Phoebe McWilliams provides a unique insight into her AFLW journey throughout the season.

Thursday February 4

2:30pm

I was sitting at home thinking about my opponent for the weekend’s match. I was preparing for our fly in, fly out game in Brisbane.

I don’t generally spend too much time thinking about my opponent. Just a little refresher on what their strengths are to ensure I’m ready. 

“Kate Lutkins…

“Likes to play as a spare. Takes intercept marks. Our forward line will need to make her accountable.”

3:00pm

“Ting”, my phone goes off. It’s our team’s Whatsapp group. 

The message reads, “We are no longer playing Brisbane in Brisbane on Sunday, we’re now playing Collingwood at Victoria Park on Saturday.”

My thoughts shift immediately from Kate Lutkins to my potential Collingwood opponent.

“Stacey Livingstone...”

“Physical, like to play body-on-body. She will make sure you earn your possessions.”

Pivot

They say a week is a long time in football. That’s definitely the case during a global pandemic. 

Given the ever-changing climate in Australia, our fixture is now being decided week-on-week.

At last Thursday’s training, the day we found out the changed schedule, I asked a few of my teammates what they thought about the change.

“It’s great, now we don’t have to travel,” was one response.

“Now my family can come along,” was another.

But my favourite response was, “I don’t mind who we are playing or where, just as long as we are playing.”

And that was the attitude of our group. 

The fixture change didn’t bother us as it meant we were still playing. 

Pride

Another positive that came from the schedule change was that the Geelong Cats Pride group could now attend our first ever Pride game.

This group has been cheering our team on from the start. 

I remember meeting them in person at our first practice match in 2019.

Since then I have often seen their friendly faces and rainbow flag cheering us on from the stands.

Now it was our opportunity to support them. This week we were their cheer squad.

Round 2 of the AFLW Season was the competition’s first ever Pride Round and what a success it was. 

Running out onto Victoria Park on Saturday there were rainbows as far as the eye could see. 

And how great were our Pride jumpers!? Designed by a working group made up of members of the Pride group, the club’s administration and a selection of our very own players. Our first ever Pride jumper was something special.

Our captain Meg Mac said something to the group that really made the importance of this round sink in for me.

She mentioned that the LGBTQI+ group has had a long association with women’s football and their passion and perseverance has led to us now having the opportunity to play the game we love at a semi-professional level. 

When I put on my jumper last Saturday, I thought of everyone from this group who I have met along my journey and I played for them.

Progress

I mentioned in my diary last week that our team wasn’t going to let our Round 1 loss to North Melbourne define us and the way we came out and played the first quarter on the weekend showed that.

Debutant Liv Barber’s goal in the first minute was the perfect start to the game. 

Boydy’s strong mark and goal was a pleasure to watch.

Sophie Van De Heuval’s handball receives off the half back were exciting.

Steph Williams’ defensive pressure brought another element to our game.

There are positives from the weekend, but we need to be more consistent. 

We can’t have flashes of brilliance. We need to play quarters. 

That will be a focus for us this week.

Cats v Dogs

For the second time in less than a week, we pivot again.

We now face the Western Bulldogs on Friday night. 

Footy on a Friday night in Geelong - you can’t get any better than that.

I think about my opponent for this weekend. 

“Ellyse Gamble...”