FALCONS DID IT FOR LOVED AMY
FLAG DEDICATED TO TEAMMATE KILLED IN CRASH
AMY Gorell would have relished the big stage of Saturday’s TAC Cup Girls grand final.
The late Geelong Falcons star, who lost her life in a car accident in September last year, was an unspoken motivator for her teammates this season, until coach Jason Armistead drew on the moment at three-quarter-time.
“If you need to find 10 per cent more, look down at your hand and I’m sure that will spur you on,” he said.
At the start of the season, Armistead and talent manager Katie Geerings came up with the idea of writing Gorell’s number 30 on the back of their hands as a silent reminder to dedicate this season to the Bannockburn teenager.
“We didn’t want to bring it up before the game, because we didn’t want to change anything and the routine we’ve had, but it would be something we’d bring out at three-quarter time as a little bit of motivation for the girls and a reminder of what’s happened, the tough times and how to push through,” Geerings said.
Armistead probably considered using it as motivation at halftime. Trailing by 13 points — having not scored a goal — the undefeated Falcons faced their toughest challenge to date. But he had no doubt his side would be up for the fight, just like Gorell used to be.
He swung captain Lucy McEvoy from centre-half back to centre-half forward, released Denby Taylor from halfback onto a wing and threw Nina Morrison into the midfield.
For everyone else, they just had to fight, harder than they’ve ever fought before.
By three-quarter-time, the Falcons led by six points and were 15 minutes away from a historic premiership.
But for this final quarter, Armistead reminded them that Gorell would be playing alongside them.
“Once he sort of said the words, we thought we’ve got to really get on top of this and do it for Amy,” Taylor said.
“I think that motivated us all as a team.”
McEvoy said: “What hap- pened was really tragic, so for him to mention that was really brave and that really helped us in the last quarter.
“I think we all had that in the back of our minds, that it was for her and that’s why we got the job done.
“We’ve been wearing the number 30 on our hands every game so far and really thinking about her and putting how she played into our games because she was just phenomenal.
“She’s definitely helped us get to this point for sure.”
Taylor, who played alongside Gorell at the Falcons last year, as well against the Modewarre star while at Newtown & Chilwell, played a monumental last quarter.
But while her goal will be remembered for sealing the win, it was her run-down chase tackle minutes later that best resembled Gorell.
“That’s definitely an Amy moment, so I’d like to think that was for her,” Taylor said.
Armistead said Gorell would have thrived in Saturday’s decider.
“She would have been amazing; she was just a massive competitor,” he said.
“She was one of those play- ers that drove that because she just didn’t stand down from a fight, she’d always compete until she couldn’t. That kind of stuff builds the culture around everyone else.
“I think because our group is so close over the two years, and to have that happen with Amy as well, it’s just given us a drive.
“For me, I’m just so proud of the girls. They’re just tough, they just want to fight and they love to get challenged and they actually rise every time.
“Our girls are going to be amazing senior footy players because they know how to fight their way through it.” This one was for Amy. REPORTS: PAGES 42-43