SECOND-YEAR Geelong player Georgia Clarke is relishing helping turn around her club's scoring woes.
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The Cats were the lowest scoring team in their first AFLW season, averaging 22 points a game, forcing head coach Paul Hood to rethink his side's make up.
And for 19-year-old Clarke, who played most of her junior and early AFLW career as a defender, that ultimately meant a shift forward.
The former Greater Western Victoria Rebel, who is studying exercise sport science at Deakin University, said she was excited but wary of the change.
"The new role brings a lot of nerves and a bit more pressure because we are striving to kick more goals," she said.
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The Branxholme product, who played six games in her first season, said her time playing as a defender wouldn't be lost on her as she makes the shift from stopping to damaging opposition.
"Bringing that defensive mindset forward will help us keep it (the ball) in," she said.
"There a few others that bring that like Renee Garing, who averaged eight tackles per game last year, so bringing more defence into that forward line helps bring a different mindset with that pressure."
The shift forward has started to bare fruit for the Cats, scoring 47 points in their practice match against the Western Bulldogs.
But adjusting to a new role hasn't been the only challenge with the young Cat hampered by concussions during the 2019 VFLW season.
"I struggled more at the start of the year with concussion having three within the space of five or six months," Clarke said.
"The last one they gave me a lengthy break. Instead of a week, which is normal for a concussion, they gave me a month off and that really helped me refresh and get some solid games in."
Since the last concussion Clarke has hit the gym to strengthen her core to allow her to be stronger in the tackles and avoid the sling tackles that caused her head knocks.
Clarke, who played 11 VFLW games, is in contention for selection for the Cats season opener against Fremantle on Sunday.
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Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
