How China nearly ruined Barty’s Tiger dreamJon Anderson,
Herald Sun
March 3, 2019 You know how AFL clubs love to dress up bemused celebrities in their club colours? Well, take it as written that Ash Barty isn’t one of them.
From ABBA and John McEnroe (Carlton), Mr Bean (Collingwood), Sofia Vergara (Sydney) and Condoleezza Rice (Adelaide), it’s long been a favourite pastime at clubland even if the people in question couldn’t be less interested.
And then there is passionate Richmond fan Barty, 22, who bleeds yellow and black for her beloved Tigers as she explained to Jon Anderson this week.
Jon Anderson: How does a Queenslander end up barracking for the Tigers?
Ash Barty: It started with Dad who supports West Tigers in the NRL, so it was natural to follow Richmond. The Tigers keep me sane when I’m overseas. I will be playing in the US when the AFL season begins but my coach is a Carlton supporter so we will have our customary bottle of red on the outcome.
Ash Barty and her new Richmond jumper are ready for the 2019 season.
JA: You should have an overflowing cellar by now.
AB: Exactly. I watch Richmond regardless of where I am in the world.
JA: Including the 2017 Grand Final?
AB: I was in the middle of China and because of internet security I couldn’t watch it live so I FaceTimed my mum and watched it that way. Mum kept trying to talk and I kept telling her to talk after the game. It was bloody good.
JA: And now you’ve got your own jumper?
AB: I have an array of Richmond guernseys at home. I have Cotch’s (Trent Cotchin) 2015 jumper hanging up and all the Dreamtime jumpers.
JA: Now Ash, can you do one thing for us and crack the top 10 in the rankings this year?
AB: Don’t worry, I’m absolutely desperate to do that.
Australian tennis star and raging Richmond fan Ash Barty has signed on as the Tigers’ first ever women’s football member ahead of the team’s inclusion in the AFLW next season.
The Tigers, who have already passed 85,000 members for this season, have launched the new Women’s Football Foundation Membership for those wanting to back the team’s new women’s side.
Those who join up will also get access to three AFL games at the MCG this year, and every dollar of profit made from the sale of Richmond AFLW memberships will be poured back in the women’s football program at the club.
“Our members and supporters have given our men’s football program great passion and loyalty over our long history, so it’s exciting that we can offer new opportunities for them, as well as engage new fans to support our women’s football program,” Tigers CEO Brendon Gale said.
Richmond will enter the AFLW next season along with Gold Coast, West Coast and St Kilda.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/aussie-tennis-star-and-passionate-richmond-fan-ash-barty-signs-on-as-tigers-womens-footy-member/news-story/14719866d46bc37ae6204b882112b10d
