Latest news with #AllAustralian
News.com.au
12 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli to open contract talks next week
There's no anxiety for Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli, who won't rush to sign a new contract but is ready to get 'rolling' on talks that will ramp up next week after a series of early season interruptions. One of the best players in the AFL, if not the best, Bontempelli, 29, is off contract in October and yet to ink his next deal despite the season reaching its halfway mark. Bontempelli's last contract was a four-year deal signed in 2021, but amid a changed landscape of longer contracts taking player commitments beyond 2030 for increased money, the six-time All-Australian remains unfazed by the lack of movement. Having endured a pre-season calf injury that delayed his entry to 2025 until round 7, Bontempelli put other matters, including his off-season engagement, ahead of contract talks. But now he's ready to get going and seal his future, which should come as welcome relief to Bulldogs fans. 'It's going well – obviously, it's getting to the point now where things will start to open up,' Bontempelli said. 'There was a lot going on in my life early on in the season and hence why – probably no different to other years – I took my time a little bit with it. 'But those conversations are definitely starting to take place, pretty much as of next week, so the ball can well and truly get rolling with that.' The six-time best and fairest winner also played a straight bat when asked about reports that suggested Collingwood would launch an audacious bid to lure him to the Magpies. 'That information never really came to me at all, to be honest,' Bontempelli said. Things are stabilising at the Bulldogs with the return of troubled teammate Jamarra Ugle-Hagan to the club, and training this week, which excited the skipper who was reluctant to talk about a playing return. 'Ultimately, I want him to just enjoy being back in the environment,' he said. 'Hopefully, getting to the stage in the not-too-distant future where he can look at playing again.'
Mercury
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Mercury
Jeremy McGovern retires: AFL concussion panel, medical retirement
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. West Coast key defender Jeremy McGovern has been medically retired by the AFL's concussion panel. The 33 year old has not played since round 8 after suffering a concussion against Melbourne, with the independent health experts intervening after failing to overcome symptoms. McGovern will retire as a five-time All Australian and a premiership hero, involved in the iconic passage of play that led to Dom Sheed's matchwinning set shot against Collingwood in 2018. He played 197 games, all for the Eagles, after being drafted at No.44 in the 2011 rookie draft, and quickly became one of the AFL's best intercept defenders. 'It's been an absolute honour to pull on the West Coast jumper for the past 15 years and it's something that I will forever be grateful for,' McGovern said. 'As much as this isn't the way I would have liked to go out, I respect the decision. 'I'm gutted I don't get to pull the jumper on and run out one more time, but sometimes this is the way the game goes, and I am forever grateful to the West Coast supporters who have also shown me love and respect. 'I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with my career over the journey. 'My family – mum and dad, my brother Mitch, my wife Madi and my three kids Hudson, Marlee and Lewie – have been my biggest supporters, as well as my friends who have been amazing through my whole time in the AFL. 'To the club, I can't explain how much you have given me over my time here and I can't thank you enough for drafting a fat kid from Albany and giving him a crack. 'I've always loved the game and winning a premiership is every kid's dream, but the lifelong friendships and relationships you build through footy mean more to me than anything. 'I will forever be indebted to West Coast and I will always bleed blue and gold.' Originally published as West Coast premiership star Jeremy McGovern medically retired by AFL concussion panel
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Non-binary footy player becomes first AFLW star to undergo gender-affirming top surgery
