AFLW star Jenna McCormick will play the first seven games for W-League side the Brisbane Roar
WOMEN’S AFL and soccer star Jenna McCormick contemplated taking a sabbatical from the world game after her dreams of representing the Matildas seemed to be slipping away this year.
WOMEN’S AFL and soccer star Jenna McCormick contemplated taking a sabbatical from the world game after her dreams of representing the Matildas slipped away this year.
Now she is about re-ignite her fire for soccer by answering an SOS from Brisbane Roar’s W-League coaching staff. They pleaded with her to join the reigning premier and two-time champion after McCormick had become disillusioned with soccer following a super W-League 2017/18 season for Adelaide United.
The Mount Gambier-born Crows AFLW midfield/forward was going to concentrate on footy only after critics argued that her soccer form was good enough for a Matildas call up.
McCormick will only front Roar for the first seven matches before returning to Adelaide for Christmas to start preseason with the Crows.
“Last year I got told by a heap of people that were talking me up (for the Matildas) and it never happened,’’ McCormick said.
“Expectation turned to disappointment and that really got to me, I think that’s why I wanted to focus on footy and just leave soccer, not for good.
“I just wanted a season to focus on footy a little bit because that’s where I was getting my most enjoyment.
“Brisbane then came to me and said OK “we know your situation and we’d be really interested in you for the half season, I know the coach Mel Andreatta and the assistant Garreth McPherson, he used to coach me at Eastern Suburbs in Brisbane.
“They reignited my passion.”
She is on a pro-rata Roar contract.
McCormick is currently working for the Crows helping the club sell new season memberships before flying to Brisbane on Sunday to start preseason with Roar.
Adelaide United did make an approach to re-sign McCormick but she turned the Reds down after they wanted her to commit to a full W-League season she said.
In the past the former Adelaide United defender played W-League soccer for Canberra United and the Reds and was committed to the Crows too.
She started and ended her soccer contracts with each W-League club before crossing codes and playing for the Crows in the inaugural two AFLW seasons, missing out on the opening rounds each year.
“There is no bad blood (with Adelaide United),” McCormick said.
“Last year it was quite physically and mentally demanding to get to all trainings.
“On my off soccer days I was trying to get to Crows preseason training, I still did all the running and wanted to prove to the team I wanted to train hard, it was hard to manage, I was so fatigued.”
The ALFW season is expected to kick off in late January with the AFL set to release its new season fixtures this month before the Crows start preseason in November.