Anyone watching Geelong’s 2021 VFLW campaign could see the Cats had some special talent on their list.

Sydney AFL Mostyn Medallist Claudia Gunjaca was making an immediate impact after returning to her hometown, straight into the vice-captaincy and proving a dominant key position player.

Liv Fuller, with a basketball background, was growing as ruck in the VFLW, getting stronger and stronger as the season went on, and was best on ground for the Cats in their Round 14 and Qualifying Final clashes with fellow flag contender Collingwood.

And you would be hard-pressed to find someone who could pick that Annabel Johnson was in just her first season of footy, so well did she read the ball off half-back and on the wing.

It was no wonder that Geelong used its two pre-draft mature-age concession picks to snap up Gunjaca and Fuller, and went on to select Johnson with pick 15 in the NAB AFLW Draft heading into Season 6.

Likewise, to those who saw the trio in action in 2021, it would be no surprise to see all three of them playing such pivotal roles as Geelong’s AFLW side prepares for its return to finals off the best season in the club’s AFLW history.

Andrew Bruce, who coached the trio at VFLW level and is now a development coach in the club’s AFLW program, lauded the “outstanding” growth of the AFLW team as a whole, and was thrilled to see so many former VFLW representatives among the group.

“They’ve been really integral players within the team,” Bruce said.

“They’re all just really good people. For me, you can have talent and whatnot, but all these girls have got high work ethics and they’re working hard to be more talented, but it comes off the back of their hard work and being really good teammates.”

After playing four games predominantly up forward for the Cats last season, Claudia Gunjaca has made her home in defence in Season 7, and has been a revelation.

But Gunjaca’s brilliant form has not been a surprise to Bruce.

“She is very good,” he said. “When Claudia first came down to the VFLW she was a defender, and we saw some things that she had done at training and thought that she could play as a forward for us as well and be really strong, and she did.

“She probably played half a dozen games as a defender for the VFLW in that first season and she was absolutely outstanding in that role, so I never had any doubt that she could take her defensive game to the AFLW level and succeed in it.

“Claudia is just such a competitor, that it doesn’t matter where you put her, she just wants to beat her opponent and do really well for her team.

“It’s no surprise, I don’t think, because I rate her so highly.”

Fuller has really found her feet as the Cats’ primary ruck this season, sharing the load at times with Kate Darby and Kalani Scoullar, and has become a key part of Geelong’s strong midfield contingent, working alongside the likes of Amy McDonald, Georgie Prespakis and Becky Webster.

The 23-year-old is capable of seizing a moment, too, like when she swooped on her first goal coming off the bench against St Kilda in Round 5.

“Liv comes up against much bigger opponents every week, and I feel that if she doesn’t get the tap out, she gives us a great extra onballer once the ball hits the ground,” Bruce said.

“She’s done an enormous amount of work with ‘Serge’ (Paul Chambers) the ruck coach, and I think that is starting to pay some dividends.

“Liv’s still learning the game as well, she’s in the same situation as Bel (Johnson), really – she came from a basketball background, she’s still understanding to use her body, but she’s constantly asking questions and looking to get better. Certainly maturing as a player and person.

“I thought in particular on the weekend (against Sydney) she was very important for us around the ground and started to do some things like getting forward for the contest – she’s really developing well.”

Johnson impressed in the first half of Season 6, before a foot fracture put a premature end to her season.

But it has been a seamless return to the field in Season 7 for the 22-year-old, whose intercepting game has been a key feature in Geelong’s strong defensive unit.

It’s been an extraordinary rise from the former soccer player, who only started playing Australian Rules at the start of 2021.

“Bel’s still really new to it (footy), but I feel that her soccer background has allowed her to understand the patterns of ball movement, so she does read the game ahead of other players and she can get herself into a position where she can intercept mark,” Bruce said.

“She’s only a mid-to-small player, but she out-marks people because she’s very good with her technique and she backs in her skills as well with that marking, and she’s a pretty solid kick as well.

“Bel’s always looking to get better at that as well, which is great, and she’s tough as nails.”

The Cats VFLW program also has a few other graduates on the list, with forward Mia Skinner finding brilliant form in an injury-free 2022 VFLW season to earn a second chance at AFLW level, while young ruck Kalani Scoullar and former-netballer-turned-versatile-footballer Melissa Bragg have also found their way onto the Cats’ AFLW list after impressing in the state league.

“I think the connection between both groups (VFLW and AFLW) is really strong, and I think that will even grow more so with Flynny (Elise Coventry) taking on the VFLW role next season,” Bruce said.

The Cats take on North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos in an Elimination Final this Saturday at GMHBA Stadium. First bounce is at 7.10pm. Get your tickets through Ticketmaster here.