Last Friday night, in front of a packed out stadium, Carlton downed Collingwood in the first game of the inaugural AFL Women’s competition.
More than 24,000 people lined the stands and stairwells, thousands more were turned away and one woman led her team to a historic victory.
Carlton full-forward Darcy Vescio kicked four of her side’s seven goals and everyone agreed: a star was born.
The marquee player has been playing Aussie rules since she started Auskick at five years old in Whorouly, Wangaratta.
By Grade Six, she was one of handful of girls still playing in the under-14s, before she was forced to stop when she hit puberty.
“I thought that was just natural — that you played until you were 14 and then you stopped and played whatever other ball sport you could,” she recalls in A Footy Girl’s Guide to The Stars of 2017 by Nicole Hayes and Alicia Sometimes.
“I remember I didn’t kick up a fuss — just accepted it. Looking back, I realise none of it was very fair at all.”
Listen to our Round One wrap up here:
Her return to the field was triumphant and she won three VWFL premierships with the Darebin Falcons.
She’s also represented the Victorian state team twice and before being selected by Carlton was playing for the Western Bulldogs for the past two years.
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