Hawthorn AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd has become the first current player in the league to undergo gender-affirming top surgery. The 29-year-old, who came out as non-binary two years ago, revealed they underwent the procedure during the AFLW off-season, describing the experience not as a dramatic transformation, but more like finally aligning their outward appearance with the person they've always seen in the mirror. 'People often ask me, 'How do I feel now that I've had it?' Lucas-Rodd told ABC Sport. 'A lot of people who've had the operation have really big emotions and really big elation. But 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.' The operation, which involves the removal of breast tissue in what is essentially a double mastectomy, also included nipple grafts - something some people opt out of, but which Lucas-Rodd chose to include as part of the procedure. Before surgery, life on and off the field was often a physical and mental struggle. Lucas-Rodd, a former Hawks captain and 2024 All Australian, regularly taped their chest or wore an extremely tight binder - even during games - to flatten their chest and reduce dysphoria. The compression would often restrict breathing, cause back pain, and make movement difficult, but it felt like the lesser of two evils when compared to feeling exposed while playing professional sport on a national stage. 'In the past, I used to wear a guernsey that was at least two sizes too big,' they said. 'Last year, I wore a size medium or large when I was previously an extra small. I had huge discomfort around my chest, huge dysphoria. It didn't match up with what I felt internally I should look like.' That mismatch is now gone. Lucas-Rodd says the joy they feel training and preparing for the new season - set to begin in August - is hard to describe. For the first time in their career, they're stepping out onto the track without a binder, without a sports bra, just wearing their guernsey and feeling completely at ease in their skin. 'I've already felt that during training - being able to just be free, to not wear a sports bra, not wear a binder, just put my jumper on,' they said. 'Going out onto the track in our training guernseys or singlets, I just feel so, so happy and so just like me.' Lucas-Rodd is now the first current AFLW player to undergo top surgery, following in the footsteps of former players El Chaston and Tori Groves-Little, who both had the procedure after being delisted. Two years ago, Lucas-Rodd became the third AFLW player to come out publicly as non-binary - after Groves-Little and Carlton's Darcy Vescio. They told fans in a video shared by Hawthorn: 'I don't really identify strongly as my assigned gender at birth, which is female… I don't feel like I fit into that label, and at the same time I don't feel like I'm a male either. So for me, the label 'non-binary' feels most comfortable.' Since coming out, Lucas-Rodd has continued exploring how they identify, including engaging with aspects of the transmasculine experience. 'Obviously I'm non-binary, but there's transmasc,' they said. 'It's something I'm still exploring and I think that's awesome. That's the thing about your sexuality and gender - it's constantly evolving and ever changing.' In preparing for the surgery, Lucas-Rodd drew strength and support from other players who had walked a similar path. They messaged El Chaston often in the lead-up, asking questions about recovery and the process. But at first, they weren't sure if they'd go public with their decision. 'I was messaging a friend a few weeks ago, and at first I wasn't going to come out publicly,' they said. 'They were just curious and asked, 'Why wouldn't you?' It really made me reflect. What am I scared of? Then I thought, 'They've done it. They were accepted. Why can't I?' While their close friends at Hawthorn were aware of the surgery ahead of time - including teammate Jenna Richardson, who was with them in hospital - the rest of the playing group found out at preseason camp, when Lucas-Rodd decided it was time to tell the full team. 'I knew we'd be doing water-based activities, and in footy, there's a lot of recovery and you're often in bathing suits together,' they said. 'Now the greatest thing is, I don't have to wear anything on top. So I knew going into camp that I'd kind of have to tell the team.' They sent a message to the group and were met with nothing but support. 'I saw them the next day at footy, and there were a few questions and lots of interest… but everyone just met me with such love and acceptance.' Going public with their story, however, brings new challenges - especially as it moves outside the safer spaces of AFLW circles and into the broader AFL community, which can be less welcoming. 'It's nerve-racking,' Lucas-Rodd admitted. 'Whenever I've spoken out on queer issues - whether it be Pride Round or when I came out as non-binary - the comments that were hard to read weren't from the AFLW community. 'They were from the AFL community and the broader Australian public. There was some horrendous stuff online. 'So I've spoken to my family and friends about that - that the broader AFL community will now have comment. It's not just going to be in my safe space of AFLW fans.' Still, they say the decision to speak out is bigger than them. 'When you're doing it for something that's bigger than yourself, you kind of take that and you accept that that's going to happen. 