ONE of the more fascinating stories of this year’s AFLW Draft crop is the rise of Calder Cannons and Vic Metro midfielder, Kayley Kavanagh. From hard working on-baller to All-Australian and Metro MVP, Kavanagh has had an incredible rise up draft boards off a strong 2023 season. We chatted to her post-championships about her journey and all the accolades that have come her way this year.

Q: Kayley, tell us about your football journey?

KK: “I first started in Year 6. I think I was about 12 years-old. My friend asked me to come down to a couple of training sessions with her and I was like ‘yeah alright, might as well’ had nothing better to do. Went down there and played a couple of games and then my coach started actually playing me in the midfield.

“He got my name wrong at first, he was like “oh Mikayla, Mikayla” and then I was like ‘it’s Kayley, it’s Kayley’. Then after the first game he knew my name from there, so that was good. Then that was down at Strathmore and then from there I got invited to come down to Cannons preseason in 2022. Then we played the full season last year and then 2023 played the whole season this year.”

Q: What was that experience like coming from playing local to the Cannons?

KK: “It’s definitely a different experience. You go from having one coach and maybe a trainer or maybe a team manager every week to have three or four trainers, maybe five coaches, wellbeing people helping you with everything. It’s definitely a bit daunting at first, especially with all the different girls coming from different clubs, but it’s a really great experience, I really wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Q: Your form earned you a call-up to the Under 23 Futures, what was that like?

KK: “I was a late inclusion so I didn’t know about the game actually at all. Then I got a call from Tarkyn saying ‘hey would you like to play in this game?’. I was like ‘oh yeah what is it?’ and he was like ‘It’s at Marvel’ and I was like ‘of course I’d love to, that’s amazing’, ‘oh you get to watch the Bulldogs game after’ ‘even better, I love all the Bulldogs players’. That was a really great opportunity, getting to play with girls from all across the country really and then getting to play against the best 24 in Australia is just a very unique and thrilling opportunity that I got given.”

Q: Your Talent League form warranted a Vic Metro call-up, how did you feel when you were told?

KK: “That was actually a bit of a shock I can’t lie. I didn’t really expect it, but I was really happy I can’t lie, I was really, really happy. Just getting the chance to put on display everything that I’ve been training for, it was a really great opportunity and I’m really thankful that I got given it.”

Q: It wasn’t like you were just making up the numbers either, you had a terrific carnival and earned MVP honours, what was it like when you were told you were MVP?

KK: “I was a bit zoned out after the game and then Tarkyn (Lockyer, National Academy head coach) told me or told the team announced it to the team, and I was like ‘woah this is really happening’ I could actually see a future coming into this from football. It was a bit of a realisation, but it was also a really great acknowledgement to all my hard work I’ve put in this year and the last couple of years as well.”

Q: Shortly after that you were named in the All-Australian team, how did that feel?

KK: “I was really happy. I actually didn’t realise because I was at school when I announced it. My sports teacher Brett Gourley, he coaches over at North Melbourne Women’s and he comes up to me ‘congrats’ and I was like ‘congrats for what?’ I thought he was talking about a school grade or something and then he goes ‘All-Australian’ and I was like ‘no way?’ and I was so taken aback. I was really happy with getting the recognition that I really thought that I did deserve.”

Q: After the national carnival, you returned to the Cannons what was it that you took from your time with Vic Metro?

KK: It’s definitely very … I learnt a lot of stuff at Vic Metro with the different perspectives you get and the different coaches and different players as well. Everyone has their unique skill to your game which you can obviously pick up and take back and use in your own game. I learnt a heap of different ways of either looking at the game or getting around the ground, which is like leading or getting back in defence. Just really the knowledge and education that they all brought to that program was really quite amazing.

Q: You’ve always had a strong inside game, have you been looking to improve on that outside game?

KK: “Yeah definitely. Getting a bit outside running and running between the 50s as well as into the 50 is definitely part of my game that I’ve been trying to work on and pick up a bit. I definitely know that I have it in me, but it’s just not something I put a conscious effort in when I’m playing.”

Q: What do you consider to be your strengths in your game?

KK: “My current strengths would be quick hands, getting it out of stoppages, clearing it and I guess I can run. My outside game is good when I definitely put a bigger lense on it, trying to put a focus on that.”

Q: What about the improvements you’re looking to make in your game?

KK: “Hitting targets inside 50. It’s something that I’ve been trying to work on, especially it’s very different going from less pressure at training situations to a game where there’s a lot more pressure. I’d really like to be able to add that extra element of precision kicking into 50.”

How much confidence does it give you now that you’ve had those honours that we spoke about before?

KK: “It’s definitely a confidence booster. It would be for anyone. But it’s more of confidence as well as acknowledgement for all of the effort that I’ve put in, all of the training that I’ve put in more than confidence.”