Young Karratha duo ready to lace up for WAFLW’s Peel Thunder

Two of the Pilbara’s best young footballers are a step closer to reaching their dreams of playing AFLW after being named in the reigning WAFLW premiers’ squad. Karratha’s Jaedey Evans and Makinley Minchin recently made the senior Peel Thunder WAFLW squad for the 2021 season. The 18-year-olds, who both played in the inaugural Karratha Women’s Football Association premiership side Karratha Kats last year, said they were “stoked” with their achievement. The duo moved to Mandurah in January and began training with the Peel side before being named in the squad last week. Minchin said she was honoured by the opportunity. “The standards there were so high. Peel Thunder welcomed us with open arms and we couldn’t be more grateful to be accepted into the side,” she said. “We couldn’t thank the Kats club and all the support from Karratha enough. We couldn’t have done it without them.” Both players enjoy playing wing and midfield, and said making the AFLW was their sole focus. “We are both striving for AFLW and we are working super-hard,” Evans said. “We are both super-passionate and I think that was what everyone recognised. “We are willing to do anything to further our skills and do whatever we can to make it.” The pair hope to show other young female players in the Pilbara that anything is possible. “At the Kats we have young girls, like 13-year-olds even, and I think it would be awesome for them to see that we can go far and it is possible,” Minchin said. “I do believe that we are role models for them and I hope they know they can do it because we are doing it now.” Evans agreed, saying she hoped to help other girls come to Perth and achieve their football dreams. “We’d be more than happy and more than willing to help out wherever we can to get girls down here,” she said.