'And I've got really supportive people in my close circle that will shower me with love, and put their arms around me.' Lucas-Rodd says one of their biggest motivations for sharing their experience is to help others who might be going through something similar but lack the support or confidence to speak up. 'For people that might not be able to have these conversations, might not be able to start this process of gender affirming care because they can't talk to people in their own lives, I hope this shows them that they're not alone,' they said. 'It's also to show gender-diverse and trans people that there is a place for them in sport.' They know there will be backlash, but that won't stop them. '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, you belong in sport and you belong at a professional and elite level,' they said. Lucas-Rodd said the dominant feeling post-surgery is one of joy - unfiltered and overwhelming joy. 'If I see myself, especially shirtless, I'm like, 'This rocks,' they laughed. 'Being on the other side now, it's a huge relief. You build it up in your head, and there's nervousness and anxiety - and that's real. But now that I'm here? Yeah, it's amazing.' On the field, Lucas-Rodd was a force for Hawthorn in 2024, delivering a standout season after shifting from midfield to defence. They played every game, averaged more than 20 disposals per match, and finished top five in the league for total kicks. They reached their 75th AFLW game milestone during Hawthorn's first ever finals campaign and capped it all off with a place in the All Australian team.
ABC News
a day ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Hawthorn's AFLW star Tilly Lucas-Rodd undergoes gender affirming top surgery
Over the AFLW off-season, Hawthorn star Tilly Lucas-Rodd underwent top surgery, a gender-affirming procedure that involves the removal of breast tissue in essentially a double mastectomy. "People often have asked me, 'How do I feel now that I've had it' — post surgery seeing myself," Lucas-Rodd told ABC Sport. "A lot of people [who've had the operation] have really big emotions and really big elation. "But 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." Lucas-Rodd had their nipples put back on with nipple graphs, which some people post-surgery choose not to. Before the surgery, 29-year-old midfielder-turned-halfback would tape their chest or wear a really tight binder, including when they were playing footy. The compression would restrict their rib cage movement, make it hard to breathe and hurt their back. "But the alternative was to feel really uncomfortable on a national stage playing sport — and something that's so public," Lucas-Rodd said, who is an inaugural AFLW player, former Hawks captain and All Australian. Lucas-Rodd even played in a guernsey at least two sizes too big, to hide their body. "Last year I wore, I think, a size medium or large when I was previously an extra small," 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." Now, Lucas-Rodd beams when thinking about playing this season, which starts in August. "I've already felt that with training and being able to just be free, to not wear a sports bra, not wear a binder, just put my jumper on," they said. "Going out onto the track in our training guernseys or our singlets, I just feel so, so happy and so just like me." Lucas-Rodd is the first current AFLW player to get top surgery. Former players El Chaston (Collingwood, now captain of Essendon's VFLW side) and Tori Grooves-Little (Gold Coast) underwent the procedure after being delisted from their respective clubs. Two years ago, Lucas-Rodd was the third player to come out as non-binary, following in the footsteps of Grooves-Little and Carlton star Darcy Vescio. Through a video posted to Hawthorn's website, Lucas-Rodd told fans: "I 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. So for me, the label 'non-binary' feels most comfortable about how I identify in terms of my gender." Some people who identify as non-binary also use trans rhetoric, which Lucas-Rodd said they are exploring in their self-identity. "Obviously I'm non-binary, but there's transmasc," they said. "But it's something I'm still exploring and getting to and I think that's awesome. Having other players be outspoken about their surgery journeys helped Lucas-Rodd. They often messaged Chaston leading into their own procedure for advice on recovery timeline and the process. "I was messaging a friend a few weeks ago, and at first I wasn't going to come out publicly, and they were just curious, they said, 'Why wouldn't you?' It really made me reflect. What am I scared of?" they said. "And then seeing two other people that have come from the same path of AFLW do it. I was like, 'Why can't I?' They've done it and they were accepted. So I could be the next one to do that." A lot of people in Lucas-Rodd's own life don't know they've had the surgery