As one of the four clubs who are taking the huge leap from Division 1 to the new VFL Women’s competition in 2016, the Seaford Tigers are meeting the challenges of the unknown head on.
“It’s going to be a whole different dynamic, a whole new level of professionalism and more commitment will have to be shown from the girls so we compete against the other teams,” Kate Thompson said, entering her fourth season as a Tiger.
“I think everyone now has the mindset that we’ve got to move up in our commitment to the year ahead and a lot of the girls have hit the gym on their off day.
“We are much more fitter than in previous years.”
New senior coach Brett Alexander says he was quick to notice the commitment, determination and enthusiasm of the playing group after being welcomed aboard in December of last year.
“There’s a really positive vibe about them,” Alexander, who has been running an AFL Girls’ program at Hallam College for the last six years, said.
“I just loved coming to training because I know what I’m going to get.
“I don’t want them purely worrying about running up and down the ground doing conditioning work, so we’ve been incorporating the fitness component and the skill component at the same time.
“Ultimately you have to have a fitness base but you have to be able to use the ball as well.”
A former coach at Bon Beach and the Dandenong Stingrays, Alexander has secured the services of club physio Adam Godfrey and support staff Dave Sheldon and David Baguley in order to improve his players’ conditioning and recovery.
“We’re making sure the girls get the chance to become more professional in their approach to recovery,” he said.
Seaford is also keeping some aces up their sleeve for their future with some exceptional junior development. Their Under 17 side is yet to lose a match since they first played in the Frankston District Junior Football League two years ago and currently boasts the 2015 FDJFL Best & Fairest winner in Tiara Annear as well as the leading goal kicker Carly Bury.
The 2016 season is likely to be a test for Seaford, but the key driver is to be competitive.
“No matter what we do, when we hit the ground we have to be competitive and learn from every game,” Alexander said.
“So if the girls can look back at where they were in the pre-season to the end of the season and have improved both on an individual level and a team level, I’ll be really happy with that.”
Seaford faces Melbourne Uni away in Round 1.