Ruby Sargent-Wilson's rapid rise in Australian rules football continues, with the Illawarra talent poised to make her AFLW debut on Sunday.
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The Sydney Swans announced on Saturday that the Woonona teenager would play her first top-grade game for the club against the Kangaroos in Melbourne. Fellow former Swans Academy player Kiara Beesley will also play her inaugural game.
The opportunity comes just three years after Sargent-Wilson first decided to try the sport with her school. It was the move that paid off swiftly, with the 18-year-old making history in March when she became the first woman to sign a senior contract with the Swans.
The Woonona teenager, who will start in the midfield on Sunday, told the Mercury in July that it would be a dream come true to make her AFLW debut.
"I'm just trying to put my best foot forward and work on a few key short-term goals so hopefully when it comes to game time, I'll be hitting those targets," she said.
"I'm very grateful [to the Swans]. When we look back on the generations coming, I'm super excited for them to look up to us and role model the pathway that will hopefully pave the way for a professional environment. I'm super proud to be part of their inaugural season and really excited to see where it goes."
Sargent-Wilson's debut comes one week after fellow Illawarra talent Maddy Collier played her first AFLW game for the club.
The 26-year-old signed with the Swans in March following previous stints with GWS Giants and the West Coast Eagles. However, her first match in the red and white was delayed due to a serious ankle concern.
That opportunity finally came in Sydney's round five clash with the Hawks, with the Swans falling by four points in a thriller.
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Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
