MICHELLE Fedele’s return to football following a severe ankle lower leg injury will have extra special meaning when she leads Geelong out for its opening-round VFLW clash with Collingwood at Deakin Uni on Saturday.
29-year-old Fedele, who suffered a compound dislocation in a match against Richmond in June 2019, was announced as captain of the Cats on Thursday night.
“She had a really significant injury, and it’s taken her a long time to get back, but her pre-season has been fantastic,” coach Andrew Bruce said.
“We’ve managed her at different times knowing that she’s coming back from that injury, and she’s experienced at footy and knows how to judge her body as to how she’s travelling.
“We’ve managed that, but she’s flying at the moment. In her two practice matches, she played a half in our first one and three-quarters last week against Hawthorn, and she looks fantastic out there.
“The way she runs, and attacks the footy, and takes the footy at its highest point. She’s an exciting player.”
Claudia Gunjaca, who has returned to Geelong after winning the AFL Sydney women’s best-and-fairest, will be Fedele’s vice-captain, with Tamara Smith and Bree Beckley named as deputy vice-captains.
Bruce, who played locally with Anglesea and Newcomb, but was most recently in various roles with GFL club Lara, including as a senior assistant coach, is looking forward to taking charge of Geelong.
He had been appointed an assistant coach at previous mentor Natalie Wood for the cancelled 2020 season.
“Because we’ve been so long away from footy, it’s great for me to be back involved as a head coach, but also for the girls to get out there and get some reward for the long pre-season that they’ve had,” Bruce said.
“I got sent a message that it’s been 546 days since their last VFLW game; that’s a long time not to be playing footy.
“Every opportunity they get, there’s a smile on their face because they’re involved in footy, and they’re getting to play.”
Geelong’s team will feature seven AFLW-listed players.
2020 draftees Darcy Moloney, Laura Gardiner, Olivia Barber, and Carly Remmos will be joined by Rene Caris, Georgia Clarke, and Mia Skinner to push their case for AFLW selection against the Magpies.
Also named for the Cats is German product Theresia Meisner.
Meisner, who only took up Australian Rules in 2018 with the Hamburg Dockers, already has a club best-and-fairest to her name and was named in the teams of the tournament at both the 2018 Euro Cup representing Germany and the 2o19 Champions League.
Twitter: @tom_king79
VFL WOMEN’S ROUND 1
GEELONG vs. COLLINGWOOD
Deakin Uni – Waurn Ponds
Saturday, February 27, 12:00pm
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