Living the dream: ‘Eight-year-old Bonnie would never have believed it’
When Bonnie Toogood was a kid, there was no top-level footy for girls. Now she’s an AFLW captain, All-Australian, and an inspiration for the next generation.
AFLW star Bonnie Toogood will fulfil a childhood dream as she co-captains the Essendon Bombers, the club she grew up supporting, as they make their competition debut next week.
“It is absolutely a dream come true,” Bonnie told House of Wellness radio.
“If you’d told little Bonnie at eight years old that one day she’ll play for the Essendon Football Club, I wouldn’t have believed you, because obviously back then we didn’t have women playing at the highest level.
“But to almost come full circle and play for this great club, I’m very proud, I’m very excited and my family is also very proud.”
Joining the Bombers after five seasons with the Western Bulldogs, Bonnie comes off a stellar 2022 where she was named in the All Australian squad.
Booting 10 goals last year, the exciting utility says she is happy to contribute all over the ground, but loves playing in the forward line.
“Whatever the coach needs from me – I’m happy to push up the ground,” Bonnie says.
“If they need me to go back I will, I’m happy to run through the middle, I’ll give it my best shot.
“But I do like being down in the forward line, I do love a goal celebration.”
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Inspiring the next generation
The Bombers join Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Sydney Swans as the new AFLW sides for the upcoming season, meaning each AFL club now has a women’s team.
Bonnie loves the community feel the women’s competition brings to the game, and is proud to be part of the evolving face of the game.
“It’s that community feel and bringing all kinds of people back to the sport,” Bonnie says.
“I think that is what women’s footy is doing at the moment.”
She says female football players are paving the way of the future for all young kids watching the game.
“We’re taking it in our stride that we are role models for the up and coming generation,” Bonnie says.
“Not just girls seeing women playing at the highest level, but also young boys being able to see we’re doing what we’re doing.”
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Learning to fuel right
Now entering her sixth year in the competition, Bonnie has come to understand the importance of fuelling her body correctly for optimum performance.
“In my first couple of years in the league I thought I did enough exercise to warrant being able to eat anything I want, but throughout my journey I’ve realised as a professional athlete there’s good fuel and bad fuel,” she says.
She now adapts her diet depending on the phase of the season.
Off-training days see her eating “relatively healthy” foods, while training and game day allows some room for treats such as lollies and white bread with honey.
“What I’ve learned is if you put good food in, you get better performances on the other end.
“It took me a little while to figure that out, but now that I have, I’m really reaping the benefits.”
The 2022/23 AFLW season starts on August 25 with Carlton vs Collingwood at IKON Park.
Written by Chloé Chiappa.
Photo: Essendon Football Club
