CVFL co-captain Carly Geary says the team is embracing the tough test ahead to deny the BFLW an emotional win on home turf in tomorrow\u2019s senior women\u2019s interleague fixture in Ballarat.<\/p>\n
While Central Victoria is an old hand at interleague football, thrashing Millewa in its most recent clash last season in Mildura, Ballarat will be taking to the field for the first time since the former AFL Goldfields women\u2019s competition was rebranded as the BFLW in 2021.<\/p>\n
Geary will lead the CVFL into battle alongside her Golden Square teammate Kira Gibbons, the pair announced as co-captains just this week.<\/p>\n
With their rivals having no real exposed interleague form, Geary said the focus for the CVFL had been very much on their own strengths and preparation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really know what we are going up against, but I feel we are going to be a bit of a force no matter who we are against,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have got a really good side.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know we are playing on a Saturday, so we\u2019ll be missing a few of our best players because they have netball commitments and what not, but the team is really strong despite of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are developing into a really strong league. I feel we\u2019d compete quite well against Melbourne sides, but it\u2019s hard to get a gauge when you don\u2019t come up against them.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t really know until have you something like interleague I guess, which is part of the attraction of interleague.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the BFLW prepares to break new ground with its first foray into senior interleague competition, Geary is mindful the hosts will be eager to make their introduction a winning one.<\/p>\n
More than most in the Central Victoria line-up, she has at least some grasp of what they will be up against.\u201cI actually played a couple of games over in Ballarat a few years back for East Point \u2026 just filling in to help with some numbers, but we had quite a strong side,\u201d Geary said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think the team ended up making finals, but there are some very strong teams over there in Ballarat and with some quite handy players.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have quite a good connection with Melbourne with some players going back and forth from VFL to their local club.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019ll be some very good players floating around come Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both Darley and Redan, which have dominated the Ballarat competition since its inception in 2021 and are currently first and fourth on the ladder, are extremely well represented in the BFLW team with seven and six players respectively.<\/p>\n
A further five are from Ballarat Swans, which is sitting third on the ladder in its first season fielding a senior women\u2019s team.<\/p>\n
Ella Bradbury is the sole representative from second-placed Bacchus Marsh, which has emerged as a major premiership threat with its exciting young playing list.<\/p>\n
Another four are from fifth-placed East Point.<\/p>\n
Coached by Eloise Gretgrix and Leigh Stevens, the CVFL team includes a league-high nine players from ladder leaders Golden Square.<\/p>\n
Geary admitted being shocked, but honoured to be named co-captain, and especially thrilled to be doing the job alongside her new Bulldogs teammate Gibbons.<\/p>\n
\u201cEspecially with the group we have \u2026 we have such a strong team,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Kira is a teammate, so I\u2019m really privileged to be standing alongside her as co-captain.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s an absolute ripper and such a great leader, and a player all our team would just love.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat makes it easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is his first year at Square and she has slotted in perfectly; just a great personality.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s part of being a good leader \u2013 being approachable.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure everyone on the team would be quite comfortable going to chat with her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lining up for her third interleague campaign, despite missing the CVFL\u2019s last three, Geary admits to relishing the tough opposition that representative sport dishes up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope that it\u2019s a really good hit-out \u2026 would love to be challenged. That\u2019s when people play their best footy, when they\u2019re challenged,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like high-end sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo doubt it\u2019s going to be a tough one to win, but I reckon we\u2019ll pull through.\u201d<\/p>\n
The BFLW v CVFL senior interleague clash kicks-off at 2.30pm at Alfredton Recreation Reserve in Ballarat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CVFL co-captain Carly Geary says the team is embracing the tough test ahead to deny the BFLW an emotional win on home turf in tomorrow\u2019s senior women\u2019s interleague fixture in Ballarat. While Central Victoria is an old hand at interleague football, thrashing Millewa in its most recent clash last season in Mildura, Ballarat will be […]<\/p>\n