While the first-ever all women’s Greek team to take to the field in an Aussie Rules game did not make it to the finals, the experience against the eventual finalists of the World 9s competition, Nauru and United Nations in close-fought encounters was one that should have them back next year.
The vice-captain of the Women’s Greek International Team, Giannoula (Joanna) Sofos told Neos Kosmos that the team won one game against eventual finalists United Nations and had fought hard but lack of practice time together had been a factor in the final results last Saturday.
“We put in our best, we had not all played together and we won the game against United Nations which was very good,” Giannoula said.
The World 9s tournament, held under the banner of Australian Football International (AFI) a variation of the Aussie Rules football played on a rectangular field using the posts of rugby was won by Nauru with the Women’s Greek International Team playing them twice on the day. They also played United Nations twice (the Greek team won the first game) with each game lasting 30 minutes.
“Nauru put up an amazing fight and looked like they had been playing for years together,” said Giannoula who has been playing Aussie Rules football since she was about 13 years old. Over the last two years, COVID and her Year 11 and 12 studies put a halt to her playing. However in 2017, she took up umpiring in the Essendon Districts Football League (EDFL) to keep up her fitness.
“Umpiring is just as hard as playing footy, if not harder as you have to cover the whole ground and be where the play is at all times” Giannoula said.
This year she enrolled at Monash University for a science degree with the aim of going on to study medicine.
“Footy is my outlet from my studies, I take out all my frustrations on the field, I don’t play just for myself but for the team and my family. I want to continue in the EDFL.”
“For the World 9s we were playing for our heritage and our coach Kon Konstantaras who is an amazing coach who cared for every player on the team.
“My yiayias, pappou and aunts, as well as Greek friends came to the World 9s (which was held at the Box Hill Rugby Ground) but we could have done with more support from the community. I would also like to thank our sponsors, Lifeful and Markos Greek Kitchen Bar in Williamstown, for their support,” said Giannoula.
A full Greek men’s team will be taking part in the Harmony Cup another AFI event but played under full Australian Rules football conditions, on Sunday, 27 February, at the Cranbourne Football Netball Club starting at 10am. The Greeks will be competing against seven other “international” teams. Last year, the Greeks lost the grand-final thriller to Ireland.
