AFLW star Phoebe McWilliams pens her weekly player column for geelongcats.com.au

Two losses, two different stories

Round 7 - L 

Round 8 - L

The results from our two matches last week may appear exactly the same on paper.

Round 7 a loss to the West Coast Eagles. Round 8 a loss to GWS.

What the results don’t show is how contrasting these two games were.

There’s a big difference when you walk off the ground knowing that you have done your absolute best, given your all and played to the best of your ability. 

This is compared to a game where you know you could have done more, you could have been better, you could have tried harder.

After our Round 8 loss to GWS the group came off the ground with our heads held high.

There were some outstanding individual performances.

Julia Crockett-Grills was bullish in the midfield, applying tackle after tackle, smother and smother and making life very difficult for GWS’ best players, who I might add are some of the best in the competition.

Laura Gardiner, in just her second AFLW game, laid 11 tackles! So did our workhorse in the middle, Amy McDonald. A-Mac’s season has been huge.

Maddy McMahon was back to her absolute best, taking intercepting marks, producing repeat efforts and laying goal-saving tackles. 

And of course, I can’t go past our skipper Meg Mac. Nine intercepts, six marks and 19 disposals. Not a bad day out.

Performances like Saturday’s is what gives me hope that we’re not far away from turning that L into a W.

Why?

You may ask what caused the change from Monday’s 39-point loss to West Coast to our seven point loss to GWS?

Well it definitely wasn’t rest and recovery! 

We only had a four day break between matches. And that includes a flight from one side of the country to the other and a 2:30am bedtime on the Monday morning.

For me, the change came from within the playing group.

We rallied together. We met as a group, discussed the loss to West Coast and spoke about what we could do as a team and as individuals to make sure our fortunes turned around the following weekend.

The resilience of this group is absolutely commendable.

Each week we turn up, put on brave faces and get ourselves up and ready to go again. It would have been easy to give up and say this isn’t our year. 

Instead I’m constantly amazed by our team and how we bounce back and get ourselves motivated for the next game ahead.

You

Another reason I believe we played better last week was because we played in front of you, our loyal supporters.

It was our last home game and even though it hasn’t been a great season for our supporters either, we are so grateful that you turn up week-after-week and support us.

It makes such a difference playing at home with our Cats fans cheering us on. We hear you!

Hearing your cheers motivates us all - thank you for supporting us through 2021.

Question time

Thank you to everyone who sent through their questions last week! There were some really good questions and some funny ones too.

Here are a selection:

Q: @julzeyy - Was Croc a good housemate? And do you miss living with her?

A: Julia, you were an amazing housemate. I especially miss when you used to cook me steaks, medium rare. I also miss our colourful garden with sunflowers, tomato and chilli plants and a fake crocodile which sat in the middle.

I do not however miss your loud music. I remember coming home from work each day to what sounded like a party in our house. I like my quiet time.

Q: @oartaiz - Are you superstitious on match day? If so, what rituals/lucky items do you have?

A: I’m not particularly superstitious, but there is one thing I do before every game. 

Each game I kiss my jumper before I put it on, a bit strange, I know!

The story behind it is that I once had a teammate tell me that the jumper is a symbol of the club, the people who have made the club what it is and all those who have worn the jumper before me. The jumper means so much to a lot of people.

Each week I think of them before I pull on the Hoops.

Q: @jojomcw - Do you have a dog?

A: Yes Mum, I do have a dog. Though he lives with you and technically is your dog, I do sometimes like to claim him as my own. However, if he was my dog he would be much better behaved! 

Q: @strahanfeatherston: What was the last song you listened to that got you dancing and singing along?

A: Each season I seem to have one song that I'm obsessed with.

Last year it was Lizzo’s Good as Hell. This year it’s Lady Gaga’s Telephone. What a song!! 

Thanks to team DJ - DJ Meow Meow aka Maddy Keryk - for adding these songs to our warm-up playlist.

Q: @tezambinge - What are your favourite pair of boots?

A: I love footy boots and have been very lucky to have lots of different pairs across my career. I think my favourite pair would have been ones I wore last season. They were white Nike Tiempos with a silver/hologram tick on the side. They were fun.

Q: @susiegiese: What are some positives you’ve seen this year and what makes you optimistic about 2022?

A: I think the growth in some of our younger players. Sophie Van De Heuvel’s confidence continues to grow as she learns to master her position on the half backline. Then there’s Amy McDonald’s ability to win the footy, which has become a key feature of her game. Becky Webster continues to get better and better. 

Also have loved seeing what some our draftees have brought in. Liv Barber is a great target for us ahead of the ball and she brings a lot of energy. Darcy Moloney is extremely competitive and passionate and Steph Williams has a spark that will be exciting to watch in the future.

Q: @kendra.ball15 - What’s your favourite part about playing at the Cats?

A: You! Our supporters. Last weekend there was a little Cats’ supporter in the crowd wearing our Pride jumper with the number 23 on the back. That’s what it’s all about. Showing young girls in the Geelong region that they too can grow up and represent the Geelong Football Club.