Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce to take a step back from football as she ponders her long-term future
THE biggest star in women’s football, Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce has revealed she is looking to take a step back from the game this year as she ponders what the future might hold.
AFLW
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DAISY Pearce is sporting a brace on her right knee as she takes a seat on a park bench at Arden Street.
The Melbourne captain brushes it off as “nothing major”.
In fact, she has been wearing the brace for a “couple of weeks”, having experienced some knee soreness for much of the season.
With her 30th birthday fast approaching in May, Pearce admits football is beginning to take its toll.
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It is part of the reason she is planning to take a step back from the game this year, deciding not to play with Darebin Falcons in the VFL Women’s competition in a bid to “milk a few extra seasons” out of her AFLW playing career.
“I’m going to have a freshen up this year and not play VFL footy at all, just because it’s been four back-to-back seasons,” Pearce said.
“I’m just feeling like my body and mind could do with a bit of a refresh. It doesn’t mean I’ll never play VFL footy again but this year I’ll just step away and focus on some work opportunities.
“I’ll continue to train with Melbourne and might do a night a week with the Casey team or some development coaching so I’ll stay connected and keep working on some things.
“They (Darebin) have done some great work building their relationship with Northern Knights and some of the pathways out there so the Darebin Falcons are bigger than any one person.”
It is a chance to ponder what the future might hold for Peace, who has been the brightest star in women’s football for a decade.
The midfielder says she has not put “a cap” on when the boots will be hung up, but the part-time midwife adds motherhood is also calling.
“You get to 30 as a woman and start thinking about wanting to have a family and the timing of all that,” Pearce said.
“At the moment I haven’t decided but I’m just going year-by-year and see how we go.”
For the time being, leading Melbourne to success is Pearce’s focus and she is continuing to do that like few can.
It has been a rollercoaster season for the Demons — who sit third on the ladder with a 3-2 record — but Pearce has largely been a picture of consistency.
Closer attention has come for the 2017 All-Australian captain this season, including a tough tag from Britt Bonnici which restricted Pearce to just nine disposals against Collingwood in Round 4.
However, like champions do, Pearce bounced back to lodge 24 disposals and two goals against Brisbane last week despite again dealing with some close checking.
“People have been able to sit back and put a bit more time into individuals and it’s just a part of footy,” Pearce said of the tags.
“There’s been a few little things that we’ve talked about this year and adjustments that I’ve made in terms of my running patterns and where I take someone if they are giving me a bit of attention or tagging but it hasn’t been anything I haven’t really dealt with before.”
Part of a dominant Demons midfield, Pearce is the second-highest disposal winner in the competition this season averaging 18.6 touches, with teammates Elise O’Dea (17.8 disposals) and Karen Paxman (17.4 disposals) not far behind.
It seems Melbourne’s only weakness in its quest for premiership success is its forward line, but Pearce said signs were beginning to look up on that front.
“It’s probably our most inexperienced line but I wouldn’t put it down to a dysfunctional forward line,” she said.
“I think it’s just us constantly improving that connection between mids and forwards to make sure we’re getting good quality forward entries.”
Melbourne meets Carlton at Princes Park in the second-last round of the season on Sunday, securing a victory vital to its chance of sewing up a Grand Final spot.
“It will be a big game but every week’s a tough challenge,” Pearce said.
“That’s just the nature of the competition, it’s so close.”
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