Adelaide Crows AFLW coach Bec Goddard has challenged her players to get better

WHY Crows premiership coach Bec Goddard is not fazed about being the hunted.

Adelaide Crows AFLW coach Bec Goddard at the season launch at West Lakes.

ADELAIDE AFLW coach Bec Goddard is well versed in the cliches: how the 2017 premiers will be the hunted this season, how other teams will treat their match against the Crows as a grand final and how clubs will have copied and studied them ahead of this season.

Then there is the old adage that it is difficult to climb the mountain but even harder to stay there.

Goddard has taken it all in, realising how futile pre-season predictions are.

This time last year, Fremantle was the strong favourite to win the first national women’s football competition, the Crows — with players split between Adelaide and Darwin — was meant to struggle.

Goddard has chosen to turn things around, mentally, and look at the premiership defence from another angle.

Chelsea Randall, Bec Goddard (Coach) and Erin Phillips of the Crows hold the cup.

“There is (a different perception of Adelaide) and we’re certainly aware of it,” Goddard said.

“I suppose though as soon as 2018 kicked over and we’re at training it was like, ‘That’s it: we’re no longer premiers.’

“We’re back to zero.”

Goddard recognised that teams will have an extra bit of motivation when they play the Crows.

She’s recognised it and discarded it as irrelevant at the same time.

“I think it’s true but we’ll still have the same approach to each game that we go through,” Goddard said.

“Last year it was a seven-game finals series, essentially, the way we treated it.

“And the mentality we have for season two is, ‘Why can’t we?’

“Why can’t we do extras? Why can’t we be fitter? Why can’t we kick better — why can’t we do all of those things rather than (think), ‘What are we going to do to defend it?’”

There will be a slightly different look about the AFLW as it enters season two with some reference frames that were not there for the inaugural season.

Goddard expected it to be quicker after players have improved physically from a second pre-season.

And it is likely to be more direct.

Crows Women AFL players Jenna McCormick, Rheanne Lugg and Sally Riley.

“I think you’ll see a simplification of game plans from some teams,” Goddard said.

“Because they are only 15 minute forwards and you just got to get the ball forward.

“You’ve just got to get the ball forward and win; you don’t have time to overcomplicate things.

“You’ll also see that players are fitter. And I think as a consequence of that I think it’s going to be faster.

“And especially with the last-touch rule coming in. We don’t know how will play out yet.

“I am all for anything that makes the game higher scoring — all for it.

“I’m really open to the AFL offering up suggestions and giving it a crack.

“Why shouldn’t we try to make our best product out there.

“We’ve added to our tool kit. We haven’t forgotten what we did but we’ve added extra layers so players can go to those tools when required.”