Four Geelong United players have a ‘history and chemistry’ together says Gemma Potter

They will be the great unknown of the WNBL, but a Geelong United player says there is plenty of “chemistry and history” between a core group.

Jaz Shelley was the first player recruited by Geelong United. Picture: Peter Foster.

Signing for Geelong United has been something of a reunion for former Canberra Capital, Gemma Potter, as Round 1 of the WNBL season inches closer.

The fifth player unveiled by the franchise, Potter said she had previous “history and chemistry” with fellow signees Jaz Shelley, Elissa Brett and Taylor Mole, having spent time together at the AIS and in national teams.

Some familiarity perhaps helped the playing group nail down a bunch of team values and non-negotiables following a meeting with United chief executive Mark Neeld.

It was at that meeting where Potter realised how important basketball was to the Geelong community, with a key goal to boost female participation locally, not just Ws and titles.

Elissa Brett and Gemma Potter. Picture: Peter Foster.

“This is going down in history and this will be something we will remember for the rest of our lives stepping out onto that court,” Potter said.

“Growing this game for female athletes is going to be really special.

“We’re not just playing for us but ... all the other young girls out there.”

However, Potter said the club had an ace up its sleeve ahead of Round 1 against Townsville: they were the big unknown.

“No team in the league knows what we’re going to do, it’s a fresh start,” she said.

“We can really use that to our advantage.”

Having come up against coach Chris Lucas plenty of times during her five seasons in the WNBL, Potter has come to learn of his “genuine care” for his players.

“I definitely know he’ll be there for us no matter what we need throughout the season,” she said.

Geelong United play its opening game against Townsville Fire on October 30. Picture: Peter Foster.

“Chris’ teams have been one of the hardest to play against in my whole time in the league, just because of how smart he is on and off the court (is impressive).

“I knew what he could do as a coach and I was really excited to come here.”

Meanwhile, Shelley said she appreciated Lucas’ direct approach.

“We love it, I mean, he’s already shared with us where it comes from,” Shelley said.

“He’s a very smart man, a very direct man and I think he’s built a lot of trust and respect amongst our whole team because we realise the place it’s coming from but he’s also making every one of us better, he holds every single person on our team accountable.”

She agreed that boosting participation among young girls was a key objective.

Geelong United player Taylor Mole. Picture: Peter Foster.

“We’re going to do more and more to get girls playing basketball or playing any sort of sport... that’s one thing the club has already spoken to us about,” she said.

Like Potter, Shelley is ready to embrace the underdog tag this season.

“First time in the league, does anyone really expect us to win much?,” she said.

“But I think our team is all on-board and we’re all super confident in our abilities.

“Every individual brings something different to the team and I’m super excited to go and shock some people.”

Meanwhile, US import Haley Jones, who missed the first month of camp, has her own previous connections with some United players.

Jaz Shelley was the first player recruited by Geelong United. Picture: Peter Foster.

She faced Potter at a junior World Cup and Shelley during their college years, giving the WNBA point guard a small sense of her new teammates — though it was through social media she did most of her homework.

“I’m chronically online, so I feel like I kind of stalked everyone before I got here on Instagram,” Jones said.

“Any little thing I could find, I was watching it, watching highlights from who knows when… I was trying to pick up just different playing styles because I feel like playing point guard, you really need to understand where your teammates like to play to get them into those positions to look their best.”

Originally published as Four Geelong United players have a ‘history and chemistry’ together says Gemma Potter