Courtesy: The Queensland Times


Challenge spurs on natural talent

by Paul Smeaton

14th September 2011

AFTER representing her country in futsal, Kate Lutkins felt she needed a new challenge.

She is sporting a broken nose to prove she found it.

Football, futsal, baseball and now Aussie Rules - it seems the former Karalee product can juggle more than most on the sporting field.

It's not enough just to play either.

The 23-year-old's competitive spirit drives her to excel.

The all-round sportswoman recently turned her attention to Aussie Rules and like everything else she has attempted, she is a natural.

Consecutive best-on-ground performances for Yeronga/South Brisbane in this season's Brisbane Women's AFL competition secured Lutkins a premiership medal for her trophy cabinet and a painful reminder of the occasion.

"With about 10 minutes to go in the grand final, I copped a really hard elbow to the face," Lutkins said.

"I had to go off because of the blood rule.

"I was really frustrated. I was thinking 'bugger off, stop bleeding'. I didn't realise it was broken.

"I think I was a bit high on adrenalin."

Injuries are just part of life for the affable sportswoman who takes everything in her stride.

"It doesn't really worry me," she said.

"I had a really decent black eye from it.

"I wasn't really worried about me, I was more concerned people looking at me would think I'm a thug or something."

The premiership capped off a breakout AFL season for the high-achieving sportswoman, culminating in her being named winner of the Queensland Army Challenge Award.

The award is given to one AFL player in each state who displays courage, imitative and teamwork on the field.

Lutkins was also named player of the carnival at this year's state championships and represented Queensland at the national titles.

"The standard from club level to state level was a step up and then from state level to national level was just insane," Lutkins said.

"Victoria was just amazing, I think they beat us by a hundred points or something.

"They are very talented.

"I have a while to go before I match it with those girls but that just comes with experience.

"I'd love to be able to match it with the Victorians."

Lutkins now turns her attention back to futsal in a bid to make her second World Cup team.

After competing as a raw 20-year-old at the last world titles in Spain in 2008, Lutkins said she was looking forward to a chance to do it all again.

"Hopefully if I'm fit and well at nationals and play well enough to make the Australian squad," she said.

"Playing in the last World Cup was pretty amazing and probably ranks a bit ahead of the AFL nationals but I love both sports."




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com