AFLW Finals 2023: Adelaide star Caitlin Gould on her rapid rise to footy and the Crows’ forward line

After turning her back on a US volleyball scholarship, Caitlin Gould followed a friend out to play footy. A year later, she was drafted. This season, everything changed again.

Caitlin Gould has been Adelaide’s AFLW spearhead in 2023.

She has kicked the most goals for the Crows this season, sits equal third in the league’s equation and was named in the All-Australian squad.

But what is incredible is that she had never played as a key forward prior to this season.

Ashleigh Saint’s defection to Port Adelaide opened up a big hole in Adelaide’s forward line.

So Crows AFLW coach Matthew Clarke decided to shift Gould from the ruck and make her Adelaide’s the focal point.

“Coming into the pre-season I had a good chat to ‘Doc’ Clarke our coach, he just spoke to me and said there is obviously a spot in the forward line, is that something you want to take on and I said ‘yeah it would be great to add that to my game’, and it has been awesome this year to add that element to my game,” she said.

“It obviously is a big change from the ruck after playing ruck for most of my career so far.

“Coming into the forward line I have had heaps of support from people like Chelsea Randall, Eloise Jones and Danielle Ponter, so it has been really good building that connection in the pre-season and in the season it has been awesome.

“I never played key forward, it has been a big change but an exciting one as well.”

Adelaide Crows star Caitlin Gould had never played forward before this season. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

While she has taken to the new role like a duck to water, there have still been some challenges for the 24-year-old.

“Probably just having two defenders on me quite a lot (has been the biggest change), but also, I guess, just the leading patterns and working off each other in the forward line has been a big thing as well,” she said.

“As a ruck you are always around the ball whereas in the forward line you can be waiting and expecting and it has been a big difference in that regard.

“I do miss being around the contest a bit but I still ruck in the forward line which is good, so I think I still have that good balance.”

But Gould is used to a rapid change.

A volleyball player, both indoor and on the beach, Gould only took up footy because a friend invited her out to play at Happy Valley.

A year later she was picked up by the Crows in the draft at the end of 2019.

But it could have been all so different for Gould.

“I actually got offered a scholarship in year 12 in the US (for volleyball) which was an exciting recognition but I wanted to finish school here and I found myself falling into the footy world,” she said.

“I played one season at Happy Valley and that was for fun with a friend of mine at school because I think her manager at work played there and asked if we wanted to come out and play footy.

“And after that season I got asked to trial at Glenelg, and I absolutely loved the coaches and the girls there – it was fantastic

“After a good season there I got asked to play in two exhibitions matches. They grab the best SANFL players of that year to play against one another and I was fortunate to get picked up in the draft at the end of 2019.

“It is crazy to look back on it now, it all happened within a year. Literally the only game I watched of AFLW was the 2019 grand final where there was (a crowd of) 53,000 and I never thought I would be so fortunate so soon to be competing at the highest level.”

Gould has kicked the most goals for the Crows this season and equal-third in the league. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

Gould was also named in the All-Australian squad. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos

Life could have been quite different for Gould had she taken up the scholarship in America.

She said she had thought about what could have happened but had no regrets with her decision.

“Yeah I think life definitely would have been different but I am a big person on things happening for a reason so staying here in Adelaide, finishing year 12 and my friend saying ‘come out to Happy Valley’ I think it all happened for a reason,” she said.

“But it is quite wild to think about now.”

Her thoughts now are firmly on how she can help the Crows overcome North Melbourne in the preliminary final on Sunday at IKON Park and get Adelaide into another grand final.

“North have been one of the best teams in the competition this year so we are expecting a hugely contested game,” she said.

“Starting strong and playing all four quarters of ruthless footy is our biggest focus come Sunday.

“It is going to be a big one so that is exciting.”