Tara Murray
The AFLW season hasn’t even gotten underway, but Adelaide draftee Tamara Henry is already loving her time in the South Australian capital.
Henry was taken by the Crows in the draft late last year, seeing her make the move from playing with Darley to one of the premier teams in the AFLW competition.
Henry, who moved over in February, said she was loving her time in Adelaide so far.
“It has just been a really great vibe,” she said. “Adelaide is much quieter than Melbourne.
“Coming into the club all the girls have been so good and so welcoming. It’s a good environment for me.”
Henry said the decision to make the move over earlier in the year was aimed at helping to settle into life easier.
She was able to train with the girls before pre-season while also get a taste of senior football in the South Australian National Football League.
“It was good to bond with everyone and to get an idea of what was coming,” she said.
“It was pretty similar [actual pre-season] to what we are doing now. I was able to get an understanding of what we are doing.”
Henry said the actual pre-season made it feel a bit more real that the AFLW season will soon be here.
She had the opportunity to play two SANFL games, which was a new experience.
“It was my first opportunity to try and play that level,” she said. “I didn’t get to play back home.
“There were more older women and a bit better standard.”
For Henry, the dream has always been to play AFLW since she started playing football and the introduction of the national competition.
She played some of her junior football at Bacchus Marsh, before making the move across to Darley.
She played in Darley’s first women’s premiership last season.
“I got to see both sides of the fence,” she said of playing with the two cross town rivals. “That was my first premiership win.
“I had played in a grand final every year besides COVID. It’s been my main program and they really helped grow my skills to where they are now.”
She also spent two seasons with the Western Jets. The second one of those seasons she also made the Vic Metro under-18 squad.
It was an experience that helped give Henry some more confidence.
“With that experience some more clubs started speaking to me,” she said. “It gave me confidence that it might happen.”
Henry admits that she cried when her name was called out for the draft, partly as she was achieving her dream and partly as she was moving away.
Those tears are now smiles and laughs as she’s loved everything about her time at Adelaide so far.
She’s hoping to continue to build her skills in the lead up to the season and hopefully take that next step.
“I just want to get better every session and hopefully get a game or two,” she said. “I want to build connections with the girls and get better.”
