There was more than one reason for our AFLW players to smile on Tuesday night.
Not only was it the girls’ first official training of the new season, but the group were buoyed by the return of two familiar faces in their training drills.
Former number one draft pick Nina Morrison and veteran defender Elise Coventry joined the group for the first time since injuring their ACLs earlier in the year.
Morrison returns to the squad having injured her knee at training before round two of the 2019 season, whilst Coventry returns to the group as a train-on after she injured her knee in the club’s practice match against Carlton.
18-year-old Morrison and 35-year-old Coventry have become unlikely friends having spent the winter together rehabbing their knees. It seemed only fitting that they ran out onto GMHBA Stadium together for their first training on Tuesday night.
Morrison definitely didn’t take the session lightly winning the team’s first fitness test taking out the shuttle run ahead of speedy midfielder Renee Garing.
The group then completed a skills session under the watchful eye of the team’s new coaching panel featuring former North Melbourne defender Scott Thompson and Geelong local Josh Finch.
The team will train four times a week in preparation for their second season, which commences on Sunday February 9 when they play Fremantle in round one.
