AT JUST 21 years of age, Collingwood midfielder Mikala Cann has played 30 career games and has solidified herself as one of the Pies' most important players this year. 

Losing Brianna Davey in round one and Britt Bonnici last weekend to ACL injuries, the Pies have looked to players like Cann to help cover those gaps through the middle of the ground. 

"Honestly, Bri and Britta, they're irreplaceable," Cann told womens.afl. "I think no one player can singularly replace what they bring to our game, our team. But I think collectively as a group, we can all play our individual role." 

Key to this role-playing mindset is ensuring players know exactly what that role might be, to which Cann credits the influence of head coach Steve Symonds. This clarity was what helped her go to a new level last year, and continue that form into 2022. 

"Last pre-season, just understanding my role and how I can execute that and how I can help other players around me, that's a big thing," Cann explained. 

"Then just trying to do the one-percenters outside of training, too. Making sure that my strength and conditioning is the best it can be, my recovery is the best it can be." 

Cann's awareness of how valuable those things are isn't just instilled by the footy club, but by her work outside of footy. Spending early mornings or evenings when not training as a strength and conditioning coach for junior athletes means she is constantly reminded of how the smallest actions can make the biggest of differences. 

To adapt to the unusual and, at times condensed fixture this year, Cann has developed a routine that includes weekly myotherapy treatments and custom recovery boots at home. 

"Having that knowledge of exercise science, I'm pretty meticulous with my recovery and preparation ... the body's not too bad," she said.

That extra attention off-field has delivered within games, with Cann averaging career-high disposals (13.9), tackles (3.5) and score involvements (2.4) this year, including arguably the best game of her career in the win over the Western Bulldogs last Sunday. 

Cann gathered a personal-best 21 disposals and kicked a goal as she helped cover the early loss of Bonnici, but in her mind it was all about the team and what she could offer them. 

"I honestly didn't really think about myself too much, I was just feeling pretty devastated for Britta and her family in the crowd," Cann said. 

"I didn't think too much about myself until probably a couple of days post-game, but I've just got to continue to get some feedback and play my role week to week and hopefully make the players around me better." 

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