“WE’RE OFF and racing.” 

Despite pre-season just kicking off last week, new recruit Tara Bohanna moved down to Melbourne in February to acclimate herself to her new home at IKON Park.

After 42 games with the Gold Coast Suns, captaining the side for three seasons, Bohanna made the move to Carlton in the 2024 off-season, now donning the colours of her childhood side. 

“I feel like coming over in February helped that transition period. I had a few months to get to know everyone and get stuck into the skills,” Bohanna said. 

“I feel like now we’ve officially started pre-season, we’re off and racing. It’s been really exciting to have the pre-season officially starting.”

After four years on the Gold Coast, the 30-year-old is embracing a fresh start — with a new system, new teammates, and a renewed outlook on the game.

With a shifted perspective, Bohanna is recalibrating her goals for the 2025 season, focused on leading by example as a key presence in the forward line.

“I probably didn’t think about getting traded and moving and having that prior experience, whether I’m putting it on myself, just putting a bit of extra pressure on myself a little bit,” she said. 

“I feel naturally hopefully something I can do to help out from a leadership point of view in the forward line and throughout the group but I probably have put a bit of pressure on myself, I want to meet expectations.”

The Blues have made a concerted effort to help their new recruit settle in, involving her in off-season sessions and walking her through the ins and outs of life at IKON Park.

For the experienced forward, pre-season has been all about building connections — not just off the field, but on it too — as she works to understand how her new teammates move and play.

“The people have made it great and made me really welcome. Everyone has been really great: people like Mim, Harriet has been great, Jess Good, Darce, Ciara Fitzgerald, there’s been so many,” she said. 

“Personally, I think it’s getting to know the game plan, just the connection piece, getting to know how the other players work, how I can work with them, which is something really exciting and new.”

A lifelong Bluebagger, Bohanna isn’t the only one buzzing about her move — her entire family is over the moon about her joining Carlton.

While the 30-year-old has been focused on staying grounded and not getting starstruck, she admits it’ll be a special, emotional moment when she pulls on the Navy Blue guernsey for the first time.

“Just the surrealness of putting on the Navy and my family are super happy about it,” she said. 

“Seeing the boys team as well, but because of the professional aspect of it, you get locked into it. 

“It’ll be pretty cool to run out in the Navy Blue guernsey, that’ll be pretty exciting.”