Jess Wuetschner Opens Up On Freak Lightning Incident And Her Pride At Reaching 50 AFL Women’s Games

The road to Jess Wuetschner's 50th game in the AFL Women's was longer than that of other players. She reveals the profound impact that getting struck by lightning and subsequently by long Covid had on her.

Jess Wuetschner has already entertained the idea of throwing the match.

After been dealt a hand far more difficult than most, the 31-year-old AFL Women's premiership player, foundation player at Brisbane, and All-Australian has considered retirement more than once.

What's in store for her next? Shortly after she was struck by lightning while operating at the Brisbane dock in 2020, the Bomber developed Long Covid, resulting in chronic heart palpitations and chest agony.

Wuetschner insists, though, that playing in her 50th AFLW game last weekend only makes her accomplishment that much more satisfying.

She laughed, "I do (wonder what else could happen)," this week.

However, I also feel like I can accomplish nearly anything at this point. Having made it to 50 games despite all that has been thrown at me is quite remarkable.

"I always wanted to be a one-club player," he said, "but in hindsight, I'm really blessed that I'm at Essendon and doing it here, because it's a special club."

Wuetschner contracted Covid for the third time in 2022 and had no idea.

On the eve of the preseason, she had to battle not only the physical symptoms, which manifested largely in her heart and chest, but also the mental side effects.

Despite being given the all-clear by cardiologists, players nevertheless report feeling "uncomfortable" after being hit during practice or a game.

It was enough to make me consider leaving.

"Once I got the all-clear from the cardiologist saying it's not harmful and that maybe it will go away, maybe it will stay, I just sort of had to get on with it," Wuetschner said.

It's not a nice environment to be in right now. You get these every day; it's just another one of those episodes and you just have to get on with it, is what I tell myself at the end of each day.

People around me kept telling me to "just give it a couple of weeks, see how you go," so I decided to give it a shot and see how preseason went.

And I'm glad I did, because other than this, my preseason was one of the most fun I've ever had.

The forward had a moment of introspection when flying home from Adelaide last weekend, where she had played in her 50th game. It made perfect sense. Football, let alone fifty years of play, had often seemed like another planet.

This is, in all likelihood, the final major achievement of my life, she said.

On the way home from the game, I had some downtime to reflect on the long road that led me to this point.

To paraphrase, "I think it makes it even more special, considering everything."

Wuetschner, a stevedore at the Port of Brisbane, reported her concerns to her supervisors on a wet, windy night in January 2020.

"I thought that we should probably be packing up," she said at length for the first time.

I was at the bottom of the food chain and the wind was howling. Now, more than ever, I wish I had the courage to fight for what I believe in.

Wuetschner was positioned in a crane, aluminum pole in hand, releasing locks on cargo containers.

A huge explosion, she recalled, had just gone off.

It was the most deafening crash of thunder and lighting you've ever experienced. It was visible off in the distance, but the noise made it seem like it came from nowhere.

I looked up and saw the blue-white light of the bolt striking the pole and traveling up my arms. After that, I was in complete disbelief. Thankfully, I had on my safety gear (including rubber gloves and shoes).

That single act unquestionably prolonged my life.

All bets were off after that.

Though Wuetschner, who was only weeks away from an AFLW season, was not physically hurt, the mental toll was enormous.

She discussed her breakdown after the accident and subsequent hospitalization due to an adverse reaction to anxiety medication in January of this year.

Exiting the house was a major ordeal for her. Her resentment of her boss was very obvious.

Wuetschner, though, has "done a lot of work to work through the PTSD and the trauma and stuff like that" with the support of professionals over a long period of time.

She admitted, "I was grieving for my former self."

That was incredibly difficult for me to accept. Since before that, I was a jovial, cheerful, extroverted, friendly person. I like social gatherings and watching football. In a word, it was arduous. Although I know I will never be the same, I have finally found a place where I can be content. That's the main point, by the way.

Only one other individual has gone through what she has.

It's as rare as winning the Powerball, yet if given the choice, she would have chosen the latter if given the opportunity.

The shocking news that she had been delisted by Brisbane in May of last year left her with the thought, "I'm never going to play football again."

Enter Essendon, who was granted early admission to the AFL Women's competition late in the previous year.

Wuetschner is adamant that the accident will in no way define her, and in her first video conference with coach Natalie Wood, she was straightforward. She wanted the Bombers to have a complete picture of where she was at, and then they could go forward from there.

She was a delisted free agent when she was signed, and since then she's only missed one game.

"In my first season down here, I was still struggling quite a bit," Wuetschner said. "It was a learning experience for me."

"However, I believe that the change was exactly what I needed; it just took some time for me to adjust to that." Because of this, my partner relocated down here to be with me, which was a big assistance.

"I couldn't say that I would be where I am now if I was still in Brisbane, but I definitely know that having this change has been something that has been really good for me." "I couldn't say that I would be where I am now if I was still in Sydney."

There’s pride.

The struggles you face in life help you grow, she remarked.

Everything that happened to me following the accident might have gone either way. It could have gone any way: I could have been like "oh, I've got to live my life to the best," or I might have been battling as terribly as I did.

It took me three years to come back to where I am now, but in the end, hard work with the right people and expert assistance paid off. Despite the delay, I finally completed it.

Despite the fact that it appeared I would never succeed, I persisted. Yes, (proud) of myself. I appreciate my family and friends very much.