AMID all the recent celebrations for the recent premiership successes in the Western Border of Millicent’s footballers and netballers, there was also joy for two ex-Saints in an AFL Womens competition in the United Kingdom.
Working holidays have taken Tanaya Redman and Casey Hutchesson to London and they decided to pull on the footy boots and were rewarded with club best and fairest trophies.
With Tanaya working as a nanny and Casey as an occupational therapist, they starred in their free time at Aussie Rules.
Their trophies were announced on the very same weekend Millicent scored the top prizes in the two winter sporting codes.
“Moving away from home can be difficult, but when it’s halfway across the world it’s a whole other ball game,” Redman said.
“Lucky for myself and Casey we were able to find a home away from home in the form of the West London Wildcats, an AFL club based in West London with both a men’s and women’s team.
“The AFL London league is made up of eight clubs, with seven of those fielding women’s teams.
“Not only is the club a great place to play footy, it’s also an even better way to meet new people and get involved in a family-like culture.
“The people you play alongside and also the club itself becomes family.”
The two Millicent ex-pats had two familiar faces from their home region at the same club – Sam Telfer and Tegan Merrett.
Redman and Hutchesson both joined the women’s team by starting pre-season training in early January alongside past players and new players.
“The season started out with a pre-season tournament called the Leprechaun Cup held in Belfast, Ireland, where we finished runner-up after a physical and close match against a strong team called Lucky Charms,” Redman said.
“I was very humbled to receive the best player trophy for the tournament for the Wildcats.
“Both our Premier and Conference teams had an up and down season, with wins and losses throughout the 10 weeks.
“Across the 10 rounds Casey and I played both Premier and Conference for different reasons.
“I won the Premier best and fairest trophy for the West London Wildcats.
“We have been very lucky to be a part of such a great club and would definitely recommend them to anyone moving to London.
“I will move home this year, however Casey will be around next year playing again for the West London Wildcats.
“‘I was on the club committee this year and Casey is on it next year.
“We both played netball for the West London Wild kittens as well and it is a part of the Wildcats club.”
Tanaya’s last game of netball with Millicent was in the A Grade premiership side in 2016.
The 23-year-old is heading for home later this month and will be embraced by her parents Deb and Joel Redman, sister Zahra (18) and brothers Mason (21) and Eli (14).
Of the family, Mason is the best known in the sporting realm as he has spent the past three seasons with Essendon and is heading back to the Bombers in 2019.
Tanaya lives with a family with boys aged four and eight and has been in London since January of last year.
She has travelled through Europe and the UK while living there and a highlight was Scotland and Iceland.
Before Redman returns to Aussie soil she is going skydiving in Switzerland, which is something that has always been on her bucket list.
She is looking forward to playing women’s football for the Millicent Saints in 2019.
“I have really only been playing football this year, but have played a few games previously at Aquinas Boarding College in North Adelaide,” she said.
“I grew up around footy with both my brothers Eli and Mason playing and I kicked the footy with them and my Dad, Joel, in the backyard or at the footy oval in Millicent.
“I love playing in the midfield because I like to help direct the play and be around the footy all the time.
“I prefer a more defensive midfield role though, so I also enjoy playing off halfback.
“I have not had any injuries footy-related yet except maybe a few head knocks, but I am frequently covered in bruises.
“I think playing netball helped me in football in terms of positioning and structure, but it has not helped my netball really.
“I found that I was not playing as well in netball because I had more of a “footy brain”.
“I love playing footy and whether we win or lose I enjoy every game.”
