Mingenew’s Pippa McTaggart wins 2023 NAB Auskicker of the Year, will captain GF Auskick team

Just call her Captain Pippa. Young Mid West footy fanatic Pippa McTaggart has stolen so many hearts she has been named the 2023 NAB Auskicker of the Year and will captain the Auskick side to run out at half-time at the AFL grand final on Saturday at the MCG. The eight-year-old Mingenew farm kid was selected to be a part of the side after round 18, being the only WA representative. As part of the team, she could choose someone else to join and she picked her lucky seven-year-old brother Blake. The duo will be among the 23 Auskickers to present the premiership medallions to players. On Saturday, Pippa was announced at the top Auskicker for 2023, with team coaches AFL and ALFW legends Joel Selwood and Katie Brennan surprising her with the news and medal while she was at the MCG for a tour. For winning the award, Pippa will be set up with AFL mentors, scored an invitation to Monday’s Brownlow Medal count, won $5000 and will lead the Auskick team out onto the hallowed ground as captain. Pippa already had a plan on how to spend the money if she won it. “$500 to charity, $400 for Eagles memberships, and $300 for my pop’s back because he did too many hip and shoulders playing with the Beacon Bombers,” she said. “$1000 for holidays with my cousins, $100 each for mum and dad, $500 for stuff like games and Lego, $100 for presents for Blake and Layla, and $2000 for savings.” Pippa was chosen for the team after she submitted a short video in the NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year competition and said she was “very, very excited” for her trip to Melbourne. Blake, an avid football fan and Eagles supporter like his sister, will now get to take part as well and is “really excited” for the experience. The siblings will get to run out on the MCG before presenting the premiership medals to the winning side, but the two have plenty of practice running out in those situations. Pippa said she and Blake run out and play full games on the grass at home, and now have the “amazing” chance to do it on the big stage. “So what happens is we choose our teams, it’s usually Collingwood versus West Coast. . . what we do is we put the team songs on the speaker and run out, and do a little warm-up,” Pippa said. “Then we play 20-minute quarters for four quarters, and we have little coach chat at half-time and quarter-time, and three-quarter-time, and then we sing the song at the end.” Their mum Carine McTaggart has enjoyed being able to watch the games between the two. “It’s very surreal to think they’ll now be playing at the MCG but I do often chuckle to myself when I’m at the kitchen sink looking out the window, washing the dishes and watching the games unfold,” she said. “Sometimes there’s a little bit of rough and tumble and the umpire has to get involved, but it’s very cute to watch.” From Mingenew to the MCG, it will be a wild ride, but Mrs McTaggart said their small, tight-knit community had shown their full support and excitement for the family. “What’s been really nice and really special about it is how much excitement and how much the community, wider community and our whole region has embraced the kids and embraced us, that’s just made it extra special,” she said. “It’s like we’re taking everybody along with us and I’m really pleased they can all enjoy the experience.”