{"id":126713,"date":"2023-03-23T12:26:15","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T02:26:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=126713"},"modified":"2023-03-23T12:26:16","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T02:26:16","slug":"optimistic-coach-chloe-trying-to-ensure-history-does-not-repeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2023\/03\/23\/optimistic-coach-chloe-trying-to-ensure-history-does-not-repeat\/","title":{"rendered":"Optimistic coach Chloe trying to ensure history does not repeat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AFTER experiencing just about every emotion over the past few years in the VFLW, Collingwood coach Chloe McMillan<\/em><\/strong> is looking forward to the new season and looking to get back to those highest of highest of highs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting on last year, McMillan said that \u201clast season was probably a little bit up and down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had some really good moments from last year and then we had some moments that we\u2019d probably like to have back again,” she said. “We lost a few players through injury, we lost our captain in round 5 and couldn\u2019t quite get the team balance right at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There were plenty of lessons learnt and there was still some really good things that we saw. We saw some players come through and play some good footy and definitely we want to build on last year and take what we learned out of that and bring it into this season.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McMillan believes that the depth of the side was the main reason that Collingwood were unable to quite reach the highs they had in the 2019 and 2021 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe probably didn\u2019t quite have the depth of what we\u2019ve had previous years as what we did last year and we were interrupted a bit with Covid which everyone was,” McMillan said. “We had injuries to some key players which probably hurt us in not quite having the depth there. We just couldn\u2019t quite get back to the same levels as the last couple of seasons but I think this year we\u2019ve got a pretty healthy squad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We\u2019ve got 33 to 34 players on our list and then we\u2019ll be supplemented with some AFLW players that come in in the early rounds. So I think we have some healthy competition for spots and players have improved and we\u2019ve got some new players in, which is exciting to the group as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McMillan confirmed that when it comes to the AFLW players coming in each week, it will more be the younger end of the AFLW list that will get a game in the VFLW, and as the coach put it \u201cto help them get a head start on their preseason\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of depth, there are plenty of new faces at Victoria Park in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got I think 14 or 15 new faces which is really exciting,\u201d McMillan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve brought in Jess Bates<\/a> who\u2019s come over from the SANFL competition who is a really good player from Glenelg, she\u2019s going to complement our midfield players that we\u2019ve got and mix in really well with our midfield group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We\u2019ve brought in Riley Christgoergl<\/a> from the Western Bulldogs, she was their captain and has come in and had a huge impact on our group both on and off the field, and then we\u2019ve bolstered sort of our key ends with Selena Karlson<\/a> coming back to footy and returning after a long term injury and Eleri Morris<\/strong> who\u2019s come down from Sydney as part of the Giants Academy who is an exciting key forward and we help to see her develop and hopefully put her hand up for AFLW draft and whatever might come with that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the AFLW season moving from Summer to Spring, McMillan says it has not changed too much for the VFLW team in terms of preparation for the upcoming season, but she believes it hinders the AFLW team because during the AFLW season there is no team to fall back to for the non-selected players to prove themselves and get back into the AFLW side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has been a big year already personally for McMillan, who was lucky enough to be selected in a Coaching Acceleration program and has been working in the Collingwood men\u2019s program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been awesome for me as a coach and being able to develop,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s more getting experience within the men\u2019s program which previously I hadn\u2019t had the option to. I wasn\u2019t able to with the other jobs I was in so now to be able to be exposed full-time, feel like I am a part of that program and learn as much as I can, I still feel like I\u2019ve got so much to learn but I\u2019m already seeing some things transferring across, making the VFLW program the best we can and trying to take little bits and pieces and blend them in and see how we think can help the program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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