Courtesy: The Queensland Times


Lutkins heads to MCG after gaining national honours

by Jay Buchan

25th Jun 2013

HAVING captained her country at futsal, Ipswich product Kate Lutkins has added All-Australian Aussie Rules honours to her list of sporting achievements.

Lutkins played a key role in Queensland's third place finish at the national titles in Cairns last week. She was rewarded with her first national selection.

Queensland finished behind Victoria and Western Australia, just as they did last time Lutkins represented Queensland at the biennial titles, in 2011.

"We have a thing with third," Lutkins said.

"Victoria and Western Australia are well and truly the benchmark."

Queensland held off NSW in a close match to claim the mantle as best of the rest.

Aged 25, Lutkins would like to be around to see Queensland overturn the dominance of the big two in the south and west of the country.

"In a few years hopefully we will catch one of them," she said.

"We were happy with third.

"They've played a lot longer than us.

"We were hoping the heat would be on our side.

"We played well but not to our full capacity."

Lutkins had a similar assessment of her own performances, which is part of the reason she was surprised to earn All-Australian selection.

"I think I played all-right," the on-baller said.

"I would have liked to have been a bit fitter but I was still up there."

Lutkins has little time to reflect on her achievements.

This weekend she is off to Melbourne, having been drafted to play in the women's Melbourne Demons versus Western Bulldogs match at the MCG.

Following the national titles, 250 women nominated for the draft with 50 picked to represent the Demons and Bulldogs.

The match is the curtain raiser to the men's Bulldogs versus Demons AFL clash.

"I didn't expect that, either," Lutkins said.

"It's good because there's six other Queenslanders in there."

It is the first women's draft and the AFL hopes it is a precursor to a national women's competition in the future.

Lutkins plays her club football for Yeronga, who lead the Brisbane women's competition, heading into the second half of the season.

It means Aussie Rules is taking up much of her current focus, but Lutkins has another big goal to strive for this year.

In November she is off to Colombia for the Futsal Women's World Cup.






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