HICKEY’S FAMILY PRIDE
Star Geelong signing Mel Hickey has expressed her desire to captain the Cats in their inaugural g AFLW season n after receiving her No. 18 jumper last night — the number worn by her relative, Geelong legend Reg Hickey.
STAR Geelong signing Mel Hickey has expressed her desire to captain the Cats in their inaugural AFLW season after being unveiled in her family’s famous No. 18 jumper last night.
The former Melbourne Demon will wear the number her grandfather’s cousin — Geelong immortal Reg Hickey — wore for 245 games.
While Mel Hickey had it put in writing back in May that she would secure the No. 18 guernsey at the Cats, she did not find out until later that it was Reg’s famous number.
“It was the number my dad wore through his footy career, it’s my date of birth and I’ve since discovered — which is really special — it was Reg’s number as well,” Hickey said. “The connection is pretty strong. “I since asked him (dad) why he chose 18 and he was a Geelong supporter and he loved Sam Newman and he was No. 17, so the next available when he was playing was 18.”
Hickey’s father played his football in Mildura — and the seven-time VWFL/VFLW premiership player wasn’t the only Cat to choose a number her dad wore. Sophie Van De Heuvel, pick 2 at this year’s draft, asked for No. 27 which her dad wore at Sebastopol, while Phoebe McWilliams chose No. 23 for the same reason.
But Hickey said it became a lot more special after finding out Reg, a dual Carji Greeves medallist and winner of four club premierships as player and coach, wore No. 18 also.
“He was spoken about in the family but we never really knew what number he had,” she said.
“I’ve seen photos in our family history books of him kicking the top of an archway and running through a banner, but it’s pretty cool.”
With the side now deep into preseason ahead of a February 2 seasonopener against Collingwood, Hickey has put forward her name to be the Cats’ inaugural AFLW captain.
Having captained Victoria once and also been vice-captain for the last two seasons at the Demons, the champion defender looks a deserving candidate for the role.
“For sure; I’d love to be the captain or part of that leadership group if the girls want me to be,” she said.
“I think we’ll find out at some point; we’ll have a vote and that will play out.
“I’ve been able to play with Daisy (Pearce) and learn a lot from her as well; she’s been my captain for many years so it would be a good opportunity but we've got a lot of leaders here anyway. I’m probably not one of the more vocal (leaders) — get the group together and have a chat — it’s probably more leading by example and get around people individually.”