Ex-GWS star Courtney Gum tells why she accepted Matt Clarke’s offer to be a Crow

Former Giant Courtney Gum didn’t want to be one of those players who retired, only to make a comeback. But she tells how a random call from the Crows’ AFLW coach changed her mind.

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Courtney Gum thought her AFLW career was over.

The 37-year-old decided to pull the pin the end of the 2019 season following two campaigns with Greater Western Sydney.

But an unexpected call three months ago from Adelaide premiership coach Matthew Clarke changed her fate.

The midfielder/forward will be a Crows player in 2020 after the club committed to selecting her at Tuesday’s AFLW draft.

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Gum believes she is physically and mentally ready to handle another gruelling AFLW season despite never thinking she’d be one to come out of retirement.

Former GWS player Courtney Gum is challenged by Geelong’s Denby Taylor during a match this season. Picture: Matt Kind/Getty Images

“I really had retired in my head and I honestly didn’t expect at all to get a phone call from any club about playing at my age,” Gum says.

“Then just randomly, Matt Clarke called me and said ‘how tired are you?’

“It was totally out of the blue and I didn’t immediately says yes or no.

“But I always harp on about opportunities and taking them as they come up.

“Just the thought of being able to play in my home state and being able to train in my home state and run my business was appealing — and that I could get that one last shot at (AFLW) not having to move my whole family and interrupt my business.”

Gum was one of the AFLW’s feel-good stories.

After being overlooked at the competition’s inaugural draft, the Giants selected her in 2017 — at age 36 — and she went on to claim the Players’ MVP as well as be named All-Australian in her debut season.

Her partner, Krisse Steen — North’s new SANFLW coach — also moved to Sydney last year with their son Buz and worked as an assistant to Giants AFLW coach Alan McConnell.

Courtney Gum is chaired from the field after playing what was thought to be her last AFLW match when Greater Western Sydney took on Geelong. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

But being away from family with a five-year-old was tough for the pair and Gum said that was a reason for initially hanging up the boots.

“It’s hard to put into words how challenging it (living in Sydney) was in terms of the logistics,” Gum, who owns Kinetic Balance Physiotherapy, says.

“Everything is a bit more stable in my life, which has meant that I’ve been a bit more consistent with my training and probably not quite as stressed.”

Gum will be an experienced head in a relatively young Crows forward line and she welcomes the prospect of aiming for back-to-back flags.

“I loved my experience with GWS,” she says.

“But now to come back to the Crows — my grandparents are mad keen Crows supporters, so it’s exciting because I am playing in my home state, and that’s really fantastic.

“Things happen for a reason and playing in a highly successful team is a real lure as well.”

The AFLW draft is on Tuesday, October 22.