Jane Lange was part of the triumphant Victorian team at last week’s AFL Women’s National Championships in Canberra in just her first year playing the sport.By Marc McGowan
FORMER Narre Warren resident Jane Lange completed her fairytale rise in football by playing in Victoria’s winning grand final side at the 2007 AFL Women’s National Championships in Canberra on Saturday.
The week-long championships gave Lange, 23, the perfect platform to display her skills and they were most evident on day two against South Australia when she slotted through four goals from half-forward flank.
Amazingly, this is her first year playing the sport competitively but she has not let that stop her succeeding firstly for the Darebin Falcons in the Victorian Women’s Football League (VWFL) and now for her state.
“I always loved it at school, and a friend of mine used to play for a team and she asked me if I wanted to play somewhere and Darebin was the closest,” Lange, who moved to Thornbury in December, said.
“I didn’t actually think I would play straight away.
“I was just happy to go and do a pre-season with them but I loved it so much that I just started the season with them.
“I also didn’t think I’d enjoy it so much and the team atmosphere is full-on and all the girls are really into footy.”
Just imagine Lange’s shock when the coach at Darebin selected her as one of four players from the club to try out for the Victorian team.
“It was pretty surprising that in my first year I made the state team,” the former Dandenong Rangers basketballer said.
“I could not get the smile off my face – I was absolutely over the moon.”
Lange filled multiple roles at the championships, including the wing, back pocket, half-forward and the centre, as she rose to the occasion.
“To play with such a good team – 25 of some of the better players in the competition – lifts everyone and you lift yourself because you don’t want to let anyone of them down,” the second-year physical education student at RMIT University said.
“The competition itself was so intense – I loved it.”
Victoria romped through the tournament and Lange believes it had much to do with the companionship between the players, which she said had been described as the best in many years.
“The camaraderie in the team was great. You work so hard for team-mates and at the end of the game you feel even closer than at the start,” she said.
“It’s such an intense sport and you can run 30 metres to put a shepherd on.
“There were no little groups or people segregated – we were just one really tight group.”
It all led to grand final day, and after handling the pressure well in the lead-up, Lange was afflicted by nerves.
“I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be but certainly when I was lining up for the national anthem there were a few butterflies,” she said.
“But as soon as the ball bounced they went away.”
Lange was ecstatic once the final siren went to make official Victoria’s 12.6.78 to 4.3.27 thumping of Western Australia.
“It felt kind of weird because we had to shake hands initially with the other team, and you had to contain yourself a little bit and we thanked the other team for playing,” she said.
“Once we did that it was on – everyone was yelling and singing the team song on the ground, which was great.”
So do All-Australian honours beckon in 2008?
“I would love to do that, but basically I just want to finish this year off and if I can win a flag (for Darebin) in my first year that would be pretty good,” Lange said.
