Premiership coach given Green light by OLs after family revelation

Suffering from "burnout", the playing-coach looked set to leave the Blues and Launceston altogether.

An offer from Queensland outfit Southport Sharks looked enticing.

Deciding to take a break to help freshen her mind in the meantime, Green has been touring the state with Jack Riewoldt spruiking Tasmania's proposed AFL club.

The nine-stop tour produced two surprising outcomes.

Not only did Green rediscover her love for Tasmania, but in a remarkable turn of events, she stumbled across family she didn't know she had.

"I wasn't meant to do the Oatlands session, because I was away for the weekend for my birthday. However, I committed to the Friday night session and I'm so glad I did," she said.

"Once we did our speeches, there was an elderly couple at the front and they came up to me and said, 'Oh, my last name's Green', and after I told them that my Nan and Pop were Greens from Hobart, they were shocked and said, 'This is actually your Pop's brother'.

"We didn't know that they were still alive and we hadn't connected since Nan, Pop and Dad passed away, because that was my Dad's side of the family, so it was a really special moment.

"We just got chatting and we reconnected and we're going to have a catch up soon, we're still talking, and I'm talking to the cousins too."

Meeting Great Uncle Brendan and Great Auntie Anne for the first time, Green said her new-found connection with her father's side of the family is not one she will take for granted moving forwards.

"It's really heartwarming, because my father's side have all passed, so now I've got something to hold on to, something that brings me a bit closer to Dad, Nan and Pop, so I'm really cherishing the moment," she said.

"I can't wait to get down there and get to know the other side of the family and it's obviously been a long time, Great Uncle Brendan's 85 now, so I want to make the most of the moment.

"He's a spitting image of my Pop, so it brings me a bit closer to them."

Having strongly considered moving to the other end of the country, the forward-ruck's life-altering summer has led her to completely re-evaluate life in Launceston.

"I was a bit lost on what to do before the new year, but now it's all come together and it's really worked in my favour," she said.

"It's one of those moments where life points you in the right direction."

Added with a three-month break from football, Green said she was "itching" to get back into it with OLs and said president Tom Harrison welcomed her back with open arms.

Resuming her role as coach, Green said she was keen to work with a "fit and fierce" group.

After winning the premiership in 2023, the goal is to keep building momentum.

"Last year was a bit of a fairy tale. This year we know our strengths and weaknesses, so we're going to continue building on that success," she said.

"We obviously need to continue to work hard and stay fit, but we also want to keep that really good inclusive club culture and the importance of making football fun.

"We've got a good group of girls that really get around each other and it's a bit like a family, so if we can keep building on that and keep developing our skills, we should have a good year ahead of us."