AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd ‘so happy' after gender-affirming top surgery
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AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd has revealed they are 'so happy' and feel so much like themselves after having gender-affirming top surgery during the off-season.
The 29-year-old Hawthorn star is the league's first current player to undergo the surgery - which removes breast tissue in a similar way to a double mastectomy - and said they feel so much more comfortable.
'People often have asked me, 'How do I feel now that I've had it' - post-surgery, seeing myself,' Lucas-Rodd, who identifies as non-binary, told ABC Sport.
'... for me, it was like, 'this is how I've always looked when I saw myself' … This is what I've always thought and always seen internally.'
AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd says they are 'so happy' after undergoing gender affirming top surgery. Picture: Instagram/tillylr
Prior to the surgery, Lucas-Rodd was taping or binding their chest and wearing a guernsey multiple sizes too large in order to reduce dysphoria.
This practice however, was causing issues, sometimes restricting breathing and movement, and creating back pain.
Since returning to training, however, Lucas-Rodd said they are relishing the freedom of not needing a sports bra or chest bindings.
'Going out onto the track in our training guernseys or our singlets, I just feel so, so happy and so just like me,' they said.
'I had huge discomfort around my chest, huge dysphoria. It didn't match up with what I felt internally I should look like.'
The halfback came out publicly as non-binary in 2023, saying at the time that they 'don't really identify strongly as my assigned gender at birth, which is female.'
'I don't really feel strongly that I fit into that label as a female, and at the same time I don't feel like I'm a male, either. I guess I'm in between that,' they said in a video shared on the Hawthorn website.
'So for me, the label 'non-binary' feels most comfortable about how I identify in terms of my gender.'
Lucas-Rodd said they feel more comfortable and like themselves since returning to training. Picture: Instagram/tillylr
The Hawthorn player identifies as non-binary. Picture: Instagram/tillylr
Two other AFLW players, Carlton star Darcy Vescio and former Gold Coast player Tori Groves-Little, also identify as non-binary, and two former players have undergone gender-reaffirming top surgery since leaving the league.
Lucas-Rodd spoke to their Hawthorn teammates about the surgery when returning to training and said they were met with 'such love and acceptance'.
While opening themselves up to public commentary by sharing their story has been nerve-racking, Lucas-Rodd said they hope to help others in a similar position.
'It's also to show gender diverse and trans people that there is a place for them in sport,' they said.
'Coming out publicly with top surgery, people will say and do what they want, but I'm trying to show people that no matter what gender you are, no matter how you express that, no matter anything about you, that you belong in sport and you belong in sport at a professional and elite level.
'That's a big thing for me … being like regardless of your gender and how you express that, there is this place for you in sport.'
Since sharing their ABC Sport interview on Instagram, Lucas-Rodd has recieved many messages of support, including from Aussie musician G Flip who said, 'Hells yeah Tilly,' and Wentworth star Zoe Terakes, who shared a series of strong arm and love heart emojis.
Originally published as AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd 'so happy' after gender-affirming top surgery
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News.com.au
11 minutes ago
- News.com.au
The Last Say: Tips, market movers and inside mail for Saturday's racing on June 21, 2025
Headley Grange has been confidently backed to win the Listed $200,000 Civic Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick and Warnie has attracted heavy market support for the Listed $200,000 Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich on Saturday. The Joe Pride -trained Headley Grange, an impressive first-up winner at Randwick two weeks ago, has firmed from $4.60 to $3 favouritism with TAB Fixed Odds while his odds with Ladbrokes have been slashed from $4.50 to $2.90 including bets of $500 at $4.40 and $1000 at $3.10. Warnie, trained by Ciaron Maher, has been a big mover with Ladbrokes punters backing the sprinter from $3.20 to $2.60 favouritism after bets of $900 