yet. "How do you bring it up?" they said. "It's daunting having to come out to individual people". While their close friends at the club knew about the surgery prior to it — defender Jenna Richarson was in the hospital recovery room — the rest of the Hawks' playing group and staff found out at preseason camp. "I knew that we were going to be doing water based activities and things like that — and also, being football, you do a lot of recovery, and are in the water a lot, in your bathing suits together — and for me, now the greatest thing is I don't have to wear anything on top," they said. "So I knew going into camp that I'd kind of have to tell the team. "I messaged the group and they were amazing. I saw them the next day at footy, and there were a few questions and lots of interest … But everyone just met me with such love and acceptance." It is, however, a daunting prospect for Lucas-Rodd having the wider AFL community learn about their story. "Nerve-racking," is the word they use. "Whenever I've spoken out on queer issues, whether it be Pride Round or when I came out as non binary a few years ago, the comments that were hard to read were from probably not the AFLW community, it was the AFL and the broader Australian community," they said. "There was some horrendous stuff (on X and Facebook). So I've definitely spoken to my family and friends about that, that possibility the broader AFL community will now have comment. It's not going to be in my safe space of just AFLW fans. "But when you're doing it for something that's bigger than yourself, you kind of take that and you accept that that's going to happen. "And I've got really supportive people in my close circle that will shower me with love, and put their arms around me." Lucas-Rodd wanted to share their story for others who might be able to relate or feel seen. "For people that might not be able to have these conversations, might not be able to start this process of gender affirming care, because they can't have those conversations with people in their own lives," they said. "It's also to show gender diverse and trans people that there is a place for them in sport. "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." The main emotion tied to Lucas-Rodd's surgery is joy. "If I see myself, especially shirtless, I'm like, 'This rocks,'" they said. "Being on the other side now, it's a huge relief. You can kind of build it up in your head, and obviously there's nervousness and anxiety, and that's a real thing. "There's real reasons you feel that. But being on the other side, yeah, it's amazing."
7NEWS
2 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Jeremy McGovern's extraordinary AFL career set to be ended within days
Jeremy McGovern's extraordinary AFL career is set to come to an end within days. The 33-year-old has been sidelined since being knocked out in a game almost seven weeks ago, having failed to progress through the league's return-to-play protocols. The situation escalated last week when the 2018 premiership player faced the league's concussion panel. A determination on his future in football is expected by the end of the week or perhaps early next week, according to 7NEWS Perth's Ryan Daniels. 'Look, I've thought this the whole way through — I think it's unlikely we see Jeremy McGovern play footy again,' he said on Triple M. 'I think we'd all love to see him but health is paramount and I think we all want that to be the main focus here, and I think he does too. 'Jeremy wants to play footy — of course he does, he's a competitor and he's one of the greats of the West Coast Eagles football club. 'I think we're now heading into a space that it's unlikely he plays footy again.' James Brayshaw added: 'That would be a shame with the quality that he is.' McGovern was a shining light for West Coast last year, winning his first club best and fairest. He also claimed his fifth AFL All Australian blazer — five years after last being named to the elite team. Eagles coach Andrew McQualter praised McGovern for his selfless response to the concussion situation last month. 'Gov's one of our leaders, and he's still one of our terrific leaders,' McQualter said. 'He's been involved all week in our leadership meetings and our meetings in general. 'We understand it's a challenging time. But Gov's been doing this for a long time. 'He's a very mature guy. He's got a great family and network around him as well.' McGovern is set to retire with 197 games to his name, including a 2018 grand final performance that will go down in Eagles history. The defender suffered internal bleeding following a corkie in the preliminary final and spent time in hospital, barely training before the MCG decider. Yet there he was with minutes remaining on the last Saturday in September. McGovern took the mark that propelled West Coast from the wrong end of the ground, leading to Dom Sheed's famous match-winning goal.
