Tess tracks toward 50 SANFLW games

By ZAC MILBANK

Defending has always come naturally to Central District’s Tess Gerhardy.

Whether it be on the netball court or on the football field, preventing her opponent from scoring has always been a sole focus.

But after being warned for being ”too rough” playing netball, the 20-year-old was quick to transition into playing footy with her local club, Kapunda.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, the Bulldogs premiership player said she has relished the challenge of playing SANFLW since making her debut in Round 4 of 2020.

After playing 11 matches in 2021, she has since developed her confidence each season to the point she hasn’t missed a match this year in the lead up to her 50th Hostplus SANFLW League game on Saturday.

Reaching the milestone in the First Semi-Final against Norwood will be all the more special for the university student, who is studying a Bachelor of Science majoring in chemistry and ecology.

And it won’t matter that her family faces a two-hour journey from the Barossa to Noarlunga to cheer her on against the Redlegs at Flinders University Stadium.