Hood times to roll on as Cats lock in coach
GEELONG has maintained some stability in its women’s program, with head coach Paul Hood locked in for another season at the helm.
The AFLW coach has led the female Cats through their entire existence and will steer them through a third season in 2021.
Hood’s role is considered each year so he will again be up for renewal at the end of next season.
Sticking with Hood bucks the trend of change in the women’s football program, with assistant coach Nat Wood
INCOMING Drysdale captain-coach Nick Hallam has promised his side will take the game on this summer.
Hallam skippered the Hawks last summer and has taken over the extra responsibility as coach, replacing Wayne Foenander.
Entering his sixth season with the club, he said he was confident Drysdale was ready to become a serious contender in BPCA A2 in the club’s secand head of women’s football Simone Bellears both made redundant as part of a shuffling of finances in the wake of coronavirus.
“It’s really difficult for us to lose great friends and colleagues,” Hood said.
“Every single club has made ond season in the division.
Drysdale fell just short of the grand final last year when it failed to defend 210 against St Leonards.
Hallam said that final had driven him to put his hand up for the new role.
“We had some unfinished business from last year where we just fell short in a semifinal,” he said.
“It’s just about getting that belief back together because we have got a pretty talented bunch of guys. some changes because of the effects of COVID that we wouldn’t have made otherwise but particularly in our case to lose Simone and Natalie — two people who have made an outstanding contribution to our program since the beginning and for me personally two great friends — that was really tough.
“They will leave a great legacy and no doubt an organisation that is able to pick those two up will benefit greatly.”
The Cats will enter their third season hoping to rise up the ladder after picking up just two wins last season. Players would normally be training to
“There was a lot of talk last year externally that we have been demoted and we want to go back up.
“I think moving into this season it’s really about respecting our opposition and not fearing them and playing aggressively to win.”
Drysdale will be boosted by the return of Kane Taylor to the top order. A premiership player with the Hawks, Taylor returns to the region from St Andrew’s in Hamilton.
Key players such as Xavier gether as part of a winter program but have been split due to coronavirus restrictions.
Having returned to work on August 1 after being stood down, Hood is holding individual sessions with local players, while Melbourne-based Cats have to find time to get outside and stretch their legs before the official start of pre-season on November 4.
Having seen the hunger of his players to stay in shape over the off-season, Hood is confident about where the Cats are headed.
“We haven’t forced the players to do any certain amount of work, we have just
Jetson and Hallam himself will be available more, after a hamstring hindered the skipper’s campaign last summer.
Jetson plundered 260 runs at an average of 32.5 in eight matches in 2019-20 as he juggled work commitments.
“Last year Xavier was working in and out of Australia so his playing schedule was pretty up and down and we used the sub rule a bit with him so having him back full time will be a huge plus for us,” Hallam said.
“Getting that consistency made suggestions and been supportive of them doing as much or as little as they are capable of,” he said. “We’ve got a great blend of youth and experience and a great nucleus. Whenever you go to pick a team on paper, those magnets look really good.”
Geelong will enter the AFLW Draft on October 6 with four picks inside the top 27 and have begun virtual interviews with players.
The draft system will mean the Cats will get to pick from the top 19 prospects who choose to play in Victoria and Hood said the Cats will take the best talent available. and not only playing week to week but training as well, he will give us a really good asset with bat and ball.
“We’ve got some guys coming back into the fold and a couple that haven’t been able to commit for work reasons last year so that’s going to put us in a strong position.
“When you look at the core group we had last year and you add in some extra players to build depth and quality then you have got a pretty strong list.”