Brooke Vernon found out football can be as much a mental game as a physical one ahead of a breakout 2019 NAB League Girls season for the Dandenong Stingrays.

The 17-year-old (turning 18 on October 20th) has silky skills and showed strong decision-making ability and composure when attacking off Dandenong’s half-back line this year.

But while those traits were always evident in her game, Vernon’s work ethic in building her fitness base off the field was brought into question prior to the season by new Stingrays head coach Nick Rutley – Carlton’s caretaker coach for two AFL Women’s matches in 2018.

A change in mindset ultimately saw the Rye (Mornington Peninsula Junior FL) product average 15 disposals and a competition-high six rebound-50s per game in her eight NAB League Girls outings.

She also went on to represent Vic Country at the NAB AFLW Under-18 Championships to elevate her standing in the eyes of recruiters prior to October 22’s NAB AFLW Draft.

“This year we got a new coach in Nick Rutley and he told me honestly: ‘You need to work harder,’” Vernon recalled at the recent NAB AFLW Draft Combine. “I took that on board and I worked way harder during the pre-season.

“It was about changing my attitude from the seasons prior, when I did my pre-season program but didn’t push myself as hard. This year I was able to push myself past the point where I’d normally say: ‘It’s alright, just slow down.’

“My playing position changed too. I was traditionally a forward-line player and this season Nick put me in the back line. With all the hard work and trying to learn a new position, it just worked out and fell into place.”

Vernon felt increasingly natural running from defence as the NAB League Girls season went on and, combined with another small change in approach, a national representative guernsey also fell her way.

“This year I had no goals and I didn’t write down any dates,” Vernon said. “Last year I wrote down: ‘This is when this is happening,’ or: ‘This is when the Vic Country squad gets chosen,’ and I didn’t achieve any of those things.

“This year I completely changed the approach. I said: ‘What will be will be and we’ll just see where my hard work gets me’.

“I just kept in the back of my mind that I don’t want to have any regrets, and I’ve pretty much gone through this whole season – as well as the school year – with that mentality.”

Conveniently, Vernon had two prime examples of how to approach both the mental and physical sides of football playing alongside her at Dandenong, with pre-listed 2020 St Kilda AFLW players Molly McDonald and Isabella Shannon joining her in the Stingrays leadership group.

They also joined Vernon in Vic Country’s squad and were there when she trained at the Southern Saints – St Kilda’s Swisse Wellness VFL Women’s affiliate club.

“Molly and Bel have been a great help throughout the season,” Vernon said.

“They knew how much I wanted to be drafted at the start of the year and have really supported me all the way through.”

 

 

NAB LEAGUE ‘FAST FIVE’ QUESTIONS

Most influential person on your football at Dandenong:

“Nick Rutley was amazing this year as a coach, but the assistant coaches around him also really wanted to see me get to this point. They’ve been amazing this year with all the advice they’ve given me and the help they’ve provided me with.”

 

Most valuable lesson learned in the NAB League:

“That talent can only get you so far. It’s all the hard work you put in – not only in-season but pre-season – that’ll really help you in the long run.”

 

Teammate you’ve most enjoyed sharing the NAB League journey with:

“Molly McDonald, Isabella Shannon and Grace Hodder have all been amazing this season. We worked together in the leadership group.”

 

Most difficult NAB League opponent:

“Olivia Barber and Ally Morphett (both Murray Bushrangers) were really tall and really hard to play on in the forward line. It was difficult to work out how they play.”

 

Most memorable NAB League moment:

“Just being around the group of people at the Stingrays this season. I really enjoyed every moment I had with the team.”