Ebony Marinoff talks career-best year, taking on captaincy and new swimming program

Ebony Marinoff is already a triple premiership player, six-time All-Australian, dual club champion at the Crows and somehow has gotten better in 2024. She explains how to Matt Turner.

Ebony Marinoff leads the AFLW in disposals, metres gained, tackles and coaches votes.

She has also helped steer the Crows to a familiar spot on the ladder, inside the top four, ahead of a huge home clash against unbeaten North Melbourne at Norwood on Friday night.

The star midfielder believes this has been her standout season, which is saying something considering at 26, she is already a triple premiership player, six-time All-Australian, dual club champion and has twice finished third in the league’s best-and-fairest award.

This also happens to be her first campaign as club captain, sharing the duties with Sarah Allan.

Not that Marinoff reckons the extra responsibility has elevated her own game.

“I’m just a competitor so I’m always trying to be the best I can be … and that’s always been in me,” Marinoff told this masthead.

Ebony Marinoff has the Crows right in the premiership hunt. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“I’m covering the ground better than I ever have.

“I’m using the ball in the forward half better than I have before.

“People say ‘you’re doing so well’ or ‘you’re putting up career-best numbers’, but I’m so far from the finished product or being satisfied with where I’m at.

“I’m nowhere near where I want to be or know I can get.”

Whether it has influenced her form or not, Marinoff has made a smooth transition into the co-captaincy.

Partly because there were times she felt like she was leading the team last season in Chelsea Randall’s absence.

Randall’s were big shoes to fill, having been skipper or co-captain since the team’s formation in 2017, including in all three flags.

“I haven’t felt anymore pressure,” said Marinoff, who counted teammate turned assistant Courtney Cramey and Woodville-West Torrens coach Narelle Smith among her mentors.

“It’s been nice to not feel like I’ve had to change or do anything different.

“I think Sarah and I have worked in tandem really well and got the best out of each other.”

Two weeks ago, Marinoff recorded 41 touches, 17 tackles and 12 clearances in a blinder of a performance against GWS.

She also became the first AFLW player to reach 2000 career disposals.

Behind the statistics and brilliant display is a training regimen that includes pilates twice a week and swimming up to five times between games.

Typically Marinoff does laps in a pool, but the beach becomes part of her routine when the weather is warmer.

“You’re naturally building up your aerobic capacity but your body isn’t on dirt or grass or getting that impact,” she said.

“It’s also for a bit of mindfulness.”

Marinoff has found career-best form under a new swimming regimen. Picture: Adelaide Football Club

Marinoff is convinced the Crows are deeper and better since losing a preliminary final to the Kangaroos by one point last season.

As for North Melbourne: “They’re not only winning, they’re putting the foot down in every single game. It’s ruthless. It’s going to be an exciting match-up, two of the best teams going at it.”

Marinoff got goosebumps when asked what it would mean to get back to a grand final, a stage she and the club had reached four times, most recently three seasons ago.

“I’d love nothing more as a competitor to get back there and for someone like Madi Newman who hasn’t been there, to do it for girls like her would be amazing,” she said.

“But experience says it’s f***** hard, so there’s a lot of hard work to come if we’re even to think about that.”

Originally published as Ebony Marinoff talks career-best year, taking on captaincy and new swimming program