She was almost barred from playing her final year of junior footy and now Fremantle’s newest AFLW cult hero Roxy Roux is showing Australian football fans what the buzz is all about.
Roux has burst into the limelight after just two games for the Dockers, with the No.12 pick from last year’s draft well on track for future superstar status.
The 18-year-old booted two goals and took a mark-of-the-year contender in last week’s 45-point demolition of West Coast.
Roux also starred in the round-one win over Geelong when she mixed duties between the ruck and attack.
The 170cm forward’s exuberant goal celebrations have also added extra excitement to a women’s league that continues to go from strength to strength.
Roux has always displayed special skills and the formation of the AFLW gave her something to aim towards.
But she was almost prevented from playing junior football for Dongara because of her gender.
Upon getting drafted to the AFLW, Roux paid tribute to the Dongara Junior Football Club for ensuring she could chase her dream and be named skipper of the boys team in the process.
“In my last year of football in Dongara there was a vote going around all of the footy clubs that they didn’t want me to play that year,” Roux told Fremantle’s website.
“I eventually ended up playing through the help of a few people in the Dongara committee, Robert Mark and Kylie Hill, who really just advocated for me and eventually I got my spot.
“It showed how much we were a family when they voted for me as their captain.
“It was a really big step, I think, for the town of Dongara to have me come in and be this no-name person and all of a sudden I’m the captain of the boys footy team, which I never thought I’d ever be.”
Roux is taking nothing for granted as she attempts to forge a long football career.
“I’ve wanted this for such a long time, it’s been a lifelong dream of mine,” Roux said.
“I remember mum looking at me one day and going, ‘Look, if there’s no women’s league we’ll get you into the men’s league, and if not then we’ll get you to the highest level’.”
Fremantle will be aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they host fellow high flyers Collingwood on Saturday.