Madison Prespakis’s dream of becoming an AFL player may be a couple of years away, but the former Romsey junior is already on the radar of AFL clubs.
Prespakis is one of just 33 players from around Australia selected for a new elite academy, which prepares talented footballers to be drafted in the next couple of years.
As part of the academy, the players get the chance to train with an AFL women’s team. Prespakis said she wasn’t even aware there was an academy until recently.
“I had no idea,” she said. “They picked 30-or-so girls across Australia to be part of the academy. You go away in January for fitness testing and a four-day hike.
“I found out a few weeks ago I would get to train with an AFL club … I then found out that club would be the Western Bulldogs.”
Prespakis said she was prepared for the challenge of training with the AFL side.
She’s one of 10 bottom-age players in the academy who will get the same opportunities next year as well.
“I know a few players who were drafted and they’ve taught me so much. I’m glad I can keep learning from them,” she said.
“It’s definitely going to be challenging physically and mentally, but I think I can take on the challenge.
“It’ll be a lot different to training with kids my own age … I’m expecting a lot of running.
“Having played against older kids I think will help, I’ve got used to getting knocked around.”
The 16-year-old says she’s also looking forward to learning to deal with injuries and rehabilitation, and learning about nutrition.
Training with the Bulldogs adds to Prespakis’s already-busy football workload. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I train with the Calder Cannons on a Monday and Wednesday and with my local club, Sunbury Lions, once a week; and now there’s the Bulldogs once a week.
“I’m prepared to do the hard work. Each day I’m at school, I’m looking forward to heading to training.”
Prespakis won the EDFL youth girls best and fairest award after finishing runner-up the year before.
She’s hoping that spending two years getting to know the AFL system will help her be drafted for the 2019 season.
Her fingers are crossed that the competition will have expanded to include the side she follows, Essendon.
“I’ve always been an Essendon supporter and I’ve always said I’m going to play AFL for Essendon,” she said. “It would be a dream to play for them.”
