By KRISTEN ALEBAKIS
COONEY AND LAKE are expected to line-up for Caroline Springs this season.
Not Adam or Brian, but their wives Haylea and Shannon.
The duo along with Jake Stringer’s former partner Abby Gilmore, have been training with the Lakers’ Senior Women’s team.
After supporting their husbands and partners for several years, the star trio are now looking to make their own mark on the game.
Shannon Lake, a mother of three, said she was encouraged to start playing footy by Caroline Springs vice-president Terry Azzopardi.
“I was mucking around with the footy one day and Terry said to me ‘you can kick the footy’ and told me to have a go playing in the women’s team,” she said.
“I got Haylea to come to a training session with me and then Abby came along and we actually enjoyed it and decided to commit to playing the season.”
“I wish I started playing 10 years ago, it’s so much fun.”
The Lakers took on Glen Orden in a practice match on Sunday night in front of a bumper crowd, with Shannon, Haylea and Abby, pulling on the jumper for the first time.
“There was about 1500 people at the ground,” Shannon said.
“It was an intense match, there was a lot of tackling and it was low scoring, but it was good.”
“It was our first match and I think we surprised ourselves with how we played.”
Shannon said, husband Brian was proud of her and was giving her some advice as she prepares for the season ahead.
“I could hear him screaming on the sidelines,” she laughed.
“I laid a tackle and all I heard from the crowd was him yelling, ‘that’s my wife’.”
“It was great to have him and Adam (Cooney) at the game. We have supported them over their football careers and now it’s their turn to support us.”
More announcements regarding the Senior Women’s competition will be made in the coming weeks, with the season set to kick off on April 23.
Picture: ABBY GILMORE'S INSTAGRAM
Last Modified on 30/03/2017 15:37