Thwaites puts pain of Magpies exit behind her for fresh start

A congratulatory text message from Renae Ingles on the eve of her 200th game last year turned out to be prophetic for Vixens recruit Caitlin Thwaites.

Caitlin Thwaites is enjoying her career rebirth at the Melbourne Vixens.

Caitlin Thwaites received a text message from Melbourne Vixens midcourter Renae Ingles on the eve of her 200th national league game in the final match of the season last year.

It was a simple message of congratulations for the then Collingwood goal shooter, but the ensuing joke turned out to be more prophetic than either could have predicted.

The text read:

“Hey Caity. Good luck for your 200th game (200 plus back with the Vixens).”

Caitlin Thwaites didn’t think much of the text from Reneae Ingles at first. Picture: Narelle Spangher

Thwaites just “brushed it off” the second part at the time, but less than a month later Ingles’ hopeful text became a reality when the Diamonds’ goaler was announced as the Vixens’ key recruit for 2019 after being told post-season she was no longer required at the Magpies.

“We have been having a little laugh about it,’’ said Thwaites, who returns to the Vixens after eight years away.

“With everything that has transpired since and what has happened, it has actually come true.”

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Caitlin Thwaites was rocked by the news she was unwanted by Collingwood. Picture: AAP

It wasn’t a laughing matter initially for Thwaites, however, after she was told she wasn’t in the Magpies plans for 2019 despite having won the team’s best-and-fairest award in 2017 and finishing runner-up last season as the fourth-highest goal scorer in the league.

Thwaites admitted the call from the Magpies had rocked her.

“It absolutely shook my world and the foundations of where I was standing,’’ Thwaites said.

“Once you have a bit of time to reflect, it kind of does feel like your world is collapsing around you … with where you thought you stood with things.

“But as much as it was really hard to hear, there has been times in my career where that has happened and I’ve seen really great change … as opposed to dwelling on it like I probably did the first couple of times that may have happened to me. I feel like I’m in a better place to see it as it is what it is and move on.”

Caitlin Thwaites in action for the Magpies last season. Picture: AAP

Thwaites is back for her second stint at the Vixens after playing for the team between 2008 and 2010 — including a championship win — in the former trans-Tasman league.

Ingles, also in her second outing with the Vixens, is the only member of the current line-up that played with Thwaites back in the old ANZ Championship.

Thwaites has since spent three seasons at the Wellington-based Central Pulse in New Zealand, three years with the NSW Swifts and the past two seasons at the Magpies.

The 32-year-old said she was now a vastly different person — and player — since her first days with the team.

“It’s been eight years between games in the navy blue. I guess I have done a hell of a lot of growing up,” Thwaites said.

“I have been in some tough circumstances that have made me really grow as a person, but also have that greater perspective on things both on the court and off the court.

“I feel like I’m in a good place to see the game a bit differently, a lot more strategically then when I was a young kid running around having Sharelle (McMahon) make me look good.”

Thwaites celebrates a goal with teammate Gretel Tippett for the Diamonds. Picture: AAP

Thwaites will line-up in a new-look Vixens goal division alongside fellow recruit, South African Ine-Mari Venter, and long-time goal attack Tegan Philip as Mwai Kumwenda continues her recovery from a serious knee injury.

Despite the shock of being cut from the Magpies, Thwaites said she was not approaching this season like she had a point to prove.

“My goals are really just aimed toward doing the best that we can as a team,’’ Thwaites said.

“I have taken on the change of clubs as a real positive challenge … I’ve had so many different experiences from playing in different places since I’ve left it, so it’s been good to bring some of what I’ve learnt.

“It’s been nice and easy for me to slot back in … hopefully I can add to the existing solid foundation of what they’ve already got.”