Geelong half-back Becky Webster says spending time with the club’s AFLW coaching staff when sidelined at the start of the season has proven beneficial since she returned to the team.
Webster, who has 47 games under her belt, missed the opening three rounds of the season with a hamstring issue.
But, instead of focussing solely on her return to action, the recently turned 23-year-old took the opportunity to expand her understanding of the game.
“As a player, you want to be out there,” Webster told K rock Football.
“But, being able to be with the coaches for the first three rounds and watching the team from the side(line) was something I’ve never experienced before.
“I feel like everything happens for a reason, and to be able to learn and grow in that space has definitely benefitted me in terms of my playing and knowledge of the game.
“How to absorb the ebbs and flows of the game a little bit more, and understanding that in real-time.
“Sometimes, when you’re a player and in the moment, it can be hard to get everyone on that same wavelength.”
One of only eight players remaining from Geelong’s inaugural squad in 2019, Webster is one of only four current Cats – Julia Crockett-Grills, Kate Darby and captain Meg McDonald, to have featured in both of the club’s AFLW finals appearances.
Geelong was handed a hiding by eventual premier Adelaide in a preliminary final in 2019 when the competition operated under a conference system.
Last year, the Cats lost an elimination final to North Melbourne by two points after just kicking 1.8 for the contest.
“The 2019 final feels like an eternity ago, and even last season,” Webster said. “I just feel like this team’s maturity and our growth over the last 12-18 months has just skyrocketed.
“I’m looking at the competition and how competitive it is; 13 teams could have made the top eight.
“So, I look across the competition (and) how exciting of a position we are in.
“I feel like our best football is good enough, and we can really match it with the best.
“We’ve had our ebbs and flows this season, but finding our form in the last few weeks is super exciting for the first week of finals.”
Webster hopes it’s a case of third-time-lucky when Geelong hosts Essendon in an elimination final on Sunday as it looks to break through for its first AFLW finals win.
The Cats produced what Webster labelled “one of our worst games for the season” in losing to the Bombers by 10 points in their Round 6 meeting in Warrnambool.
Geelong managed just 2.7 (19) on that Sunday afternoon at Reid Oval.
“There was no real connectivity amongst lines,” Webster said.
“I feel like we’ve matured so much and learnt so much from that game.
“It starts with contested footy, doesn’t it?
“We play our best brand of footy when we’re winning that contested possession and using our outside run.”
