SHE was Carlton’s first pick in the 2018 NAB AFLW Draft, and now autograph No.1 has been ticked off for Maddy Prespakis.
Taking place over the weekend at the Club’s pre-season camp at Queenscliff, the new No.4 was asked for her signature from a fan.
And according to General Manager of Women’s Football Nicole Graves, Prespakis handled it with aplomb - despite the initial trepidation.
“I was saying to Maddy ‘it’s time to sign your first autograph’, and her reaction was ‘what do I write? ‘Do I write M. Prespakis?’,” Graves laughed.
Gruelling yet rewarding.
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) December 17, 2018
That was the word from General Manager of Women's Football Nicole Graves following our first ever pre-season camp in Queenscliff.#BoundByBlue
“I took her over to sign and the kid was chuffed. I let the dad know that his son had our No.1 pick’s first-ever autograph.
“You kind of forget that even though her name has been everywhere in terms of her football, now she’s an AFL player and she had to sign for the first time.”
Even more poignant was the fact that the request was made from a young supporter in an Indigenous Carlton guernsey.
Alongside Nat Plane, Prespakis joined former Docker Kirby Bentley as the newest members of Carlton’s Indigenous contingent.
Maddy Prespakis is ready to bring some firepower to our AFLW midfield in 2019. #AFLWDraft #BoundByBlue pic.twitter.com/2BXmn9VYEd
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) October 23, 2018
“A young fella was down there with the Indigenous Carlton jumper on… For it to be on that jumper, it was really nice,” Graves said.
“One of the key reasons why Maddy came to Carlton was because of her culture — learning her culture and recognising her culture.
“It was pretty unique, especially being away from here and in an area where probably a lot of people aren’t mad Carlton. You saw her excitement to do it and the family’s excitement to receive it.”