FROM family in the Ikon Park grandstands to her mum watching “from above”, Sophie Conway knows she’s running out with more than just her 20 Brisbane teammates against North Melbourne on Saturday night.
The two-time All-Australian winger lost her mum Christine to cancer in 2016, more than a year before she was drafted by the Lions.
Since then, Team Conway – father, John, brothers Ben and Isaac, along with Sophie – have only grown closer.
The trio will all be in attendance to see if the family’s youngest member can help Brisbane to a record-equalling third premiership against the Kangaroos. And Conway could not be happier.
“Our family has been through a fair bit,” Conway told AFL.com.au.
“We’re a close-knit family.
“Being the only girl, I have a special bond with both of my brothers.
“From the moment mum got diagnosed (in 2013 when Sophie was 13) until the moment she passed … we continued to grow closer together.
“There were obviously some tough times there and when mum passed, we had to lean on each other more than we ever have.
“I play for them, and I also play for mum. I feel like I’m doing her proud. I hope I’m doing her proud.”
That she is.
Conway has been a major reason for Brisbane’s success in recent seasons, playing in both premierships and starring with her excellent ball use, nous inside forward 50 and hard, two-way running.
She was the Lions’ top vote-getter at the W Awards earlier this week, finishing sixth overall behind Ebony Marinoff, and won her second consecutive AA jacket.
That “special bond” with her brothers is lived out, week to week.
Isaac, who spent 12 months at the Lions after being taken by the club in the 2013 Rookie Draft, lives in Melbourne and is Conway’s biggest supporter and toughest critic.
“They both get around it massively, but in different ways. Ben’s very nice and Isaac’s very direct,” she said.
“I got a fair bit of feedback after the goal I missed on the weekend from Isaac.
“He is pretty involved. He puts some numbers on my game that I think are very unrealistic.
“He goes: 'I’m not asking for much, but I want x, y and z from you'.
“Each and every weekend, I’m thinking: 'I don’t know what position you think I’m playing to get that'.
“It comes from a good place, obviously. He loves seeing me do well, he loves seeing me succeed.
“It’s pretty special when you have both your brothers so invested in what you do, from pre-game text messages to post-game messages to everything in between.
“It’s a nice feeling knowing you’ve got both your big brothers in your corner.”
After her debut in 2018 and the round 10 win over St Kilda this year, it will be just the third time the entire family have been at a game together to watch Conway.
“I feel privileged to do what I do.
“It’s sometimes hard to comprehend at times because if I could have anything, I’d love for mum to be able to watch one game, but I know she’s watching from above.
“I hope she’ll be there, not hope, I know she’ll be there this weekend.”
