GIANT SIGNING A BOOST FOR CATS
NEW Geelong signing Phoebe McWilliams says the chance to be closer to her family made the decision to depart GWS Giants the right one.
The 32-year-old was a priority signing for the Giants at the end of 2016 and had a season to remember last year, earning selection in the AllAustralian squad.
But two stints away from her family took its toll.
“I came down and had a look at the facilities here in Geelong and they were very impressive and then I spoke to GWS and went through the process with them,” she said.
“But the opportunity to be home and around my family for 12 months of the year was too appealing and even though I loved the girls at the Giants and the coach Al (McConnell), I think this is the right move for me and I’m looking forward to it.”
Friendships with fellow Cats signings Aasta O’Connor, Melissa Hickey and another ex-Giant in Maddie Boyd made that decision even easier.
But the key-position for- ward joked there might be a conflict of interest as she plays VFLW football with Hawthorn.
“A lot of people have told me you can’t play with Hawthorn and with Geelong,” she laughed.
“But I think the two clubs, even though they’ve got a rivalry, have got a good mutual respect for one another, so I’ll play the rest of the season at the Hawks and then head down to the Cats.
“I’ve played two games with the Hawks to start off with, but I’m just having a little break at the moment. Obviously com- ing back from six months of intense AFL Women’s, it is intense.
“I’ve played a couple of games and probably realised I need a couple of weeks off, just mentally as well as physically, but I’m looking forward to getting back out with the Hawks.”
The Cats have made 13 signings — McWilliams, Boyd, Hickey, O’Connor, Richelle Cranston, Anna Teague, Erin Hoare, Bec Goring, Renee Garing, Danielle Orr, Cassie Blakeway, Kate Darby and Jordan Ivey — and will have the first two picks in this year’s draft.