Her Game is a series of short stories exploring the experiences of people who have traditionally been excluded from playing Australian football. Through the eyes of players, coaches, presidents, reporters and supporters; it explores how some people experience their gender within AFL culture and how that affects Australia’s national identity. This series was produced for the Community Radio Network and is made possible by the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Her Game was produced by Bethany Atkinson-Quinton at Triple R. #1 Leah Avene Age: 30 Position: Megahertz Player in the Community Cup (VIC) “The principal of the girls school found out that I was playing football, and he published a picture of me in my Megahertz top telling the whole school that I was playing football and he thought that it was really important that, especially the girls at the school knew, that that was something, that someone, a female that they knew really well, was doing, because you need those visible people, you need those examples, so kids know what’s available to them and if they don’t see it, they can’t aspire to be like that, as far as I know, I’m the only mum at school that played football.” #2 Tayla Harris Age: 18 Position: Melbourne Football Club player (VIC), Zilmare Eagles football player (QLD) “Me and Daisy were the first female footballers to go to the Brownlow as footballers so that was good and I thought it was quite important to get it right….It’s hard to watch the guys get drafted and start their lives and have training all day and then go to the physio at night and that’s what they do all day, where as we work all day and train when we can.” #3 Joan Eddy Age: 56 Position: President of Fitzroy Football Club, North Melbourne Supporter, Footy Tragic (VIC) “I might be the only women there, or there might only be one or two others, so you can’t help but be aware of that on some level, and I know that it’s not intentional but you can tell from people’s response to you, well it is unusual, and they’re responding to what is the reality which is a women president of a football club, that’s unusual isn’t it? To which I respond look yes it is and we can sometimes have a really interesting conversation about that.” #4 Sally Whyte Age: 25 Position: Passionate Essendon Supporter (VIC) “They wouldn’t even know the names of the male journalists that have written equally cutting things against Essendon, but they know who Caroline Wilson is and that really makes me sad because I just think she’s been dealing with this forever….For me, I know, there is a lot of my critical thinking about feminist theory that I sort of just have to leave at the door a little bit, and that makes me sad.” #5 Leila Gurruwiwi Age: 27 Position: AFL Reporter on The Mangrook Footy Show (VIC) “People have a perception of certain things if they’re only shown a certain way of living or being, and on a lot of other AFL football shows there isn’t that female representation even though we know for a fact that [the] female population make up 50% of membership at all AFL clubs.” #6 Danae Gibson Age: 50 Position: Rusted on Dockers Diehard (VIC) and ex Northern suburb Parana’s player (WA) “I think I’ve experienced the full gamut of experiences of being the only girl in the room…at age about 11 or 12 was the first time I got told I can’t play Aussie rules football because I’m a girl.” #7 Katie Brennan Age: 23 Position: Centre Half Forward -Darebin Falcons (VIC) and Western Bulldogs Football Club (VIC) “You get a lot of comments like ‘you can actually kick a footy’ and that kind of stuff which are frustrating at times but it’s nice to show people out there that girls can play as well.” #8 Jo Hogan Age: 54 Position: Coach at Junior League at Fitzroy Football Club (VIC) and Collingwood Supporter (VIC) “One of the great things that I loved about coaching under 12 is what we were often doing with that age group, was giving opportunity for these young girls to express their opinions, to test it out in a safe space, you know, all those intangible, non-linear skills. Then, if we can apply the technical element to that, as it’s often said in football, we then develop great people, not just great footballers.” #9 Simona Castrisum Age: 40 Position: Full Forward for Brunswick Renegades (VWFL) / Rehabilitated ex-fanatic of the Collingwood Football Club / Previous clubs; Monash Blues - U19 (VAFA), The Peninsula School - 2nds (AGSV), Mt Eliza - Blue (FDJFL) “I just stopped playing football in disgust because it just bought out a side of masculinity that just really really really disgusted me and was deeply scarred by it to be completely honest.” #10 Emma Quayle Age: 38 Position: AFL Reporter for The Age (VIC) “I sometimes think does it take you a little bit longer to win people over or do you have to get to know some of the men who work in the industry in sort of a different way than some of the guys would.” .