Tara Murray
For Sunbury Kangaroos women’s captain Lisa Kirby, she just loves getting out and playing football.
Having started playing footy when she was seven and senior football at 11, Kirby on Saturday ran out for her 250th game.
Kirby said while it was special, for her it’s just another game.
“Everyone tells me it’s a big deal,” she said. “I’m like cool, I can play another game of footy.
“I’ve known all year and I’ve been counting in my head, but not making a big deal about it.
“You can’t think that way, it’s always just about playing footy.”
Kirby’s football journey is one that wouldn’t happen now with the growth in female football.
She joined the senior women’s club, the Darebin Falcons, when she was just 11.
Kirby was the youngest player by far.
“My parents were driving down to Coburg three times a week,” she said. “They [the Falcons] looked after me.
“I was mainly in the reserves in my first year and then in my second season I was 13 at that time and I played more in the senior side.
“I had to wear a helmet because I was knocked out in one game. I wore it for 13 years.”
Kirby’s teammates included some of the biggest names in women’s football, many who have been involved in AFLW.
She highlighted former Carlton captain and now Port Adelaide AFLW coach Lauren Arnell, and Peta Searle, who has been involved in coaching at AFL and AFLW as a couple of the biggest names.
“I missed out by one year playing with Daisy Pearce, that would have been cool.” she said.
Kirby then took a year off before coming back to football, joining the Sunbury Lions which meant a lot less travel.
She played in three premierships at the Lions, in 2009, 2010 and 2015.
Kirby then joined Pascoe Vale where she won another premiership and played game 200.
It was then onto Keilor for a year and bit when COVID hit.
She then joined the Sunbury Kangaroos in 2022.
Kirby said there were plenty of highlights along the way.
She said the premierships, being best on ground in a grand final, a best and fairest in a premiership year were all special as was being named the player’s player by her teammates.
“Just getting out to play footy every week is special to me,” she said, though.
Many of those 250 games have come alongside her twin sister Lauren.
“Loz has had a unique story,” she said.
“She was our runner helping out and we were short one day and five matches later she was winning a premiership,
“She never wanted to play footy and it’s amazing to play footy with her.”
The pair are this year captain and vice-captain for the Kangaroos, which Kirby said was both weird and special.
Kirby’s teammates had organised a banner and some of her past teammates to attend the game on Saturday.
She wasn’t so sure about all the fanfare but said it was nice to have people come along.
While Kirby’s just reached the 250 milestone, she’s already looking ahead to what is next.
“It’s only three and half seasons until 300,” she said. “I’ll still be under 40, so why not have a crack.”
