A ONE-CLUB approach.

With Saturday’s AFLW season-opener fast approaching, the final touches are being made after a very productive pre-season.

New recruits are working hard to impress, while familiar faces are leading the charge as a revamped Blues side looks towards making the necessary changes to make an impact on the 2023 AFLW season.

With a positive shift in mentality hitting all areas of the Club and an elite environment being created, the playing group are more excited than ever to start the season on Saturday afternoon at IKON Park. 

“New coach, new manager, a new system that we’re learning and we’re just so excited to get out for Round 1 and the remainder of the season,” Abbie McKay said to 1116 SEN on Wednesday afternoon.

“We’ve had 12 weeks of pre-season now and we’ve had that many new things that have come into the program and we’ve all flourished with what we’ve been given.”

With the new structure in the program and a bolstering of the elite performance areas of the Club, the motivation and excitement in and amongst the playing group are at an all-time high, with the desire to transform that shift into on-field results.

McKay and Jess Good both attribute the change in training structure and focus on high performance as a key to the progress seen in training and simulation games.

Moving to daytime training and dedicating more time to working on their craft, with more access to the upgraded facilities, Good and McKay can only speak highly of these decisions and have seen a positive impact around the club as a whole.

“It’s elite, it’s a professional environment, which we’re so lucky and fortunate to be a part of and able to use. We’re really taking advantage of it with the two-day trainings as well” said Good.

“It’s just creating that elite environment – we’re now feeling like we are professional athletes, which is different working nine to four and then going to have another shift of work. It’s creating and instilling that high performance and professionalism“.

More time around each other has created stronger relationships, strengthening players’ ability to work together and see who has taken to the new system put into place, but also more eagerness to get the season started.

Blues’ stalwart Breann Moody has continued to impress her peers in the pre-season outings, with her ruck craft and ability to stand tall in the forward line has made a noticeable difference in rotations. 

Irish recruit Erone Fitzpatrick has impressed with her explosive pace and goal-kicking ability, making it easy her for to adapt.

“‘Moods’ is just such a threat wherever she is on the ground so if we can get her up forward and get the ball down to her, she’s just dominant,” said Good.

“Erone Fitzpatrick, she’s just come in and dominated, she’s so quick, you cannot keep up with her, she dodges past people, kicks goals and looks like she’s been doing it for 15 years”, McKay said. 

Although McKay and Good are excited to get into the season and focus on helping the Blues move up the ladder, the success of the AFL side, the growing fan support and the open training session preceding Saturday’s game have helped motivate the side to be stronger together.

“We’re very much creating that one-club approach, especially with the day training coinciding,” Good said. 

“The supporters are second to none, you can’t get better than Carlton supporters – they’re passionate for sure.”