George fired up for return
CAIRNS’ Cayla George was a fan favourite for the Townsville Fire and says she can’t wait to step back on court at Townsville Stadium on Sunday for the first time as a Melbourne Boomer.
George was the lucky charm in her three seasons in Townsville, helping the club to win three WNBL championships as she formed an awesome frontcourt partnership with Suzy Batkovic.
The 29-year-old was chasing a new challenge when she moved to Melbourne this season, but George said the Fire would always hold a special place in her heart.
“I didn’t get to see the (championship) banner from last season so I’ll get to see that and I’ll never forget my time in Townsville. Coming up’s certainly going to be very special,” she said. “It’s going to be different and strange for me, but I think it (moving to Melbourne) was the best move for me professionally and it’s going to be a good challenge against the Fire.
“I’ve got lots of family coming down from Cairns so I’m just going to enjoy it. Regardless of the result, it’s going to be really fun to be back in Townsville.”
George said she was enjoying life in the “big smoke”, expressing her love for Melbourne’s brunch scene, but admitting the peak hour traffic was much less tolerable than Townsville. On the court, the Boomers are still finding their feet after a disrupted preparation due to the World Cup, with George, Jenna O’Hea, Steph Talbot, and Ezi Magbegor all away on Opals duties.
Fire coach Claudia Brassard said it would be strange to see George wearing the opposition colours and she expected her Townsville return to bring out the best in the talented forward.