New Crow Hannah Munyard is eagerly awaiting the chance to link up with her new teammates in Adelaide’s 2021 AFLW season.
Having been a part of the South Australian football program for years, Munyard has become close friends with Crows players like Ebony Marinoff, Chelsea Biddell and draftee Teah Charlton.
Munyard considers Maddi Newman one of her best friends despite the pair never having played together.
“We haven’t really played on the same team before but to be able to train with her has been awesome and having someone who knows you so well on the field is really good,” Munyard said.
“It’s cool when you’ve got people who just want to see the best in you.”
The 19-year-old is heading into her second year of AFLW, after signing as a free agent for the Bulldogs in 2020.
Munyard was traded to the Crows in August to be closer to her family and friends after a tough 2020.
“I lost my mum in April, so that was a pretty big turning point for me, wanting to be with my family,” Munyard said.
“With my close friends at the Crows, it’s another support system for me I guess.
“The Crows have always been really supportive of me, so I thank them for giving me the opportunity to come home and be close to my family, it means the world to me.”
Football has always been a big part of the winger’s life, with the Munyard family being big Port Adelaide supporters and attending most games together.
Munyard’s father, Glenn, was even her first football coach and is one of her biggest mentors.
“When I was growing up, I would go to my dad’s training sessions where he coached my brother and I’d kick the footy around with my sisters,” Munyard said
“Dad taught me how to kick and how to handball properly.
“When he coached me, it was really good because he was able to be really honest, we had a couple of funny arguments at times but he was just great at teaching me the game and always encouraged me to give it my all.”
Another one of Munyard’s mentors is recent Crows retiree Courtney Cramey after the two bonded during the 2018 AFLW Championships on the Gold Coast.
“I had a really hard time understanding my mental game and I wasn’t performing very well and CJ (Cramey) was one who really helped me through that,” she said.
“She helped me understand that even though I’m having a bad game, it doesn’t have to change what I can do next and that’s really stuck with me until today – just not getting in my own head about things and how I can go about changing my mindset.”
Munyard will officially join the Crows squad when pre-season begins on Wednesday, November 4.