at $3.20, $1000 at $3.10, $1000 at $3.05, $1000 at $2.90, $2000 and $1000 at $2.85, $1100 and $750 at $2.80 and $780 at $2.70. But this betting plunge pales in comparison with the sheer weight of money invested on Splash Back in the Brian Beattie Handicap (1420m) at Flemington. Grahame Begg 's promising mare has firmed from $2.70 into $1.80 favouritism after Ladbrokes took a string of big bets including six bets of $1180 and four bets of $1000 at $2.70, four bets of $1670 plus $1600, $1100 and four $1000 bets at $2.20, and a $2000 wager at $1.85. The Ladbrokes betting plunge for Godolphin two-year-old Observer in the Flemington opener, the TAB We're On (1420m) has also been significant as he's firmed from $2.15 into $1.60 with some big bets including $1750 twice and $1700 at $2.15, $1570 and six $1000 bets at $2, $2100 twice, $2000 and $1800 at $1.95 and $2100 at $1.80. England's famous Royal Ascot carnival finishes tonight with plenty of Australian interest in Storm Boy who runs in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m). There has been a confident push from Coolmore that crack colt Storm Boy will bounce back to his best with the three-year-old expected to challenge French raider and Golden Eagle runner-up Lazzat for favouritism. Storm Boy is currently at $5.50 with Lazzat heading betting at $3.60. â– â– â– â– â– ROYAL RANDWICK Weather: Cool, mostly sunny day and a forecast top temperature of 18c. Track: Soft (5). Rail: 3m out. FLEMINGTON Weather: Cold, most sunny day with a forecast top temperature of 15c. Track: Good (4). Rail: 11m out. IPSWICH Weather: Warm, sunny day with light winds and a forecast top temperature of 25c. Track: Good (4). Rail: 0.5m out. MORPHETTVILLE Weather: Cool, mostly sunny day with a forecast top temperature of 19c. Track: Soft (6). Rail: 13m out from 1200m to the winning post. "He could well go to another level. I figure he has a ceiling there somewhere." Civic Stakes favourite Headley Grange can scale new heights at Royal Randwick on Saturday. @PrideRacing — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 • â– â– â– â– â– BE WARY: Royal Randwick is rated a soft 5 and likely to move into the good range at some stage during the meeting. The rail is out 3m but the track should race fairly. Flemington's into the good range for winter racing but the rail is out 11m. Watch for any discernible track bias in early races. Ipswich's rail is out half a metre with the track in the good range for Cup Day and the likelihood the track will race evenly. 'AS A PARTY, IT STANDS ALONE' @IpswichTurfClub and @Racing_QLD officials expect a bumper crowd of more than 12,000 people at Saturday's iconic Ipswich Cup meeting, which last year was almost lost due to a grandstand fire. Story: @bendorries76 ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– ROYAL RANDWICK TIPS BEST BET: Race 3 No.4 BRAVE ONE was a $300,000 Easter Yearling Sale purchase who has only had five starts for a debut Randwick win last July and two recent second placings at Canterbury and Rosehill since resuming. Promising three-year-old who didn't shirk his task when second to a smart older horse in Kerguelen last start. Brave One has drawn a little awkwardly but Team Hawkes has found the right race for him and with even luck in running he's going to be very hard to beat. Kerguelen gives @JamesCummings88 and @KPMcEvoy a Rosehill double! ðŸ'° @godolphin | @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 31, 2025 THE NEXT BEST: Race 2 No.1 SHROPSHIRE LAD came off a brilliant first-up win at Scone with an unlucky second to Bengal in a Randwick Highway over 1100m. He was three-wide albeit with cover most of the way loomed up to win only to be edged out by a narrow margin. Drawn wide again and will need things to go his way but he's at his peak after two runs from a spell and finds himself in a winnable race. Bengal hangs on in the TAB Highway for Luke Pepper and @brodie_loy ðŸ'° @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025 VALUE BET: Race 1 No.6 HOOLIGAN TOMMY has returned in good order this campaign with two wins and two placings from five starts. He comes to Randwick off a career-best effort at Kembla Grange where he gapped his rivals, winning by a widening margin of more than three lengths when shouldering 60.5kg in heavy going. Hooligan Tommy drops 2.5kg, gets onto a more suitable firmer track and he's at value odds near $8. Hooligan Tommy Kembla Grange win on the 31st May 2025 Congratulations to all connections — John Sargent (@jsargentracing) June 2, 2025 THE WHISPER: Race 9 No.13 HEADLEY GRANGE was resuming over the Randwick 1300m two weeks ago and was held up for a run from the top of the straight until the 200m when he gained a split and sprinted through for a brilliant first-up win. Headley Grange's final 200m split of 11.59s was the best of the day. Headley Grange goes out to 1400m for the Civic Sakes which is his best distance. The drying track conditions are in his favour, he hasn't missed a top two finish in eight starts, winning four, and he has drawn perfectly in barrier four. He ticks all the boxes. Headley Grange wins first up to give @PrideRacing a Randwick double! 