Geelong Venom sign Ashley Harris as replacement player; Georgia Woolley opens up on whirlwind WNBL pick-up at Venom
Geelong Venom has signed a second replacement player within a week, as they look to get reinforcements amid a bad run of injuries.
Geelong Venom has added a second injury replacement player to their roster, signing experienced forward Ashley Harris on Friday.
It comes after the Venom added recent college graduate Georgia Woolley to their roster last week following a long-term injury to fellow guard Gemma Potter.
Harris (nee Arlen) has replaced an injured Alissa Pili, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury, and will play a minimum of three games.
Woolley, similarly, has been initially signed for a minimum three games.
Expected to debut for the Venom during last night against reigning champion Bendigo Spirit, the 188cm Harris will likely line up at Geelong Arena for the first time during Sunday’s clash against UC Capitals.
Geelong head coach Chris Lucas said Harris, who has played professionally for more than a decade across Australia, Europe and the UK, would provide immediate impact for the 3-6 Venom.
“Ash is a proven professional who competes hard and brings real presence to the floor,“ Lucas said.
”Her experience and physicality will be important for us as we manage injuries.”
‘I like to win’: Venom recruit ready-made to answer WNBL call-up
Mid-season Venom recruit Georgia Woolley was sat in her family home in Brisbane when the call came in to kickstart a whirlwind entry into the WNBL.
Now in Geelong, and gearing up for her first WNBL game against reigning champions Bendigo Spirit in Ballarat on Friday night, the 23-year-old says she is ready to do whatever role is needed for her new team to win.
Brought in as an injury replacement player for Gemma Potter, who went down with an ACL injury against Adelaide a fortnight ago, Woolley is expected to help reinforce the 3-6 Venom’s perimeter rotation.
Woolley said things had moved quickly after receiving that first call from her agent.
“By the end of the week … I was down in Geelong,” Woolley said.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity.
“It’s not an ideal situation for the team losing a very key player, I’m aware of that, so I just want to come in and continue to help them build on what they’ve built and win some games.”
Stepping up to the WNBL is a dream realised for Woolley who, newly out of college and with a brief stop in the NBL1 South with Ballarat on return to Australia, said the ambition was to play at the top level.
“The WNBL is a super talented league, and it’s a lot different playing style (to college), it’s a lot more physical, it’s faster, just excited for that opportunity to help expand and grow my game against some of the best players,” she said.
“Being an Australian you watch the WNBL on the TV, and are like, ‘I want to play in that one day’.”
Helping her transition into the Venom’s system has been her teammates – fellow Queenslander Lilly Rotunno a familiar face for Woolley – as well as head coach Chris Lucas.
“Just already I’ve learnt little things from him, he just says things that I’m like okay ‘this, this and this’,” Woolley said of experienced WNBL mentor.
“I think he’s also made my transition really easy, he’s been really good communicating with me and helping me learn things on the fly and getting extra workouts in.”
Woolley’s basketball mentality has been largely influenced by her college coach Felisha Legette-Jack.
Starting her college career under Legette — Jack at Buffalo, Woolley followed the head coach to their alma mater of Syracuse as a sophomore.
“Out of everything she was just my rock through it all, she was such an amazing head coach and I learnt so much from her,” Woolley said.
“Her passion and energy is unmatched, I’ve never met anyone in my life with that much passion and competitiveness.
“We were both very big competitors, so it was a lot of fun.”
It’s Woolley’s own competitiveness she thinks will set her up well for the WNBL, alongside with a history of playing different roles each year at Syracuse.
“I like to win at literally everything, if it’s cards, if we’re walking up the stairs, I’m going to beat you to the top,” the guard said.
“I just like to win, so I think that has always helped me wherever I am and hope that helps me here.
“My first year (at Syracuse) I did start coming off the bench, and by the end of the season I was a starter.
“I had to learn that different type of role and then the next year I played a lot more of a key role alongside one of my teammates Dyaisha Fair (third all-time NCAA Division I women’s leading scorer) … we worked really well together.
“Then going into my last season, I was a captain, a lot more of a scoring role.
“I was able to play different roles each year, and adapt to the different adversities that each year faced.”
- Geelong Venom tip off against Bendigo Spirit, Friday 5.30pm at Ballarat’s Selkirk Stadium.
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Originally published as Geelong Venom sign Ashley Harris as replacement player; Georgia Woolley opens up on whirlwind WNBL pick-up at Venom
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