AFLW star Erin Phillips says it is probably the most emotional she’s seen her dad in a very long time.
In a video that has had over 70,000 views on social media, Erin and her father, membership legend Greg Phillips, embrace as she reveals she will probably be sporting the primary guernsey because the inaugural chief of the Port Adelaide girls’s soccer crew.
“It is a shock,” says Greg, wiping away tears.
“It would not matter what quantity you put on, I am happy with you.”
“My dad is a fairly emotional man,” Erin Phillips instructed the ABC on the AFLW captains’ day final Wednesday.
“He sneaks down to look at coaching fairly a bit. I sewed him up and stated, carry a digital camera and a microphone, as a result of this may in all probability be fairly particular.
“He was clearly very emotional, and really proud.”
After making the transfer to Alberton within the low season, Phillips had initially been assigned the quantity 22 in honour of her father, who performed in eight membership premierships.
Greg wore 22 for almost all of his profession — and 7 premierships — earlier than switching to primary as he led the aspect to a different profitable grand last marketing campaign as captain in 1992.
Port Adelaide’s captains historically obtain the primary when appointed to the highest function.
“It is an unbelievable a part of Port Adelaide that the captain wears primary,” Phillips stated when requested if she’d thought-about breaking with custom and sporting 22.
“I feel it is particular. And you already know, my Dad did put on the primary, so that is nonetheless related to him as nicely. He acquired to guide this nice membership, and now I do too, and I am simply so proud.”
‘Chelsea and I are each extremely aggressive’
Forward of AFLW season seven, which kicks off on Thursday night at Princes Park, Phillips minimize a well-recognized determine amongst the group of membership captains that had gathered at Marvel stadium.
It was the primary time, nevertheless, that she had stood alongside good buddy and former co-captain of the Adelaide Crows Chelsea Randall in opposition colors.
“I all the time love seeing her,” stated Phillips.
“I am simply actually proud that I acquired to spend six years alongside Chelsea and we did some nice issues collectively on the membership — the success we had and what we have been in a position to construct collectively.
“You are by no means going to interrupt these friendships — they’re ceaselessly. However Chelsea and I are so extremely aggressive — after we cross the white line, we’ll play as laborious as we will.
“We wish to beat one another … I would not count on anything from Chelsea and the Adelaide Crows ladies.”
Regardless of her love for Randall and her former teammates, Phillips stated she was glad that she had made the appropriate selection to hitch the membership she’d adopted all her life.
“As an entire, for me, this feels proper, because it does for soccer in South Australia,” Phillips stated.
“I feel the affect of getting two groups goes to be unbelievable, and I hope that when the showdown does occur, Adelaide Oval is completely chockers and rocking, as a result of it will be an enormous celebration for South Australian girls’s soccer.”
‘I did not like enjoying in opposition to Loz an excessive amount of’
Forward of the Energy’s first season within the 18-team competitors, Phillips stated she and the management group — which incorporates one other former Crow as vice-captain in Ange Foley — had a novel alternative to outline the tradition of the crew.
“We wish to have a very particular connection,” Phillips stated.
“I am actually fortunate to have been a part of an amazing tradition on the Crows and that is your basis, that is going to offer you success.
“So we have actually spent plenty of time constructing connections and attending to know one another as individuals first and gamers second.”
This consists of the connection Phillips is creating with coach Lauren Arnell, who Phillips lined up in opposition to when she performed within the Brisbane Lions’ premiership overcome Adelaide.
“I did not like enjoying in opposition to Loz [Arnell] an excessive amount of,” Phillips laughed.
“[Arnell] is likely one of the best, do-whatever-it-takes-to-win sort of individuals. Then she’s come over as my coach, and she or he’s some of the caring individuals you have ever met.
“You suppose, gosh she was a tough nut on the sphere, [but] she’s simply great in her information of the sport, her care and the work she’s placing in.
“It is actually thrilling. Hopefully, we will hold constructing these connection items that she’s driving.”
Phillips can be thrilled to be enjoying alongside former Docker Gemma Houghton, who made the shock transfer to the membership after six seasons in Western Australia.
“It is a huge dedication for anybody to maneuver interstate,” Phillips stated.
“I stated to Gem, ‘I really feel such as you’ve been right here for 10 years.’ She loves the membership, she loves being in Adelaide, and her power and keenness are simply infections — she’s simply great to be round.
“I bear in mind many nightmares of Gemma Houghton getting the ball over the again and scoring objectives, as a result of it was over from that time, so I am simply glad that she’s on my crew now.”
And whereas it is simply their first season within the competitors, Phillips refuses to place a restrict on what the crew can obtain.
“We’re simply going to play a model of footy that is the Port Adelaide method — that our followers and members are going to like and, if we play that method, hopefully, success follows,” Phillips stated.
“Clearly, each single considered one of us, our objective is to win premierships, and now we have a really profitable membership that exists to win premierships, in order that’s one thing we wish to construct in direction of.”
