Fremantle coach Trent Cooper says the abrupt and disappointing end to the Dockers’ unbeaten AFLW season in 2020 “counts for nothing”, but it does give his side momentum heading into the new season.
Key points:
- The COVID-19 pandemic meant no AFLW premier was crowned last season
- The Dockers were unbeaten in 2020 and were favourites to win the flag
- Carlton is among the Melbourne-based sides tipped to be a premiership contender this season
The Dockers set the pace in 2020 and were on track to make their maiden grand final appearance after trouncing Gold Coast by 70 points in the semi-finals in late March.
But the AFLW season ground to a sudden halt after the first week of a three-part finals series when domestic travel was effectively banned due to tightening coronavirus restrictions, leaving the season without a premier.
The AFLW will make a much-anticipated return on Thursday night when traditional rivals Carlton and Collingwood square off at Princes Park.
“We start 0-0 like every other team in the competition,” Cooper said after being asked if the Dockers had unfinished business in 2021.
“Last year in some ways counts for nothing but what it does give us is really good momentum, which we’ll carry on into this season.”
Cooper said the motivation level of players was so high immediately after the season was cut short that he had to rein it in.
“There was a lot of drive to really perform and probably the first month after the season was over some of the girls were training way too hard, but we’ve wound that back and wound them back up again,” Cooper said.
“Our primary focus is to make sure we get off to a good start and be in a position to challenge again at the business end.”
‘Fire in the belly’
Fremantle forward Gemma Houghton said the side felt raw emotion after their premiership dreams were dashed last year, but the coronavirus pandemic put football in perspective.
“Not long after that we were quick to realise it was a lot bigger than football … so I think it’s given us a lot of time to reflect on that and get certain priorities in order,” said Houghton, who is a two-time All Australian selection.
“Every season we go in with a fire in the belly to make sure we perform.
“We know obviously last season was out of our control, but what we can control is going into this season.
Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce echoed Houghton’s sentiment and said the 2020 season made her realise how much she loved the game.
“Those feelings where you’ve put so much into it to get that opportunity to play finals and then the feeling, the hollow, empty feeling when it was just over,” Pearce said.
“To have lived through that it makes you realise how much you love it.”
Blues backed to shine
Fremantle, who has not lost in Perth since 2018, and a cohort of Melbourne-based sides are tipped to finish at the pointy end of the ladder, with North Melbourne — who led Conference A before qualifying for the preliminary final last year — among the favourites.
“We’re happy to be considered one of the teams to beat … but there’s quite a few teams who will be very difficult to beat,” Cooper said.
“Last year there was so many close games that could have gone either way.”
Pearce said while the Dockers would be good again, Carlton was the standout last year.
“I can only imagine they’ve gotten better given that a lot of their power last year was off the back of young, developing girls in (Madison) Prespakis, who won the (AFLW best and fairest) medal, Georgia Gee, Tayla Harris,” Pearce said.
“I could just keep rattling them off but I feel like they only going to have gotten better.”
The Blues were grand finalists in 2019 and enjoyed a big finish last season, buoyed by the hot form of young players like Prespakis and Gee, and the experience of Darcy Vescio.
Despite only releasing the fixture for the first two rounds, the league is adamant it will see out the full season even if COVID-19 disrupts again, giving a commitment that a premier will be awarded in 2021.
Contingency plans are in place to prevent COVID-19 having any major impacts on the competition’s schedule and players are prepared for the possibility of entering COVID bubbles or hubs.
GWS Giants have already faced adversity in the preseason, with coronavirus restrictions forcing the side to relocate to Albury and now Adelaide, with no return to Sydney forecast at this stage.
For the first time, spectators will have to buy tickets to each match, which has been celebrated as another sign of progress for the league.
Seats to round one have been snapped up quickly, with Sunday’s clash between Richmond and Brisbane at Punt Road a sell-out.
