Cat’s milestone mission
A COVID hiccup has put a pause on the celebrations but Sophie Van De Heuvel is still looking forward to her first AFLW milestone.
The youngster was one of several Geelong players to miss last weekend’s match against Carlton because of the virus, when she was deemed a close contact after her partner tested positive.
Missing the Blues clash meant Van De Heuvel remains on 23 AFLW games, narrowly short of the 25-game mark.
Given the women play far fewer matches than the AFL competition each year, the 25game mark is regarded as an important milestone and Van De Heuvel is now set to hit it next weekend against the Brisbane Lions.
“I think to be even given the opportunity to play one game of AFLW is massive and something I am really grateful for, so to get to the 25-game milestone is something I have been looking forward to for a while now,” she said.
“I am just so thankful to Geelong for giving me the opportunity to play for an amazing club and the girls have been a massive factor in my development.”
At 21, there is still plenty of development to come for Van De Heuvel, who has been used across the field in her 23 games so far.
What she wants most of all is team success, after the Cats won only once in 2021 and are yet to taste success so far this year.
“I think at AFLW level I haven’t played my absolute best, so hopefully I can showcase the ability I have got, but definitely a premiership is on my list (of goals),” she said.
Forced to watch her team play from the couch, Van De Heuvel said she did “struggle a little bit” last weekend and through her seven days of isolation.
She said it was difficult to be pulled out of matches late in the week but that was part of the Covid ball game.
“I think spending seven days in isolation you would prefer to get it rather than nothing but I was completely healthy,” she said.
“I spent the weekend with my partner, who tested positive and I didn’t get it so it was pretty crazy.
“At first I was pretty disappointed, you always want to be out there with the girls and just play your role for the team, I guess, but I think in the Covid world that is going on right now it is hard to be realistic with it all. It is pretty hard at the moment actually and I think quite a few girls are finding it the same.”