CARLTON started their season off right with a 34-point win over Richmond at Ikon Park on Friday night — and Georgia Gee had a big say in that.
The speedster was among the key ball-winners for the night, gathering 14 disposals and providing a relentless chase-down of Richmond gun Monique Conti.
Talking to ABC Outer Sanctum on Saturday morning, Gee was impressed with the physicality and tempo of the season opener.
“The Tigers definitely brought their A-game and there was a lot of pressure out there,” Gee said.
“It was a big game and it was really exciting.”
A night to remember.
— Carlton Womens (@carltonfc_w) February 7, 2020
Here's how our season opener against the Tigers unfolded. #BoundByBlue
Standing at 160cm, Gee is one of the smallest players in the competition.
This makes no difference to the young star however, who laid five tackles on Friday with no fear in sight.
“Obviously being the smallest out there, a lot of girls are scared and worried that I’m going to get snapped in half but that’s not the case at all,” she said.
“I think as long as you go into the contest as safe as you can then I think you’d be right.”
While she throws her body around with reckless abandon, a key feature of Gee's game is her cleanliness and class at ground level.
Gee has shown dramatic improvement in her game over the last two years, with the 2019 NAB AFL Rising Star nominee putting it down to the overall skill increase of the AFLW competition as a whole.
“Drafting younger players that have played under-18s and gone through all those pathways to learn all the basic skills has upped the competition a lot,” she said.
“I think a lot of the older girls have learnt off them as well. It’s really good to see that it’s showing and that everyone can see that.”
Carlton will face old enemy Collingwood on Sunday in its first 'home' game of the season.
Gee believes her young teammates will not be rattled by the importance of the match-up.
“I think our younger players are really capable of stepping up and playing our role so it should be good,” Gee said.
“It’s a big rivalry but we can’t wait to face them.”