Pearce finally has sights on top prize
AFTER six seasons of AFLW, Daisy Pearce leads Melbourne in its first grand final in search of something that’s eluded her.
She won 10 flags with VWFL/ VFLW powerhouse Darebin but this is the missing piece of silverware.
So as much as one of the pioneers of the AFLW competition does not Saturday’s game to become about her, she doesn’t have a choice. It has to be about her.
Some have wondered aloud whether Saturday afternoon at Adelaide Oval could see a Shane Crawford moment for Pearce – marked famously by the “that’s what I’m talking about” catch cry as the Hawthorn great retired on the highest of highs after the 2008 premiership.
Pearce maintains she has made no decision on her playing future.
She is 33, has a thriving media career, has offers to move into coaching and her two toddlers are continually on the go but Pearce knows you’re a long time retired.
She has been adamant this week no call will be made until the premiership is decided and she asks herself if training and games remain her “favourite part” of the week.
Teammate Libby Birch believes we should soak up every moment of Pearce, even if she does play on next season.
“She is just the most humble person I’ve ever met and she takes a moment with each person she meets to have an impact,” Birch said.
“It would be so easy for someone like Daisy to just skip over that.
“At training last Thursday, before the prelim there was a girl who had come down to Casey and was kicking the footy outside the gates because we weren’t allowed to let anyone in. She was just a random fan. And
Daisy, while she was training, noticed that and got her to come in and watch us. That’s just a clear moment for me it’s never about Daisy. And that’s what she did for me.”
One of the most recognisable faces of the AFLW alongside Daisy, Tayla Harris, crossed paths with Pearce for many years but never knew her well until joining her at Melbourne this year. She’s often “in awe” of her teammate’s ability but it’s more her heart.
“I feel very privileged to be able to play footy with Dais but to have a friend in Dais is something I don’t take lightly,” Harris said. “None of us do. The footy stuff is big but I would think Daisy would potentially prefer to be remembered for the way she goes about her leadership and the way she affects people in more aspects than just on-field. I feel super lucky to even know her, let alone play with her and be captained by her and get to hang out with her.”
Pearce maintains “footy teams are way bigger than one person” and after always being jealous of teams in the mix this week, finally gets her shot.