Melbourne skipper Kate Hore opens up on life without Daisy Pearce, and how she plans to shape the Demons

Melbourne has never started a season as reigning AFL Women’s premiers, or without Daisy Pearce. But new skipper Kate Hore is confident the Demons still have what it takes.

Daisy Pearce (centre) has retired, with Kate Hore (right) taking over as Melbourne captain. Picture: Michael Klein

When the text message pinged, Kate Hore never could have imagined what was inside.

She’d dared to hope not, at least.

Contact: Daisy Pearce.

Message: That’s it.

Maybe it was a matter of not being able to actually say the word “retirement” out loud, Hore said, but the retirement of not only one of the greats of AFL Women’s, but Melbourne itself since the competition’s inception, wasn’t something the new skipper was necessarily ready for.

It’s something she laughs she’s still trying to convince the retired premiership captain to reverse.

“She texted a group of us just saying that she was retiring, and that was it,” Hore recalls of the January decision.

“I didn’t really know how to respond. The emotions were just kind of all over the place.

“First and foremost, I just miss seeing her every other day. That’s the thing that I miss most about her.

“I don’t have any worries about how our group is going to grow and evolve beyond Daisy, but I just miss her presence around the club.

“As soon as you say it out loud, it probably becomes a whole lot more real for her.

“I sort of thought that maybe she’d go back on her word after the text message, but once you have that official press conference and say it out loud to people it becomes a lot more real … and you can’t go back on it.

“Even though I still say (to her), ‘It’s not too late, it’s not too late’.”

Daisy Pearce and Kate Hore, right, run out in last year’s finals series. Picture: Getty Images

Pearce – a foundation player, three-time All-Australian, three-time club best-and-fairest, 10-time VWFL/VFLW premiership-winner – became one of the faces, if not the face, of the competition, who hates things being about her.

But the grand final had to be, a little bit, or maybe a lot, as club president Kate Roffey said last week upon receiving the team’s inaugural premiership flag that will be unveiled in Friday night’s season-opener against Collingwood at Ikon Park.

To do it for Daisy was an underlying theme of last November’s glory.

“It was funny – my gut feel post-grand final was that she was going to go on,” Hore said.

“But then the longer she left it, I was getting a bit nervous, and then the way that she celebrated (the victory), I was like, ‘Oh no, this could be it’.”

Now, it’s having to do it without her, as the only premiership player to have left the Demons over the off-season.

The premiership core – along with foundation coach Mick Stinear – remains.

That’s what matters to Hore.

“It’s different, no doubt,” she said.

“But we’ve obviously had a good amount of time and now a whole pre-season without her. “With change comes opportunity and a lot of our girls have stepped up. Tyla Hanks has stepped up into the vice-captaincy role – her growth has been huge as both a leader and a player. We’ve added Rhi Watt to our leadership group as well, who is just an 11 out of 10 human being.

“I feel so privileged to have been able to learn from (Pearce) over the years of the club.

“The fact that we’ve been able to keep the majority of our group together – while it is a huge loss in Daisy, we’ve only lost her. To be able to keep that consistency of players and also with our coaching staff, as well, it just helps build the group and the connection and it makes it a lot easier than if you’re having seven or eight players turn over.

“We’ve only had three new girls this season, so they’ve been able to slot in pretty seamlessly and you can just roll on with your game plan and keep building.”

It’s Hore at the helm this season, with the new skipper still working out her leadership style. Picture: Michael Klein

Hore, who served as Pearce’s vice-captain last season, is still working out what type of captain she’ll be.

The Demons have never entered a season as reigning premiers. They’ve never opened a season, either, nor – bar the 2019 season when Pearce gave birth to twins Sylvie and Roy – entered a season not under Pearce’s leadership.

“I don’t really feel the pressure that it’s my team,” Hore said.

“I’m a big believer that all 31 of our girls contribute equally and that everyone brings their own strengths. There’s no point me putting too much pressure on myself that it’s my team – it’s our team and it’s our club. There’s so many girls that are willing to do everything for this group and taking our team forward. I feel very well-supported by the rest of the girls and the coaching staff, as well.

“I think I’m still probably figuring (my captaincy style) out, a little bit.

“I was obviously extremely lucky to be Daisy’s vice-captain last year and honestly, I was just a massive sponge for everything that she did and the way that she went about it. I’m so grateful to have been able to learn off her.

“The reason that I’ve gotten to this point is that I’ve just been myself, so I’ll just try to continue to be genuine and authentic and lead by example. The biggest thing for me is creating an environment that people want to be involved in and stay in, and just empowering others, as well.”

Kate Hore gets a shepherd from Daisy Pearce against the Kangaroos last season. Picture: Michael Klein

The Demons have continued to work with an improvisation coach over the off-season, having engaged her services in the lead-up to the premiership.

It’s unconventional, Hore laughed, but effective in encouraging players to cast aside their insecurities and embrace one another.

Last year’s double-season schedule allowed the Demons to avenge the demons of their own within just a few months, going from grand final defeat to glory within a matter of months.

This time around, they’ve had nine months to bask as reigning premier before the season starts all over again this weekend.

“For us, last year, it was probably the best thing that could have happened in that we played two seasons in one year off the back of losing in the grand final,” Hore said.

“It has been a little bit different – it’s been good, even in the practice games, to blow a few cobwebs out. Last year, we just got to roll from one into the next, so it’s been a little bit different. We’ll build more into the season rather than just hit the ground running like we did last year.

“It’s been a long time between drinks … it’s an exciting week and we’re pumped for the build-up.”