EXCITEMENT levels are building among the Geelong playing group ahead of next week’s first AFL Women’s match featuring the Cats.
Small forward Danni Orr admits she has let her mind wander to picture what it will be like to run out in front of a crowd the club hopes will pass 20,000.
“You want to be prepared if you’re fortunate to be able to get that opportunity to play in that first game,” she said.
“You see people down the streets, family and friends, and other people around Geelong that are really keen to come watch and get behind us, even if they don’t usually follow football.
“I’ve been to plenty of Geelong games here in the crowd watching … I’ve heard the noise then, so it would be pretty amazing if we can get a packed stadium.”
The Cats had their only formal practice match last week against Carlton and Orr says it was a good chance to test themselves against an opponent.
“(It was), obviously, a little bit quicker, I think, and skills were a little bit sharper, so the ball was moving a little bit better,” she said.
“And a few more contest possessions and contact, in terms of tackling.
“But I think we’ve been developing well as a side over the last two years that I think we’ve just naturally progressed together, and it felt good to play our first game with each other rather than against each other in match sim(ulation) at training.”
Geelong has just four more training sessions before taking on Collingwood at GMHBA Stadium in Round 2.
Orr says Paul Hood and his coaching staff is unlikely to do much differently.
“I think we’ll keep it quite consistent,” she said. “You want to be as sharp as possible and keep up that intensity.
“In terms of the match-play and the hard hits on the body, you’re not going to want too many of those.
“But you definitely want everyone still challenging and going at 100 per cent because it’s hard then to just switch that on when you come into gameplay.
“We still need to make sure we just really get everything out of each training session.”
MEANWHILE, Geelong will be without star midfielder Richelle Cranston for its opening two matches after she accepted a two-week suspension for rough conduct on Carlton’s Sarah Hosking in the Cats’ practice match at IKON Park on Saturday.
She will miss the opening round of the season against the Magpies and following week’s meeting with the Western Bulldogs before being free to return against Adelaide in Round 3.
Twitter: @tom_king79
