PLENTY of attention has, rightly, been focused on Melbourne’s attack this year.

Tayla Harris has already kicked a career best nine goals, Alyssa Bannan has earned a NAB AFLW Rising Star nomination and had a good crack at goal of the year and Daisy Pearce has kicked five goals, playing well above her height inside 50. 

What that forward line has done for the Demons isn’t just evident in the attacking half, but it has helped the side strengthen its backline, according to small defender Shelley Heath, and confidence from playing on her own teammates at training is being reflected on the field. 

"Knowing that our forward line has quite talented forwards, and if I can play well and do things against them, then I’ll be able to do that against any of the other forwards in the competition," Heath told womens.afl. 

(L-R): Melbourne's Daisy Pearce, Lily Mithen, Shelley Heath and Shelley Scott celebrate a win against Brisbane during round nine, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

Standing at 160cm, Heath often finds herself undersized when going head to head with teammates at training, particularly when lining up on the 178cm and 176cm frames of Alyssa Bannan and Jacqui Parry. 

"They’re much taller than me, so I feel like going on the smaller players that I go up against in games, I kind of feel a sense of relief because I’m like, I don’t have to compete as hard in the air," Heath said.

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What playing on Bannan at training has also added to Heath’s game is an awareness of how to best use her own speed, especially when tasked with quick opponents as she was on Saturday, taking on Gold Coast’s in form small forward Kate Surman. 

Coming into the game Surman had been one of the Suns’ most dangerous players, attacking the footy at speed and had kicked three goals from five shots on goal, so Heath spent the week planning how to limit Surman’s influence on the game. 

Gold Coast's Kate Surman is tackled by Melbourne's Shelley Heath during round five, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

"My coaches spoke to me on the Monday at training, and then again on Thursday, so I knew for about a week who I was playing on," Heath said. 

"I played a bit on her last season, and I watched a few of their games, and she’s just a really, really talented player. Really good around goal. I just thought, if I shut her down and don’t let her get a snap at goal that would help the team."

And help the team Heath did. Surman was held to just five disposals—the fewest of her season to date—and failed to register a shot on goal for the game. 

Melbourne's Shelley Heath evades a tackle from the Western Bulldogs' Celine Moody during round four, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

"I just don’t really like being beaten, so I’ll do anything to stop someone from beating me," Heath said.

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Heath is ready to be thrown the toughest forward each week because being put on the best forwards in the game is a "compliment". 

"I’m just going to go out there and prove to everyone and my team, play my role, and be like 'this is why I get put on the best forwards'," she said.

(L-R): Melbourne's Shelley Heath, Libby Birch and Sinead Goldrick celebrate a win over Gold Coast during round five, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Having the support of a versatile backline, led well by Libby Birch and Sarah Lampard, has also given Heath the confidence to play her own game more freely, knowing guidance will come when needed. 

"Libby is like the captain of the ship, so she reads where everyone’s going and she speaks all the time, and 'Lampy' is also probably up there [as a leader]. She’ll direct me and 'Goldie' [Sinead Goldrick] where to go and where to position ourselves because she reads the game really well from the half back line," Heath said. 

"I put all my trust in those girls."

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