Geelong's Nina Morrison says taking the AFL Women's competition to regional areas is an "exciting part of the game".
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Morrison was one of 10 Cats players involved in a female football clinic at Mack Oval on Friday ahead of Sunday's Essendon and Geelong showdown at Reid Oval.
Her personable manner was a hit with the some 60 young footballers who joined in the session.
"It's such an exciting part of the game, going out to more of your community and regional areas to grow the game that way," Morrison said.
"Even the 10 of us who came down today (Friday) it's really exciting to go out to schools and see the passion that's there. To bring AFLW closer to these towns is really cool."
Geelong has started the current season strongly (4-2) after two rough years of results. Morrison felt the team's rise was due to a culmination of work put in in recent years.
"It's nice to be getting some reward for effort in that sense," she said. "If we keep on building some strong momentum now hopefully we can finish the year off really well and push into finals."
Morrison said the playing group spoke during the week not to take Essendon lightly despite its expansion tag.
"They don't really feel like one with the players they've picked up and how experienced a lot of their group is," Morrison said. "Obviously they still need to gel together but they've been really competitive in all the games they've been in."
The former number one draft pick missed two of her first three seasons in the league due to two torn ACLs.
She is now relishing the chance to string together a number of games, with two seasons held this year after the league changed the competition's start date from early January to the end of August.
"(The two seasons) have been a great result for me, and I know a few of the girls were keen to go again and effectively play 20 games over the course of the year," Morrison said.
"I obviously had a tough start to the journey, but to be out there week-on-week now, I just love being out there.
Morrison is excited to try out the surface at Reid Oval during a open training session on Saturday ahead of Sunday's game.
"It sounds like there should be a few coming down to the game which should be exciting," she said.
The newly developed oval received top marks this week in recent inspections ahead of the match.
Warrnambool Mayor Cr Vicki Jellie thanked staff involved in the delivery of the Reid Oval redevelopment and the AFLW game.
"With the District and Hampden league grand finals played in September, and now with the AFLW game this weekend, all credit to our grounds staff who have ensured the playing surface has been excellent," she said.
Cr Jellie said the redevelopment had opened the door for Warrnambool to host national competitions like the AFLW and hopes it is the first of many elite level games played at the venue.
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