Newly drafted Fremantle Docker Philipa Seth believes there’s no better team game than Australian Rules, with the 24-year-old crediting her East Fremantle teammates in WAWFL for making her the player she is today.
The defender has played for East Fremantle since 2010 but heartbreakingly missed her chance to put her name forward for the inaugural AFLW season after missing 2016 with a foot injury.
Seth was Fremantle’s third selection of October’s NAB AFLW Draft, taken with pick no.28.
Fremantle senior coach Trent Cooper called Seth one of the most improved players of the 2018 season – finishing runner-up in the Sharks’ fairest and best in their premiership season.
“This has been a dream of mine for some time, it hasn’t just happened overnight,” Seth said.
“My first season with East Fremantle was back in 2010. I guess I’ve grown a lot with the club and it’s changed me, not only as a footballer but also as a person.”
Seth paid tribute to a number of her teammates at the Sharks, including two she joins on Fremantle’s AFLW list.
“I’ve been lucky enough I got to play next to players like Gabby O’Sullivan, who’s always happy to have a laugh with footy.
“Her easy going nature is so admirable as she doesn’t get caught up in the stress of it.
“Then you have people like Evie Gooch who is so willing to lend a helping hand to everyone.
“There’s (GWS Giant) Emma Swanson who happens to be one of the hardest working people that I’ve ever met.
“I think especially from those types of people, if I could just show some of those traits, I know I can build to something bigger.
“They’ve all gone on to have successful footy careers so to have those types of influences around me at the club has been absolutely amazing.”
Seth said she hasn’t played any game like football and is thrilled to have the chance to play it at the highest level.
“Just the camaraderie that you get from footy is amazing,” Seth said.
“From training to the games, everyone is there for the same reason. It gives you those bonds of friendship that you can’t really describe in any other way.
“It’s not like any other sport and I’m glad that girls now have the opportunity to experience it.”
