JORDAN Membrey is a different person now compared to her first year of AFLW, with the Collingwood forward crediting her time with the Australian Defence Force as the key to her development.
In addition to her AFLW career, Membrey is an active reserve member with the Melbourne University regiment, serving as a Cavalry Scout in the armoured vehicle crew.
From being “very shy” in her first season with Brisbane in 2017, to actively seeking out advice and feedback in 2022, Membrey says the change in her mental approach is all due to her past two years with the Army.
"I didn't want the ball, didn't want to make mistakes, whereas now I'm happier to seek feedback but also help my teammates get better as well,” Membrey said.
"In defence in general it's quite physically demanding, and you realise that your mind is so powerful, your body will give up before your mind does."
Membrey said the mental stamina she’s learnt in the Army has immediately transferred to footy.
"I'm not going to let you beat me, I want that position… it's being able to push that little bit extra and not being the last to do something, I've taken a lot from that," she said.
Membrey’s motivation to join the Army stemmed from being "too comfortable", but joining up was easier said than done due to her injury history.
"I was at a point in life where I wasn't growing, you need change to grow, and the challenge was there… and then it became more of a challenge when they said no," she said.
"It took six years to get in, I really wanted to join so I just kept appealing and appealing.
"I was like, hang on, I'm gonna prove you wrong and I just kept fighting and I think it got to a point where they were like ‘let's just let this girl in and shut her up!’”
Membrey is currently undergoing training to upskill into becoming a soldier, which involves weapon handling.
"I'm not sure how many of you guys have played with a MAG58 or thrown some grenades but that's really cool,” she said.
Membrey isn’t the only Defence Force member at the Pies, with backline coach Chris Gamble also a Petty Officer in the Australian Navy.
Having served in the ADF for 19 years, Gamble is based at HMAS Cerberus on the Mornington Peninsula, and is nearing the end of his secondment at Collingwood.
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Having served as head coach of the Royal Australian Navy men’s side, footy isn't new to him, but the world of AFLW was.
"I've coached men for the last few years, so transferring those skills over to women was daunting originally but has been really exciting," he said.
"Defence has changed in the last five to 10 years, going away from that movie-style stand-and-deliver feedback, we're more inclusive, we're more teaching based now, so that's put me in good stead for this position - 15 years ago, it may have been a different story.
"I didn't have a lot of time to get to know the girls and it's the same in the training environment with recruits, you get them for 11 weeks, and you've got to get to know their strengths and weaknesses, what makes them tick, how to teach, how to give feedback, so I've found that really transferable.
"They're both values-based organisations, we try to live to a higher standard in both Defence and the Collingwood organisation, it's good to be around motivated people."
As part of the AFLW squad's pre-season training, Gamble put them through their paces at his home base, HMAS Cerberus.
"Every single girl in the AFLW program did every single activity and there was no whingeing, they got in there and got it done,” he said.
"There were people scared of water and some that weren't great swimmers, people that are scared of heights, but no one shirked the issue.
"It would have been hard mentally to get over some demons.”
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During 2021, Collingwood had ADF personnel leading at both ends of the field with James Debono - a physical training instructor with the Australian Army - working as a forwards coach while Gamble looked after the defence line.
Debono likened his job in the Army to the role of a footy high-performance manager, with his 20 years of experience in the Army including serving in Afghanistan.
"The idea for the program came about in 2017, when it was suggested there may be benefits to putting a physical training instructor inside a footy club to have a look at strength and conditioning at the elite level, knowing that the Army is looking to improve its human performance optimisation," he said.
"What both organisations are trying to achieve is so similar, the way they teach their people, what they demand from them physically and mentally, the parallels are so close."
Debono said his life experience helped in his coaching approach.
“It's given me a different perspective on life, there is a much bigger picture than just football or just Army. It really comes back to challenging their thought process or their perspective on something," he said.
"Someone's perspective is actually their reality, so you need to take that step backwards and think, how's that person feeling at the moment? What's going on in their life?
"There were times where you could tell players were a little bit off, and straightaway you just have to think, well, they're not mentally here at training -but there's actually been something going on in their home life. That detailed man-management perspective is what I deal with daily inside my organization.”
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On the flip side, Debono said it's a mutually beneficial relationship for the Army, having already made formal recommendations to the Army from his role with the Magpies.
"I've given a brief to the colonel and commandant of the training centre. I think there's certain aspects of the physical way we prepare our people that we could be tapping into," he said.