🙌 @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– FLEMINGTON TIPS BEST BET: Race 1 No.2 OBSERVER shaped promisingly on debut when he for home before finishing a close second at Pakenham but made significant improvement going out to 1400m at Sandown at start when he led throughout and bolted in by five lengths. Godolphin has unearthed a promising rising three-year-old in Observer who can get favourite backers off to a winning start. Observer makes an absolute mess of his opposition to break his maiden in dominant style 😤 @godolphin — (@Racing) June 4, 2025 NEXT BEST: Race 7 No.6 SPLASH BACK was dynamic first-up at Caulfield, coming from off speed early with a brilliant burst of acceleration to seep clear of her rivals and win by a widening margin of more than two lengths. Her sectional times were very impressive as she improved her record to five wins from just 11 starts. She's been sensationally backed to win again. The well-supported Splash Back pins the ears back & storms away to win first-up after a long spell ðŸ'¥ @Grahame_Begg — (@Racing) May 31, 2025 VALUE BET: Race 6 No.5 BOLD SOUL won three stakes races including the Tasmanian Derby last season but struggled to regain top form over summer. There has been more encouraging signs from Bold Soul this campaign as he has improved in each of his four starts including a narrow loss to Muktamil over this course and distance last start. He's ready to win. Muktamil thrives on the mile & a half test, throwing himself over the line under @daniel_moor 🙌 @busuttin — (@Racing) June 7, 2025 THE WHISPER: Race 9 No.9 FIELDELO is protecting her unbeaten record here. She won at Kilmore last November when making her debut and then resumed at Bendigo when she carried 62.5kg but toyed with her rivals, winning by seven lengths in fast time. She looks a talent and there is plenty of market confidence to suggest she will maintain her perfect race record. Fieldelo wins like a classy horse on debut for @TLakeRacing & @JyeMcNeil ðŸ¤� — (@Racing) November 24, 2024 • â– â– â– â– â– TAB FIXED ODDS BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS – ROYAL RANDWICK Race 1: Callistemon $6-$4.20, Piraeus $8.50-$4.60 Race 2: Shropshire Lad $5-$4.80, Satin Stiletto $8-$5.50 Race 3: Lunaite $5.50-$4.60, Bengal $21-$12 Race 4: Millie De Lune $4-$3.80, Piggyback $8-$6 Race 5: Hopper $8-$5, Rotagilla $11-$5.50 Race 6: Quantum Cat $4.60-$3.10, Zaphod $5-$3.20 Race 7: Storm The Ramparts $3.80-$3.50, Gitalong $4.80-$4 Race 8: Raikkonen $3.40-$3, Fiddlers Green $11-$7.50 Race 9: Headley Grange $4.60-$3, Grebeni $19-$10 Race 10: Fully Lit $19-$7, Pereille $16-$9.50 'THAT IS A GREAT RECIPE' Trainer @JamesCummings88 is cooking up a Randwick rout, with four top chances in the closing event on Saturday. But there's one of the quartet he is particularly confident in. Story: @RayThomas_1 ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 LADBROKE BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS – ROYAL RANDWICK Race 1: Hellfire Express $1000 at $5.50, Aix En Provence $500 at $9.25, Callistemon $6-$3.90 after a $400 wager at $6 Race 2: Satin Stilleto $7.50-$6.50 after a $300 bet at $7.50, Exit Fee $600 at $5.15 Race 3: Zielle $71-$41 Race 4: She's Unusual $23-$6.50 with a bet of $500 at $7 Race 5: Hopper $8.50-$5, Rotagilla $15-$5 with bets of $140 at $15, $625/ $1000 at $9.75/$3.10, Stallone $27-$15 Race 6: Zaphod $4.80-$3.20 after a bet of $530 at $4.80, Race 7: Lulumon $15-$8.50 with a bet of $145 at $15 Race 8: Raikkonen $3.20-$3.50-$3.10 after bets of $800 at $3.50, $650 and $500 at $3.30, $910 at $3.20, Fiddler's Green $12-$7.50 Race 9: Headley Grange $4.50-$2.90 after bets of $500 at $4.40, $1000 at $3.10 Race 10: Accredited $500 at $9.75, $500 at $8.75, $1000 at $8, Kerguelen $3-$3.50-$2.80 He’s been racing consistently without winning this preparation but trainer Gerald Ryan is confident that’s all about to change for Grebeni in Saturday’s Listed $200,000 Civic Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick. Story: @RayThomas_1 — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 LADBROKE BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS – FLEMINGTON Race 1: Observer $2.15-$1.60 with some big bets including $1750 twice and $1700 at $2.15, $1570 and $1000 6 times at $2, $2100 twice, $2000 and $1800 at $1.95, $2100 at $1.80, Buccleuch $8-$5 with a bet of $290 at $8 Race 2: American Wolf $17-$12, Shockletz $910 at $3.20, $500 at $3.15, $1000 and $680 at $3, Vellasmachine $11-$6 with bets of $500 at $9.75, $250 at $8.5, Frontline Action $15-$11 Race 3: Cleo Cat $2.80-$3.15-$2.35 with bets of $500 at $3.15, $1000 and $500 at $3, $1050 and $520 at $2.90, $1100 at $2.80, $500 at $2.40 Race 4: Taken $500 at $3.10, $1050 at $2.90, From A Distance $13-$7 with a bet of $250 at $9 Race 5: Cafe Millenium with bets of $500 at $4.60, $590 and $500 twice at $4.50, Hard To Cross $500 at $28, Freak Of Nature $18-$10 with a bet of $120 at $18 Race 6: Bold Soul $5.50-$6-$5.50 including a big bet of $4000 win/place at $6/$2.15, Diwali $9-$6.50 Race 7: Splash Back $2.70-$1.80 with bets of $1180 6 times, $1000 4 times at $2.70, $1670 4 times, $1600, $1100 and $1000 4 times at $2.20, $2000 at $1.85 plus many others Race 8: Jimmy The Bear $5-$4.40 with a bet of $500 at $5 Race 9: Salsa Fellow $14-$7 after a bet of $180 at $12, Bridal Waltz $10-$6.50 with a bet of $222 at $10, Fieldelo $3.40-$2.80 after bets of $1000 a $3.55, $1000 at $3.45, $1000 at $3.40, $870 4 times, $640, $540 and $500 twice at $3.30, $950 and $600 at $3.10, She's An Artist $500 at $6 Craig Williams has an impressive book of rides tomorrow at Flemington, with a number of his runners at the top of the market ðŸ�‡ How many will salute? ðŸ¤' — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 • Laurie's Longshots: $20 value play on Tassie raider LADBROKE BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS – IPSWICH Race 1: No significant bets or market movers Race 2: Boy's Night Out $3.90-$3.10 Race 3: No significant bets or market movers Race 4: Taltarni Fields $4-$2.60 with bets of $1000 at $4.15, $670 at $4, $1000 at $3.90, $830 at $3.40 Race 5: Deep Respect $11-$6.50 with bets of $200 at $11, Just Flying $17-$8.50 with a bet of $145 at $15, Restonica $13-$8 with a bet of $165 at $13, Poseidon Ruler $18-$9.50 after a $120 at $18 Race 6: No significant bets or market movers Race 7: Poetic Drama $9-$6.50 with a bet of $250 at $9, Raf Attack $13-$9 after a bet of $165 at $13 Race 8: Warnie $3-$3.20-$2.60 with bets of $900 at $3.20, $1000 at $3.10, $1000 at $3.05, $1000 at $2.90, $2000 and $1000 at $2.85, $1100 and $750 at $2.80, $780 at $2.70, Devastate $14-$7 with a bet of $180 a $12 Race 9: Kin $9-$6, Gerringong $2.70-$3.10-$2.60 with bets of $525 at $2.90, $590 at $2.70 Trainer James Ponsonby says Philipsburg may be “no world beaterâ€� but is quietly confident the gelding can cause an upset in the Ipswich Cup. — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– INTERSTATE MAIL Ipswich Race 2 No.9 BOYS NIGHT OUT Ipswich Race 7 No.4 OSMOSE Ipswich Race 8 No.2 WARNIE Ipswich Race 9 No.16 GERRINGONG Morphettville Race 3 No.3 STARTS NOW The party-style atmosphere on Ipswich Cup day may not be the ideal sweet spot for a ‘delicate' filly but it is where John Singleton's youngster Gerringong can make a spring carnival statement. Story: @bendorries76 ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 â– â– â– â– â–
News.com.au
22 minutes ago
- News.com.au
On The Punt: Flemington best bets for Saturday June 21, 2025
News Corp form analyst Chris Vernuccio takes a look at the Flemington on Saturday. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! â– â– â– â– â– BEST BET CLEO CAT (R3 No.5): Cleo Cat has taken the next step this prep, winning her first two starts including a Group 3 in Adelaide before beating all but top mare Niance at Caulfield last start. She has Craig Williams engaged for her first attempt down the Flemington straight. NEXT BEST TAKEN (R4 No.1): Taken is flying with three consecutive wins including at the track and distance by three lengths last start. He jumps up in the weights for winning handicap races but takes on mostly benchmark and maiden performers here. He'll make his own luck on the speed with Craig Williams on board. JIMMY THE BEAR (R8 No.3): Jimmy The Bear was too far back from a wide barrier when second to Oh Too Good at Flemington last start. He stays at the track and trip and can settle closer from barrier two.
News.com.au
43 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Mum, 62, reveals how she lost incredible 30kg after her weight hit 119kgs
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