CATS DRAFT HOPEFUL PUTS TEAM FIRST
UNSELFISH Geelong VFLW star Tamara Smith has her eye on a premiership before thinking about her AFLW draft prospects.
The hard-working 21-yearold took her biggest step yet to the top level on Sunday, claiming the MVP award as best-on-ground for an under23 All-Stars team against the AFLW Academy in an exhibition match under the eye of AFLW recruiters.
The Shepparton product has been a key part of a Geelong VFLW midfield, alongside the likes of Paige Sheppard and Laura
Gardiner, that has the Cats all but assured of a finals finish with three rounds to play.
The Cats made the grand final last VFLW season but never got to play
Collingwood in the decider, as the match was pushed back due to Covid and eventually abandoned.
Smith, who moved to Geelong three years ago and works during the week at AFL Victoria, said she was focused on winning and getting back to the grand final before worrying about the draft.
“If I got drafted, that would be amazing and a dream come true,” she said.
“Obviously it does sit in the back of your mind and you are thinking everything could change just like that, but I think the focus for myself and a lot of the girls is to enjoy as much footy as we can at the moment.
“In the last two years, we have learnt not to take anything for granted, and if we get picked up by a club, that is awesome and we will take that opportunity by the horns and really do our best with it.”
Smith said she saw “no reason why we couldn’t go all the way” when finals begin next month and she will be there to do the dirty work in the middle.
While Gardiner and Sheppard have been hoovering up the ball in recent weeks for the Cats, Smith has happily played her role, pairing her average of 23.1 disposals a game with 11.7 tackles.
“In the midfield, I normally play a bit more of a defensive role, I like laying the tackles and the bumps and smothers and things like that and letting the other girls hunt the footy,” Smith said.
“Sometimes through that you are able to get your hands on the ball a bit more.
“It is just trying to do the team thing, and more often than not when you do the team thing, you end up with the footy yourself.”