Watch the moment Gabby Seymour finds out she’s signed as a ‘cross-code rookie’ for RichmondGeordie Cowan,
Knox Leader
August 10, 2019
Gabby Seymour gathered 18 touches upon her VFLW debut with Richmond. Picture: Mark DadswellAfter responding to a Facebook post nine months ago to now being on an AFLW list, it has been a whirlwind nine months for Gabby Seymour.
The 22-year-old was told she would be given a rookie contract by Richmond as part of its inaugural AFLW season in 2020.
The volleyballer, who represented Australia at junior level and had been competing for Victoria until last year, only started her football journey in October when she saw a Richmond Football Club post on Facebook advertising a trial for people who had competed at high levels of other sports.
Making it through various trials, she was offered a spot with this year’s VFLW team.
She needed some game experience first, but Gabby had no doubts about which local club to be affiliated with.
“My boyfriend (Nick Callanan) has played at The Basin forever,” she said.
“I’d been coming to his games for a couple of years and it looked like a bit of fun.”
She played three games with the Bears in a supportive environment she couldn’t speak more highly of, before being picked for her VFLW debut as the 23rd player.
“My boyfriend and his little brother travelled up to Darwin, they were so excited I had gotten my first game,” Seymour said.
“I had nothing to lose and put it all out on the table.”
Gabby Seymour with other young women footballers at The Basin. Picture: Mark DadswellThe Eltham woman starred for the Tigers in their 21-point win, named best-on-ground after gathering 18 disposals and 32 hit-outs.
A few weeks later, she was told she would be a part of the team she had grown up supporting in its first AFLW season.
The moment was captured by the club, with Seymour’s startled face conveying her emotions.
“The video says it all — I was just completely shocked,” she said.
“I’d had a meeting with them an hour before for the mid-season review and I’d asked about my chances.
“I was told to ‘Just keep working hard, August 30 is the cut-off date so you’ll know by then’.
“Then Nick came in and there was a 10-second lag before I realised and put the pieces together.
“It took me a good hour to get my head around that I was going to be an AFLW player.”
She will take her chance to pick the football brains of some of her teammates, which include Katie Brennan and Monique Conti.
“They have been fantastic,” she said.
“Katie Brennan in particular is such an awesome role model.
“You see her around the club and she holds herself to such high standards that I say ‘All right, that’s what I want to look like’.”
Seymour said the rookie contract was perfect motivation for her, knowing she has a three-month headstart on those picked in the AFLW draft.
“I’ve got my spot, the next challenge is to actually get a game,” she said.
“I don’t have any expectations about what I’m going to get.”
Watch here: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/outer-east/watch-the-moment-gabby-seymour-finds-out-shes-signed-as-a-crosscode-rookie-for-richmond/news-story/1cfa2105d6637a2ad2c9269e01bd5971
