NEW TEAM North Melbourne faces the challenge of bringing together players based in Victoria and Tasmania ahead of its inaugural NAB AFL Women’s season.
"Getting our players based in Tasmania to come to Victoria as much as possible so that we can train together is our biggest challenge," said Emma Emma Kearney, this year’s AFLW best and fairest winner and high-profile Kangaroos recruit.
Kearney’s signing headlined a busy period for North, which also scored the signatures of Moana Hope, Emma King and Jasmine Garner (from Collingwood) and Kaitlyn Ashmore (Brisbane).
"This is a new team, so we have to get to know each other as quickly as possible. We will all meet sometime in October and then get pre-season started," she said.
North hopes to conduct a pre-season training camp in Tasmania, while also playing some of its AFLW games in the state.
"The Tasmanian partnership is hugely important to us. If we can make that huge connection with Tassie, it will be a great thing," Kearney said.
The Roos’ link to Tasmania is not dissimilar to that between inaugural AFLW premier Adelaide and the Northern Territory.
The Crows have a partnership with AFLNT, with players and coaches based in both Adelaide and Darwin.
Kearney said the prospect of a shortened AFLW season in 2019 did not sit well with players.
"The general feeling among the players is pretty obvious – we want to play more games," she said.
The AFL is yet to finalise the format for the 2019 season, however six home and away games per team plus two weeks of finals is one of several models being considered.
"The AFL has put in two new teams thinking the competition will expand, just as the players did," Kearney said.
"In five years, the competition will be really strong. The AFL just has to be patient."
The 28-year-old remained hopeful of a swift resolution that satisfies players, fans and the AFL.
"The players want more games. In the end, I’m sure we will get an outcome that is good for everyone," she said.
Kearney spoke to AFL.com.au at the launch of a fitness app, Fit for Footy, co-founded by Geelong’s Brownlow medallist Patrick Dangerfield.
Fit for Footy allows players of all ages and skill levels to learn about skills, strength and conditioning, nutrition and hydration, and recovery programs based on programs followed by AFL players.
"It’s really important that we are teaching the right things for fitness, nutrition and footy skills to kids at the grassroots level, and this is stuff they can do at home," Kearney said.
