The Prespakis sisters on growing up, competitiveness, rivalry and facing off in big milestone game

Like most siblings, things would start out in fun and end up in tears for the Prespakis sisters. On Sunday, they share a huge AFLW milestone as they prepare to face off for the second time.

Madison Prespakis of the Blues and Georgie Prespakis of the Cats pose for a portrait after the match during the round two AFLW match between the Geelong Cats and the Carlton Blues at GMHBA Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Tears would be somewhat typical for the Prespakis little tackers — starting out in fun, of course.

Like most siblings, it typically ended that way.

Hopefully there’ll be none in Warrnambool on Sunday.

Maybe a couple of joy from mum and dad — Damien and Jody — as their girls Madison and Georgie notch respective milestones of 50 and 25 AFL Women’s games respectively.

Neither can quite believe how football’s planets have aligned to have them celebrating a “combined 75th” against one another, meeting for just the second time in the top-flight, and for the first time since Maddy joined Essendon.

But the sibling rivalry still burns almost as hotly as it did in the driveway all those years ago.

Georgie, Annalea and Madison in their younger days. Picture: Supplied

“We’ve got a healthy competitive relationship, I’d say,” Maddy said of her Geelong Cat sister Georgie.

“But growing up, we would always fight over little petty stuff. Even if we were playing footy out the front, one would get upset and cry.

“We probably weren’t the best of mates but as we’ve gotten older, we have become best mates. It’s completely changed.”

When asked about the obligatory tears, Georgie was quick to quip.

“Did she tell you that was on her end, not mine?,” she laughed.

But being two years younger than Madison and twin Annalea, she conceded that she was often the little sister tagging along for fun.

“I think everyone in the family could vouch that she was quite annoying,” she said of Maddy.

“We were always, always really happy. We all played a lot of sport and it was such a good household and sometimes when you play sport or in the backyard it gets a little too competitive and someone always ends in tears. That’s just how it goes.”

Maddy started footy at Auskick, while Georgie followed suit a little later with the three Prespakis sisters winning a junior premiership at Sunbury under dad’s coaching, Georgie the youngest of the crew.

“I reckon there was always a training that would get a little bit awkward because he’d crack the s … s at me and it was like, yep, that’s the coach’s child,” she said.

But following her sister into footy was natural — the desire to be just like her big sister in those early days was evident.

“Watching Maddy play a lot of football with the boys and then obviously then playing at Calder Cannons and going down that pathway it was like, ‘hang on, this is pretty cool, I want to follow in her footsteps’,” Georgie said.

AFLW players Georgie and Madison Prespakis pictured with father Damien. Picture: Supplied

“She obviously was always really talented and played well, and I was like, well, let me do one better!.”

Maddy, who was presented with her 2020 league best and fairest medal in lockdown by Georgie in emotional scenes at their family home, said the pair can relate closely given their parallel AFLW careers from each end of the highway.

But bragging rights on Sunday might well be worth more than four points come a bit of Christmas Day ribbing.

“We just always wanted to beat each other, but as we’ve gotten older, the rivalry is still there but it’s more that we want each other to do well,” she said.

“Obviously being in such a high-profile environment, we have to be there to support each other rather than be competitive against each other.

“But when it comes to playing against each we want to beat each other.”

All-Australian Georgie often comes up in Essendon’s team meetings. Likewise the other way at the Cats, where Georgie said ensuring Madison “doesn’t rack up 37 touches like she did last time” when the teams meet again.

Bragging rights are up for grabs in the ‘Bool on Sunday.

Georgie missed last year’s “Prespakis Cup” — as it has been dubbed by some Essendon players — due to suspension, meaning Sunday’s clash has extra meaning.

Maddy said completing opposition analysis on her own sister doesn’t get any less weird.

“It’s always a bit funny, you sit in the team meeting and kind of just giggle at it. It is your sister. But it’s strange and it’s strange when your coaches are talking about your sister, because in the back of your mind you’re still thinking, ‘watch what you say – she’s still my sister’,” she said.

“Girls want to beat her and I expect my teammates not to treat her too nicely.

“They ask me a few things. Her running capacity is really good and she’s very athletic. You’ve got to watch her in that space.

“It’s always weird when you first walk into the middle of the ground and she’s walking towards you … we probably will (play on each other).

“We’ve only done it once (when I was at Carlton) so to do it finally again this weekend, we’ll see how that goes.”

Mum and dad will be front and square — maybe a Geelong polo shirt paired with an Essendon scarf, or the other way around, with both player badges proudly on display — for the girls’ shared milestone occasion.

“It’s just so weird how it’s happened this way,” Madison said, a sentiment echoed by her sister

“We’re grateful that it has lined up.

“Going into this season, I knew this year was the year … after the game on the weekend, I woke up last Sunday, I was like ‘oh my god, my 50th is this week, and it’s against Georgie in her 25th’. It’s pretty exciting.”