CATCHING up with the panel at the John Nicholls Medal on Thursday night was Carlton Best and Fairest winner Darcy Vescio.
Vescio was the league's leading goalkicker in 2021, as well as taking home the grand prize in terms of club awards.
In her cross with Andy Maher on Carlton’s night of nights, Vescio said she was feeling fitter than ever before, and that probably held her in good stead to have an electric 2021 season.
“I guess the last few years I’ve been learning what I’m capable of and trying to push my body out on the track,” Vescio said.
“Fitness has never been a forte of mine so to come into season 5 in a bit better shape was really important and that’s probably what set me up.”
After the off-season movements, the 28 year old is now one of the eldest players at the Club, and is starting to feel the divide of the new players ten years her junior.
“It is strange, I think Elise [O’Dea] is the eldest on our list and she’s 30, I’m 28 now, but I have started to feel the divide, I must admit in the past little while,” she said.
“Just not understanding what the younger girls are saying and actually being able to say ‘I’ve got a decade on you’.
“It happens really quickly, it wasn’t happening at 26 but now they say things and I actually have no idea what they’re talking about.”
What has come with age is experience, and Vescio now feels honoured that she is sought after for her knowledge and wisdom in the game, something she hasn’t really felt to this extent prior in her five-year career.
“I feel like for a long time I felt like I didn’t really know anything, I just played football and I didn’t know anything about structure,” she said.
“I don’t have much to teach but in the past few seasons, I’ve started to realise that it’s your experience that you can pass on and you might not always do it the way you see other people lead, but it means a lot to the girls around you to be able to share what you know and now I’m in a better position to.”
Heading into AFLW season 6.0, Vescio confirmed that the energy down at IKON Park was palpable, with the girls raring to go and leave their mark in 2022.
“I think we’re all pretty excited to give next season a crack, seeing as we were pretty disappointed with 2021,” she said.
“I feel like everyone's feeling very fresh, pretty different looking team: I feel like it will be fast attacking football. I’m excited to see the young girls take that next step too.”
