World News – UA – Tessa Lavey to juggle WNBL and AFLW with eye on Tokyo Olympics

Australian Opals point guard and new Richmond AFLW recruit Tessa Lavey is confident that she can successfully juggle her two sports and compete for selection next year at the Olympics

The Tigers selected Lavey with the No43 pick in Tuesday’s draft and she will play for Bendigo in next month’s WNBL season before entering AFLW 2021 competition But she is still looking for a place in Tokyo

« This is one of my goals – I went to Rio (2016) and really enjoyed this experience and it’s something with this opal group that I want to be a part of », a declared Lavey

« But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to have to work hard and really try to make it work. But Basketball Australia and (I) have spoken and we’ll try to make it work as much as possible »

Lavey wasn’t sure what would happen if his AFLW and basketball commitments clash next year, but said Opals coach Sandy Brondello had been « very supportive » of his decision to pursue two sports

She will skip the start of the AFLW preseason, with WNBL engagements starting next week Lavey and Richmond teammate Monique Conti then faces a two-week quarantine ahead of the WNBL season in the North Bubble. Queensland

Conti, who left Melbourne Boomers in January to focus on AFLW, has yet to announce his WNBL club but has trained with the Southside Flyers

« I can’t speak for Mon, but we knew we had to adjust the way we operate ahead of the season with the AFLW, » Lavey said

« I had spoken very closely with the Bendigo Spirit and just reassured them that I wasn’t going anywhere – that I was playing the WNBL season. When we get in the bubble I think Mon and I can do it. -be extra stuff, just to make sure we’re ready to go in January or late December « 

Lavey believed her AFLW fitness training would be beneficial for her basketball and was not concerned about potential criticism from the basketball community

« There will be people who will have their own opinions on what I should and shouldn’t do in my life, but that’s ultimately up to me, » she said. makes you happy, if it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, I think it’s really good « 

Tessa Lavey, AFL Women, Australian National Basketball Team, Richmond Football Club, Australian Football League, Basketball, Bendigo Spirit