Adelaide recruit Sarah Goodwin knows just how passionate Crows fans can be, having grown up supporting the Club.
Now, she will get an opportunity to don the colours as a player after being recruited to the Crows AFLW team during last month’s Sign and Trade period.
For Goodwin, her connection to the Crows goes back even further, having been part of the Club’s Bridgestone Next Generation Academy as a youngster.
Speaking to AFC Media, the 18-year-old defender said being given an opportunity to return to West Lakes was a “surreal” moment.
“I was very excited (when the trade was confirmed) and it is all just a bit surreal to be honest,” Goodwin said.
“The opportunity (to make the move) came up and being a Crows supporter my whole life and coming up through the NGA Academy, I just thought this was the right time to make the move.”
Goodwin’s AFLW career began last year, when she was drafted by Port Adelaide with Pick No.7 at the 2022 AFLW Draft.
Goodwin got a taste of the elite level last season, playing five games in the Power’s inaugural AFLW campaign.
While she was grateful for the opportunity Port Adelaide gave her, the chance to live out her childhood dream of donning the tri-colours was too good to pass up.
She said she was keen to enter an exciting new chapter of her career in familiar surroundings.
“It was a pretty special moment making my debut and I learnt so much from my first year in the AFLW,” Goodwin said.
“I am really grateful for the opportunity Port gave me and I made lots of great friends. Now, I can’t wait to continue my development here at the Crows.”
Goodwin has been greeted by some familiar faces at Adelaide.
The exciting half-back played in a SANFLW premiership with Ebony Marinoff, Caitlin Gould and Brooke Tonon in 2021, and also lined up alongside Kiera Mueller and Keeley Kustermann in the undefeated South Australian under-18 team last year.
Goodwin and Kustermann were both selected in the 2022 AFLW under-18 All Australian team, and also grew up doing athletics together.
Goodwin said she had received a warm welcome from her new teammates and could not wait to showcase her talents in the tri-colours.
“I’ve spoken to both Doc (Matthew Clarke) and Chels (Chelsea Randall) and they have been great in making me feel welcome here,” Goodwin said.
“Ebony Marinoff was my favourite women’s player growing up, so to have her here presenting the jumper is a pretty special moment for me.
“Hopefully, I’ll be able to bring a bit of speed across half back and on the wing and I can’t wait to get started.”
Goodwin returned to the SANFLW in sparkling form this season, collecting 60 possessions across two games for Glenelg before spraining her ankle in the first quarter last weekend.
Fortunately, Goodwin will be fit and ready to start pre-season with her new teammates in the coming months.