AS the postponement of all seasons commenced over the last week, we head back to the preseason a month earlier where we chatted to a number of athletes across the country. In a special Question and Answer (Q&A) feature, Draft Central‘s Taylah Melki chatted with Queensland’s Anjelani Kibombo at the state testing day hosted by Rookie Me.

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Q&A

TM: How did you get into footy?

AK: “It started back when I came in 2013 in Australia. “My sports teacher kept on encouraging me to try out this sport, and said it’s amazing, since you’re kind of good at running, you love being active. “I don’t know I just loved it.”

What is it that you love about footy?

“I don’t know, the people are so friendly. “You have a lot of friends, everyone’s always there to support you, your family, it’s really nice.”

You have been playing footy since 2013, what has made you stay for seven years?

“I don’t know all my coaches are just so supportive. “They’re always saying that there’s space for people to improve. “You know sometimes there are ups and downs, but you still have to push hard and work hard. “You know I’ve made it into a lot of teams and that’s encouraged me to lift my spirits and work harder.”

What are you hoping to improve on this season?

“I would hope that this test we are doing right now, I hope it takes me somewhere and that I actually do it with everything I’ve got. “Hopefully, I don’t know, I make it to pro one day, I’d love to, if I guess that happens.”

Is there an area you feel you are really strong at?

“I feel like I’m really good being forward and midfield. “That’s the two spots that I really enjoy.”

Why do you enjoy those positions the most?

“I don’t know I guess, I’m kind of good at running. “My endurance is really good and I just love it, I’m more comfortable there.”

Is endurance something you’ve been working on?

“Yeah I’ve been doing a lot of training with my coaches and everyone. “I’ve really been working on my running which is really good.”

Did you play a different sport before you played footy?

“I played touch, cricket, tennis, I played all sorts of sports but I really just enjoy AFL the most.”

Did you have a particular sporting icon that you looked up to?

“There’s loads, I mean Tayla Harris, I love her so much, Sabrina (Frederick), Katie (Brennan) I just love all the AFL girls. “I just love them I really do.”

You listed three forwards, what is it that you love about them?

“I guess just the way they handle things, I feel like I can relate to them because I actually do it too which is really good.”

What is it like being in the Brisbane Lions Academy?

“It’s so good, you always have to work hard, the more you work hard the more you get to improve your skills and everything you need to improve on. “It’s just really good.”

How are you finding the balance between footy and extra curricula?

“I actually live in Toowoomba so it’s far away from here but I’m starting university this year. “I guess one of the things that actually motivates me to keep on going and working hard is just that I’ve been doing this for so long and I really think this might take me somewhere. Yeah it’s really hard to balance school and academy but it is what it is.”