the best footy I can.
“I was keen to continue to stay at Essendon in either the AFLW or the VFLW if I wasn’t offered an opportunity.”
This will be Nanscawen’s second shot at the AFLW after being part of North Melbourne’s team in 2018.
Having played just six club games in Western Australia before she was rookie listed, Nanscawen said she is better prepared this time round.
“I was drafted by North Melbourne straight out of the Australian Hockey team. I played that first season and then was delisted.
“I then joined Essendon in the VFLW and Essendon has really developed my football over the last four years.
“I’ve had a journey and had a really good couple of strong seasons. I’m proud of how I’ve developed.
“It’s an honour and I want to show them how I can go in the AFLW. I’m a lot better prepared and want to see how I can push myself.”
For now, Nanscawen is focused on Essendon’s VFLW season. The club had four wins and draw from its first five rounds.
“It’s been a really strong start to the season,” she said.
“It’s an acknowledgement of the work we have done the last few years under Brendan Major.
“It’s a great start to the season, but we know there’s a few more challenges that will pop up.”
