Brooke Tonon can pinpoint the exact moment she finally felt comfortable enough to be her true self and openly embrace her place within the queer community.

The Crows utility was just 19 but had hidden her feelings for four years leading up to that moment.

It was at an end-of-season celebration following Adelaide's Season Six Grand Final win in 2022 that Tonon finally opened up to her teammates.

“I had finished my first season at the Crows and after winning the Grand Final, we went out on a Monday night, and I came out to a couple of the girls for the first time,” Tonon said.

“I told Caitlin Gould and Chelsea Randall and I remember feeling really safe.

“It was just a bit of relief that I'd finally been able to share that part of myself after hiding it for so long.

“When I came out for the first time to the girls, it was more so just not what they said, but how they acted - I just felt normal and accepted. I didn't feel like it was weird or anything like that.”

Tonon, who has featured in 45 AFLW games for the Crows since being selected at the 2021 draft, has spoken about her journey to help celebrate this year’s AFLW Pride Round.

The 23-year-old also opened up about the emotional toll her path to self discovery took.

“I was in Year Nine or 10 when I started having feelings for different people, not for the kind of stereotypical journey, and I didn't tell a single person,” Tonon said.

“I moved to a boarding school for Year 11 and I was trying to fit in at a new school, so that was scary enough.

“I would go to bed nearly every night, like in tears, just because I didn't know what to do. I just felt really stuck, and like I couldn’t be myself, and I have to pretend.

“Those four years were pretty hard. I remember there were a few times where I was nearly going to tell someone, and I nearly built up the courage, but then, I physically couldn't get the words out. But I feel like I'm finally at a place where I feel completely comfortable in myself and who I am.”

That heaviness is something Tonon never wants others to feel, which is why the League’s Pride Round, which aims to celebrate, support, and recognise LGBTQI+ players, staff, fans, and families, is so important to her.

“No one in particular made me feel a certain way, but just my own perceptions and my own inability to share who I was because I didn't feel like I was going to be supported, and I felt really nervous and all those things,” Tonon said.

“I wouldn't wish how I was feeling upon anyone, it was pretty horrible. 

“I think it’s just so important for people to find support systems because it's really hard battling by yourself. 

“I want people going through it to know it does get better, even though at the time it really feels like it won’t and you don't know what you're going to do. 

“It can be a tough journey, but I think it's really important to create a supportive environment because you don't know what other people are going through.”

Tonon said her partner, Abby, had helped her through the difficult times.

“Abby has been an incredible support, and pushes me to be the person I want to be,” Tonon said.

Fittingly for Tonon, she was part of the quartet of players who helped design the Crows’ 2026 Pride guernsey, and said she resonated heavily with the jumper’s aim to celebrate community, inclusion and belonging.

“To have a round where we can celebrate those things is super special, and then to run out in that guernsey that me, Teah and Sarah have designed was incredible,” Tonon said.

“It’s been incredible with all the girls getting around it, sharing their stories, and just showing so much love.

“To see all the comments about our guernsey on socials has been awesome, so hopefully we have a few wearing them in the crowd this weekend.”

Adelaide will celebrate week two of Pride Round when it faces Gold Coast at Unley Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The Crows will enter the match following a 32-point victory against Richmond away last weekend and Tonon is keen for the team to put together another strong performance in front of a home crowd.

“It was a really pleasing performance on the weekend, so if we can bring the contest and the ball movement that we brought against Richmond, against the Suns, I think we can beat anyone,” Tonon said.

“We have a really strong belief in our group and our depth and our system, so we're full of confidence that we will get it done against the Suns.

“We've got a lot of new girls who are performing excellently, we had Ava Stewart, who’s my housemate, debut on the weekend, and she did exceptionally well. 

“It's going to be awesome, we're going to have our Rainbow Crows support crew there, so that'll be really cool.”

Adelaide takes on Gold Coast at Unley Oval on Saturday at 12.35pm.

Tickets available here.

For more information on Pride Round celebrations on Saturday, head to our game day hub here.