2023 may have been a disappointing one for Maddy Guerin, but she didn't want to make it a wasted one.

The ACL injury she sustained in season seven ruled her out for another year. Despite having some experience when it comes to injury, it’s never easy to sit on the sidelines and watch your team play. 

One thing prior experience did give Guerin was the ability to shift her mindset more quickly, setting herself some goals for the year if she wasn’t able to get out on the park with her teammates.

“As soon it got to the point where it wasn’t looking like I’ll be able to play, my mindset shifted more towards how I could help the team,” Guerin said.  

“I’d still tick off my training and my rehab but without the pressure of having impending games, I made sure I supported the team from the sidelines and took on a coaching role to help feel like I was still part of it but also give me something to do.”

The coaching role was a new position for Guerin, but something she was keen to explore further, having done junior coaching with the Northern Knights as well as personal training in her past.

One thing Guerin appreciated was being able to see the game from a different view, figuratively and literally, giving her more appreciation and knowledge that she could incorporate into her own game upon return. 

“I got heaps out of it and was able to support the team rather than just sit in the crowd with the other players,” she said.  

"I was able to be out there and give feedback, ask questions, and learn the game style to a greater degree.

“When you’re up in the box you see everything shift from that birds-eye view and you see the whole gameplay flow nicely. I think that makes me appreciate the different roles in the team a bit better.”

No stranger to the rehab process, Guerin has noticed massive changes in the high-performance standards and the way the Club prioritises injury recovery.

The standards weren’t only raised in the gym, with Guerin noting the increase of standards on the training field too. 

“All of the high performance and coaching staff really elevated all aspects of the excellence piece,” she said.  

“I found that there was more attention to detail on technique and effort. Really across the board, it felt like I was able to get more out of my body and more out of my mindset.”

Guerin would strongly recommend that injured players in her position consider taking on a coaching role, firsthand reaping the benefits of her mindset and knowledge of the game. 

Giving her a sense of purpose and rejuvenated energy coming into the Club, the 24-year-old was able to look at the 2023 season through a new lens.

“If anyone is ever injured and feeling a bit isolated and you want to get your hands on it a bit more, I would suggest [being around the coaches] as it's a great way to stay involved,” she said.  

“I almost forgot I was a player sometimes but it's exciting to still know I’ll be able to play again eventually – but you feel valued and you feel like you can add value in another way.”