Marijana Rajcic reflects on first AFLW goal during Adelaide’s four-point win over Fremantle

MARIJANA Rajcic describes it as one of the most important goals of her cross-code football career. But Adelaide’s soccer convert said her maiden AFLW major during the Crows’ win over Fremantle owed much to teammate Erin Phillips.

MARIJANA Rajcic describes it as one of the most important goals of her cross-code football career.

But Adelaide’s soccer convert said her maiden AFLW major during the Crows’ thrilling four-point triumph over Fremantle owed much to star teammate Erin Phillips.

Rajcic held her nerve to convert a free kick late in the first term in Darwin on Friday night as Adelaide kept its premiership defence alive.

The former Adelaide United W-League captain said a crash-course in goalkicking with reigning AFLW best and fairest Phillips a fortnight ago proved telling in the pressure moment.

“We were at training and Flip (Phillips) goes to me ‘MJ have you got a set-shot routine?’,” Rajcic, 28, said.

“I was like ‘nah mate’, but she said ‘everyone has got to have a set-shot routine’.

“So she spent about 15 or 20 minutes with me before training and basically just stood on the mark for me to do my set shot.

Adelaide defender Marijana Rajcic gets her handball away during the Crows’ AFLW win over Fremantle. Picture: Sean Garnsworthy/AFL Media/Getty Images

“As soon as I came into the 50 (on Friday) I could hear Flip in the goal square going ‘MJ, set shot, take the set shot’.

“It kind of put me at ease and I didn’t really think about it, I just switched off and slotted it.”

Rajcic’s cool finish in just her fourth AFLW match, along with a best-on-ground display by three-goal Phillips, built the platform for Adelaide’s gutsy penultimate round victory.

The ex-soccer forward, who plundered 38 strikes for SA Premier League side Metro United in 2015 including 10 in one game, said it ranked highly among her sporting achievements.

“It’s definitely right up there and it’s something I’ll never forget,” said Rajcic, who has been deployed in the Crows’ backline since debuting against Western Bulldogs in round three.

“Playing soccer and being a striker it was my job to score, so it kind of became a habit.

“But this (AFLW goal) was a special moment and it’s definitely something that I’ll hold close to me.”

The Crows’ tense victory extended their four-match unbeaten streak after they lost the opening two matches of the campaign and moved them, momentarily at least, to second on the ladder.

Rajcic, who overcame three knee reconstructions before being drafted by Adelaide in October, said it typified her side’s refusal to throw in the towel.

“We obviously started the season off a bit slow ... but we’ve known that every game the last few weeks has been do-or-die,” the 175cm talent said.

Marijana Rajcic during her time as Adelaide United W-League captain. Picture: Morne de Klerk

“We’ve still got a lot to improve on and we weren’t that happy with how we played (against the Dockers).

“But you look across the whole team and we’ve got trust in every single one of us.

“Even when we’re under the pump there’s that composure of ‘we’ve got to hit a target, we can get out of this mess’.

“We’ll never give up until it’s over and we definitely have that belief that we can make it to the big dance again.”

Adelaide’s players were set to watch on nervously as fellow grand final contenders Western Bulldogs, Brisbane and Melbourne slugged it out this weekend.

But coach Bec Goddard said her charges were focused solely on next Sunday’s final minor round clash against Collingwood at Olympic Park Oval.

“The belief rolls on another week,” the premiership-winning coach said.

“We have to win next week and hope a result or two goes our way and we’ll be there (the grand final).

“But we’re not looking beyond next week.”

Originally published as Marijana Rajcic reflects on first AFLW goal during Adelaide’s four-point win over Fremantle