Manuka Oval's week in the spotlight continued on Friday with the announcement it will host a Saturday night blockbuster between the GWS Giants and the Western Bulldogs in the AFL Women's competition.
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The game scheduled for March 18 will be the seventh and final round of the inaugural season with the top two teams in the league squaring off in the grand final a week later.
On Tuesday cricket fans across Australia were dazzled by the sun setting behind a picturesque Manuka Oval and the Giants announced Canberra would host its first ever AFL night game as well as a pre-season twilight game.
It is also welcome news for the many Canberra-based Giants women players who will get a chance to play in front of family and friends.
Hannah Wallett, Clare Lawton, Britt Tully, Ella Ross, as well as Canberra United's Ellie Brush and former Canberra Capitals guard Jess Bibby have all been hard at work during the club's first pre-season.
It has been reported some of the code-hoppers at the Giants have found the extra fitness and physical aspect of football tough, but Bibby said she is relishing both parts of the game.
As the WNBL games record holder Bibby knows how to prepare her body for the demands of professional sport.
"I've always been someone who has prided themselves on trying to be an elite athlete with my conditioning and it has translated pretty well over to the footy," Bibby said.
"I've tried to lead the way in terms of fitness and strength and those type of things, so I've really enjoyed the knocks and the bumps and I have pulled up pretty well."
Collingwood recruit Kendra Heil became the third player to suffer a serious knee injury last week joining Fremantle's Kiara Bowers and GWS marquee signing Renee Forth.
"There's a real focus at our training sessions on doing as much as you can to prevent those kinds of injuries from happening," Bibby said.
"That's the real downside to sport, you are susceptible to some pretty serious injuries and knees are obviously a big one so fingers crossed that can be limited throughout the season."
The draw being announced has added further excitement and anticipation to the inaugural season and Bibby said she hopes the territory's other women's teams – the Canberra Capitals and Canberra United – are celebrating championships by the time the Giants' clash at Manuka Oval comes.
"I hope it's a really successful time for women's sport in Canberra and at the end of the season on a Saturday night, hopefully a really good Canberra crowd can get out and support the team."
