Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've spoken in this chamber before about the wonderful Australian Rules footy team that I get to sponsor in my hometown of Rockingham, the Rockingham Rams. In 2017, I was over the moon to be able to sponsor the first women's team of this footy club, which has been a part of the community for over 60 years. Women's footy is proving very popular, and more young women have taken up playing for Rockingham. In 2018, I was able to support another women's footy team in that club. It's a terrific club, and the young women that play there are an inspiration.

It's the business end of the season for many sporting codes all around the country, and both of the Rockingham Rams women's teams made the grand final this year after a long year of training and teamwork. They played last Friday night but, sadly, both teams went down. The year 9/10 girls played against Safety Bay, but the Safety Bay girls won in the end. The year 11/12 girls played their great rival, Pinjarra, and, unfortunately—well, great for Pinjarra—Pinjarra won and Rocko lost. That's the thing: it's never much fun losing your grand final, but it's an important life lesson that things don't always go your way. These young women in all the teams that played across the grand final on Friday night train hard all year. They love the game, they are good at it and they have fun. I would like to thank the coach, Allan Godfrey, and all the great volunteers, parents and kids around the Rockingham Rams footy club that support the young women that play this great game. You are each amazing, and together you are phenomenal. Go, Rocky Rams.