Nothing Izzy about Kuiper reaching 50 games

By ZAC MILBANK

Sturt’s Izzy Kuiper will have her determination and persistence rewarded when she plays her 50th Hostplus SANFLW League match on Saturday night.

First, Kuiper had to deal with the lack of a female pathway after initially beginning her football journey with twin brother Zachary, playing with the boys at Onkaparinga Valley.

Then, after making her SANFLW debut with the Double Blues in 2019, Kuiper was forced to watch on as her team played in its maiden Grand Final in 2022.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, the 22-year-old recalled how an ACL injury suffered in the Preliminary Final ended up fuelling her desire to recover as quickly as possible for the 2023 campaign.

As a result, Kuiper remarkably only missed four games before making her comeback the following season, resuming her natural ball-winning ways as one of the SANFLW’s most prolific midfielders.

A registered nurse, Kuiper is looking forward to pushing her case to make the final 22 for the SANFLW State team’s clash with the WAFLW in Perth on May 4.

But first, she will be aiming to ensure the Double Blues return to the winners list against South Adelaide at Flinders University Stadium on Saturday night.