One of the more unheralded stars in Geelong's team is set to notch another milestone, with Zali Friswell preparing for her 50th AFLW game on Friday night.
A player with an extraordinary running capacity and a brilliant skillset, Friswell has developed into one of the top wingers in the competition and has the ability to break games open.
Reaching 50 games is a rare acheivement in the AFLW but it speaks to the extraordinary rise of Friswell, who is set to reach the milestone at just 21 years of age.
Cats coach Dan Lowther spoke about the young gun in his press conference this week, noting her strengths and the impact that she has on the Geelong team.
"She is a ripper," Lowther said.
"Zali was in the same draft year as Georgie [Prespakis] and watching the footage through Coates League prior to the draft, we were like who is this kid that just seems to be on the same screen as Georgie every single time?
"Her capacity to run and to play the game at a really good level as a junior was clear.
"Her running ability, her thirst for the game, the way she prepares, she is a really great kid to have in your program."
The journey commenced at the end of 2021 when Geelong selected Friswell with pick 7 in the National Draft, just five selections after Georgie Prespakis in what was Dan Lowther's first draft as the Cats head coach.
Making a strong impression right away, Friswell earned an AFLW debut in the opening game of the 2022 season against North Melbourne, playing the first seven games of the year and showing plenty of promising signs for the future.
She would go on to cement her spot in Season 7 (2022) playing all 11 games, going on to have a significant impact for the Cats right through to the 2025 season, where she is set to play her 50th game on Friday night.
To this point of the 2025 season, Friswell is averaging career highs in disposals, contested possessions, intercept possessions and score involvements.
Lowther said that Friswell has embodied the way that Geelong want to play and train, continuing to work hard every day and developing her game to be an integral part of the Cats outfit.
"She is a young kid that is playing her 50th game which is brilliant, she has a really mature head on her shoulders," Lowther said.
"She is an on field mentor and coach to all players, regardless of their age or experience. She also plays a pivotal role, she is an outside runner who can play inside and she is building on her fundamentals and game knowledge every year.
"She is one of those players that every team and coach wants to have on their list, because you just know that she is going to do everything the right way.
"If there is a problem to solve, she will try and solve it and she is a great teammate as well. She was challenged at the start of the year, we expect our players to be always striving to be at their best and trial different things to get better in different areas.
"She did and she has played pretty good footy off the back of it, so it speaks to volumes about her mental game and her resilience, her desire to be at her best."
