TOP-AGE talent Renee Morgan was regarded by her state talent coaches as “one of the most unluckiest” to miss out on the National Academy. An injury-stricken 2024 campaign frustrated the well-balanced midfielder who overcame a delayed preseason and then an early injury to still finish the year, but by her own standards, well below her best.
In 2025, Morgan has already come out firing, playing in both All Stars matches and making an impact for South Fremantle in the WAFLW and will now play a key role for the Sandgropers in the national championships. We spoke to her ahead of the year at the West Australian Preseason Testing Day about her past 12 months, how she is working on her deficiencies, and what she hopes to accomplish this season.
Q: How have the last 12 months been for you?
RM: “The beginning of last year I felt really good. Felt probably fittest I had ever been. Pretty confident going into Round 1 and had a good first few games and then Round 3 got an MRI back showing I had grade 4A of a stress fracture but it wasn’t quite a stress fracture, but yeah out for what ended up being 12 weeks of the WAFL season so I came back for Round 16 and wasn’t really at my best form because I didn’t have a preseason really so I was a lot slower, definitely pretty unfit especially as an inside mid.
But ended up playing the national champs, wasn’t really where I wanted to be but got through them okay and then did the Futures game, went alright there. Then after that just rested until state preseason started, the summer program and then I’ve been working pretty hard since then.”
Q: Playing champs as a bottom-ager what was that experience like?
RM: “It was really awesome playing with Zippy (Fish) and Lily (Paterson) in the mid. It was good, definitely learnt quite a bit. They’re both very different players but both very good player. It was very cool, but it was hard though because obviously without having that preseason I was a lot slower and not as fit as I wanted to be, so I had a lot of contested ball whereas I couldn’t really get the uncontested because I wasn’t fast enough. It was good.”
Q: Your speed is probably your main improvement area, what have you been doing to really work on that and build it up?
RM: “Definitely been trying to build my acceleration so I can just get more of that uncontested ball. But we’ve been doing a lot of power work in the gym and in running for me so been working with the state S&Cs to get my own program for while I was still not running. I’ve noticed already that it’s definitely gotten better and I am getting a little bit faster, but it’s definitely something that I need to work on, my speed.”
Q: In terms of your strengths contested ball and being able to play outside as well, where do you see yourself playing this year for South?
RM: “For me I think inside mid is gonna be my role, but also hoping to work on my versatility a little bit. I’ve played back for a little bit in the Futures game and also in the South Australia state game, so hopefully up forward, down back but mainly probably in that inside mid role, just work on my craft there. Especially alongside some of the girls who got delisted from Fremantle who have come back to South Freo like TJ (Tahleah) Mulder and even Tara Stribley, so hopefully learn a few things off them too.”
Q: What club do you support?
RM: “Fremantle for the women’s and then Eagles for the men’s, so kind of both.”
Q: Both West Australian teams but now we know it’s a National Draft, have you put consideration into going interstate?
RM: “Yeah for me I’d definitely just be happy to take any opportunity that comes my way and I would be happy if I get lucky enough to go anywhere.”
