It’s been 12 years since Jess Wuetschner last represented Tasmania, and for the state’s under-18 girls coach, that can feel like a lifetime ago. “A lot of my current players were only five or six years old, so it’s been a while,” she laughs.
It’ll be something of a full circle moment when she runs out for the state’s Senior Talent Academy side tomorrow. Wuetschner last wore The Map at the 2013 Women’s National Championships in Cairns, where she was coached by AFL and Tasmania Devils star Trent Bartlett; just a few weeks ago, Bartlett was there to present her with her induction into the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame. In the years in between, she became a champion of women’s football, winning an AFLW premiership with Brisbane, earning All-Australian honours in 2018, and blazing a trail for players in Tasmania and across the country.
After finally returning home last year, taking the reins as coach of the state’s girls talent pathways sides, the itch to get back on the field started to appear. A comeback game with Lauderdale was cut short by injury, but she’s now signed on with the Bombers for 2025 and ready to take on the challenge of playing again.
“It’s kind of always been there ever since I’ve been coaching, I still want to play and I want to play locally as well, so I’m just excited that I get this opportunity,” Wuetschner said.
“I’m feeling good on the training track, hopefully that also eventuates on the field as well…I feel like I’ve got a little bit more that I want to get out of the body before it breaks down. ”
A stint in the Senior Talent Academy side wasn’t initially part of that plan, with Wuetschner shooting down coach Jodie Clifford when approached early in the pre-season. After hitting the training track with the team in recent months, though, and watching them go toe-to-toe with Norwood and Port Melbourne, she finally relented.
“I started training probably the last four to six weeks and I said I’m available next weekend – she said are you serious, and I said yeah, if you want,” Wuetschner said.
“She obviously spoke to the leadership group to make sure that they were all ok with it… I think they’re all pretty excited to be able to play this weekend.”
She won’t have the chance to ease back into action, with the side set to take on reigning VFLW premiers North Melbourne tomorrow. An opposition side stacked with AFLW experience and high-level talent poses a big challenge, but Wuetschner is confident Tassie’s best can take up the fight to them.
“We just want to be really competitive and bring that edge, I think North Hobart suits our game style a lot better than UTAS does,” she said.
“I know that the girls have a feeling that they want to prove that they can compete against really good sides, so hopefully we can bring some of that Tassie pressure and make sure that we make it a pretty close call.”
Wuetschner’s role in that is clear – “I’m probably thinking more out of the square, I don’t think too much midfield time” – and she’ll be hoping to hit the scoreboard against a side featuring former Essendon teammates Renee Tierney and Alana Barba. She’ll also have the unique opportunity to play alongside a handful of her former and current charges from the state’s underage sides.
“I think it’ll be a really good opportunity to see things in a different perspective – I don’t see things from the field too much these days, it’s more up in the coaches box,” she said.
“Being able to see particularly some of the players that have played through my program and are still playing through my program, it’ll be interesting to see how they go about things on the field and what I can take from that to bring back to coaching.”
It will no doubt be just as valuable for the state’s top players to line up alongside a legend of Tasmanian football, and for fan’s to see a Hall of Famer in action once again. Coaching remains the top priority for Wuetschner, but her return to the field is sure to be one to enjoy.
Tasmania Senior Talent Academy double-header
Saturday March 22, North Hobart Oval
Men’s vs Frankston: 10:30 AM
Women’s vs North Melbourne VFLW: 1:15 PM
Click here to get your tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1368469
Watch live on the AFL TAS YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_dSckezeTE