Roffey stands tall in AFL’s boys club

WHEN you think footy fan, what comes to mind?Is it a beer-swilling, TV remote-throwing Neander thal (who quite possibly barracks for Adelaide)? Or is it a toothless, ink-covered, foul-mouthed Collingwood supporter? Or is it something more positive? A dedicated dad taking his boys to the MCG, or an old bloke with headphones sitting in the stands fastidiously scribbling the scores in the Record?Whatever it is, the archetypal footy fan you’re picturing is probably male. A man. A bloke. A fella. One of the boys.But it might be time to boot those gender-limited caricatures over the back fence, or throw them out with last week’s holding the ball interpretation.Forty-three per cent of people who watch AFL on TV are female, 40 per cent of paying AFL members are women and 30,000 girls participate in Auskick.And last night’s 14,000-strong Field of Women event at the MCG was an example of how footy can be used to increase awareness of a disease that primarily affects women.Though not part of the Field of Women, one female footy fan on the MCG turf last night was goal umpire Chelsea Roffey.Roffey, one of only two women to have officiated at AFL level, started her goal-umpiring career in Brisbane in 1998, while in her final year at school.“I was always kicking the footy around in the backyard. I just loved the game and used to watch it on tele all the time,” she says. “Being a part of it and waving the flags seemed like a fairly natural thing to do.”Even so, only one woman - another Queenslander, Katrina Pressley - had made it to the top level, and Roffey faced some challenges being an outsider progressing through the ranks.“Every now and then you’d do a game and get the odd sexist remark. “I had sense of having to prove myself and ensure that . . . I was seen to be there because I deserved it.” AFL selection came for Roffey in 2004, and she made her debut at the Gabba in August of that year. She recalls feeling overawed by the volume of the crowd and her determination to perform well.“I don’t think there was a lot of pressure externally, but I really felt it within myself.” She has stood on the goal line for 66 games, as well as this year’s NAB Cup final, and has quickly learned to handle the mandatory verbal barrages from fans.“A lot of people in the cheer squads from various clubs are actually very friendly, but there are those times when you make the hard decisions and you get a bit of abuse.“That can be good, because it shows they’re not discriminating; I’ m just one of the boys, and I’ll get treated like everyone else.” So, what attracted Roffey to Aussie Rules? And what is it about AFL that captures the interest of other women?“Probably for a small percentage it is the short shorts,” she jokes.“(For me), it’s a great game to watch, it’s a great game to play, and it’s so exciting - the way the lead can change so much, the marks, the goals.“It’s that family element as well. I have memories of being involved in footy from a young age and it’s that connection to families and friends and networks that really encourages everyone to be involved. There’s a real sense of community.”AFL spokesman Patrick Keane says women’s involvement is something the league has nurtured in recent decades, despite this year scrapping the popular women’s round.The transition from VFL to AFL has meant a shift from boozy, standing-room-heavy suburban grounds to more comfortable, safe and family-friendly grounds such as Etihad Stadium, he says.“A football club can’t survive unless it is part of the community and to do that it has to reflect that community . . . there’s no point appealing only to 35-year-old men.”Fans are also finding new ways to promote women’s interest and involvement in the game.Bulldogs supporter Nat Bolton founded the fan-based website herfooty.com.au last year, a site that has the motto, “we’re in it together”.“Herfooty is a community for women, to empower women through football,” Mrs Bolton says. “There’s a huge need for it - 40 per cent of paying customers for memberships are women.”Through the site, female footy fans can interact, blog about the game, discuss the big issues in footy and, hopefully, Mrs Bolton says, develop friendships.“We’ve already had interstate fans who have met and had a cuppa with each other before the game. “We’re attracting people from remote parts of Queensland on islands and expats who still follow the game. They can still get their fix. “I love that we’re breaking down the barriers.“Football is such a harmonious game. You can be on a tram after a game as a female and you can sit there with Collingwood scarves and North Melbourne scarves and there’s no animosity.”Various groups are sprouting on Facebook too, with one pushing to have Roffey selected for this year’s grand final.Lining up on that one day in September is something she aspires to, but Roffey hopes any selection will be based on form and not gender.“First and foremost, I’m an umpire and I want to be taken seriously. I want to make sure I’m out there doing the job.”And her tip - and following recent betting incidents involving umpires, her only tip - to women and girls who love footy as much as she does?“Don’t let anything hold you back. If you throw yourself in the deep end, you often find that you can achieve a lot and get a lot out of it.“You only live once, so get in and have a crack.”