Geelong’s Jackie Parry opens up on off-season approach to training, Cats’ pursuit of AFLW finals
Geelong’s Jackie Parry has been one of the Cats’ most consistent forwards in recent years, as she eyes even more impact in 2025 off the back of a key off-field change.
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Geelong forward Jackie Parry hopes an off-season change will pay dividends on-field, as the Cats hunt a return to AFLW finals action later this year.
The 28-year-old has proven a reliable avenue to goal for the Cats the past two campaigns, kicking a career-high 16 majors in 2023 followed by 12 last year.
But heading into her seventh AFLW season, and fourth with the Cats, Parry chose to remain part-time in her role as a finance consultant with KPMG instead of switching back to full-time during the off-season.
It gave Parry, who lives just west of Melbourne, a few extra days a week up her sleeve to work on her on football fitness and craft at Kardinia Park.
“(I) was able to get down to Geelong a lot more,” Parry said.
“Be around the group, do some education, more recovery, have my hands on the footy for a bit longer but also just maintain fitness a bit easier.
“I’m not doing it in the dark after work or before work.”
Breaking up a long off-season with a month spent overseas, Parry is feeling refreshed and ready to go for a new season, starting August 16 for Geelong.
“I think it’s always a good idea to get away so you come back and you’re really ready to get started because it is a long period of time, and if you keep training for six months straight, it kind of feels like a continuation of pre-season,” she said.
The trip away also sparked a big occasion, Parry getting engaged to partner Tom Anderson while on the ski slopes in Japan – the footballer a keen skier.
“Getting engaged was extra special this year,” she said.
“My partner’s never really skied before, so I was patiently teaching him.”
Every year sees Parry itching to move closer to Geelong – and while the time isn’t right yet with work – she said it was a regular discussion between her and Tom.
“I love Geelong – spending a lot of time in Canberra, there is so many similarities, how easy it is to get everywhere and I love the small-town aspect,” she said.
“We definitely have the conversation quite regularly.”
Despite brandishing an attacking style of play last year, Geelong fell two games short of playing finals, to finish 10th.
Fuelled by that omission, Parry said while it wasn’t the season the Cats had hoped for, there was plenty of positives to draw from.
She believed the consistency and connection around built within the Cats’ forwards group had carried into a new pre-season.
“Every year we’re able to grow on what we’ve been working on the year before,” she said.
“We did well last year, but there’s some obvious gaps we’re able to work on this pre-season.”
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Originally published as Geelong’s Jackie Parry opens up on off-season approach to training, Cats’ pursuit of AFLW finals
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