Champs to do it all again
Coach tips stiff contest
PREMIERSHIP coach Shannon Knox-Gray believes the first AFL Barwon senior women’s competition will be a grade higher than the AFL Goldfields competition it dominated last season.
The Magpies were champions and premiers on route to a 67-9 grand final victory over Redan last September, with Charlotte Thorne named best on ground.
While the Pies have turned over at least 17 players in the past two years, Thorne remains, as well as VFL-listed stars Courtney Stevens and Ruby Benham, while Tamika Beetson and Tiahna AndreeJansz are new additions.
“Courtney Stevens is currently with the VFL but she might come back and play, and Ruby as well,” Knox-Gray said. “We hope that they stay there, because that was the plan, to try to create a path way for those girls.”
While North Geelong will be the early premiership fancy, Knox-Gray said it was too early to call where the club would fit in the new comp.
“I personally think this competition may be a step up,” she said.
“We were very dominant last year; we didn’t lose a game and didn’t win one by under 30 or 40 points, so I think the girls want to be challenged.
“This group is very driven, so I think this competition will hopefully be the next step up.
“It’s just a no-brainer that, of course, there’s a bit more pressure on us to perform, but I think behind closed doors we know what we’ve lost, what we’ve gained and what we’re trying to achieve. I’m not putting any expectation on the girls whatsoever.”
Knox-Gray said the club was better prepared for losing players this off-season after a number were lured to Geelong’s VFL program.
“We’ve lost in two years probably 17 or 18 players,” she said.
“That’s probably put a big divot into our group and into our club. But probably last year was lucky that AFL Barwon didn’t enter a competition because it allowed girls from Geelong (VFL) to play at North Geelong or Drysdale.
“We have managed to recruit a few newbies who haven’t played football, so we’re just working through that with some development for them.
“We’re just focusing on what we need to do as a club and as a team, and we’re very aware there are other teams in this competition that know that we’re the benchmark, I suppose, because we’ve been established for six years and all the other clubs are in their first season.”