By Russell Bennett
CRANBOURNE is truly a football club for everyone – male or female, from juniors to seniors – and the next chapter in the club’s story will be one of its most exciting yet.
The Eagles are about to head into their second season in the VFL women’s competition, and with that the club has taken steps to ensure all its players are on the same page and all – equally – feel a part of their club and can take genuine pride in wearing its colours.
Sein Clerihan will coach the VFL side in 2017 and he, along with the rest of the club, is hoping a long line of Eagles will join the seven Cranbourne players already drafted into the AFL Women’s competition.
He is a triple premiership player with Cranbourne and has served under men’s senior coach Simon Goosey in a number of premiership-winning campaigns – both at the Eagles, and other clubs including Mornington.
Later this month, on the 27th, the club will throw open its doors at its Casey Fields base for its ‘VFL Women’s Talent Recognition Day’.
It’s an invite for girls 16 years and over (as at 31 December this year) who love their footy and want to forge their own path as a player to come along and put themselves to the test in agility measurements, the vertical jump, the 20-metre sprint, the two-kilometre time trial, and other basic skills.
The Eagles will also have a Division 2 women’s side next season – coached by Emily Nadj. They’re urging any female players to come along and get involved – whether they have dreams of playing in the AFL Women’s competition, or just love footy.
Over the pre-season, Cranbourne’s women’s arm will join in with the men’s in a number of training sessions and will benefit from the coaching of not only the likes of Clerihan, but also Goosey, himself.
The Eagles’ women’s VFL coaching panel next season will include Barry Purcell (back line), senior men’s player Troy Tharle (forward line), and Clerihan’s predecessor Kris Smith (midfield).
“This is all new, and it’s all really challenging – it’s fantastic,” Clerihan said.
“In a few years, if Cranbourne has 12 girls playing AFL football – how good is that going to feel? Particularly with the growing area we’ve got.
“What we have to do as a club as embrace it. The girls can walk into the social rooms on a Thursday night and they’ll be treated like a Marc Holt. It’s their football club too.
“This is a challenge for me – make no mistake about it, we’re behind the eight-ball. “There’s a lot of work to be done, and it’s going to be mentally draining. At some point in time the wheels are going to come off the wagon a little bit but that’s fine – that’s ok because you make mistakes and you learn from them. That’s the level we’ll be at, because if these girls want to play AFL it goes up again from there.
“The world is our oyster and we’ll see where we’re at in February.
“It’s really important that the girls know what they’re representing – the culture of the club, and its history – because in 10 or 15 years’ time they’ll be looked upon as the pioneers and they’ll see the next crop of players they’ve inspired.”
Cranbourne’s women’s talent recognition day will start at 1pm on 27 November on ovals 2 and 3 at Casey Fields. The cost is $15. To register, email cranbournefc_secretary@hotmail.com.
