Emma Kearney has opened up on the challenges of COVID-19 and just how much football’s return means to the AFLW playing group.

“Last year was a shocker and everyone’s lives have been impacted in some way,” she said in The Age.

“When the season was called off during our finals campaign last year it was hard to take. AFLW players sacrifice so much to compete but at the end of the day a game of footy versus the health and safety of everyone is not even a discussion.”

Kearney returned to her parents’ property in Cavendish during lockdown, helping out on the farm for 12 hours a day. Then, training.

“While it might not sound like much, it was bloody hard work and after a 12-hour day I would then have to find time to complete my strength and conditioning program,” she said. 

“All the players were given running and gym sessions to complete but it was challenging because we couldn’t access gyms. I loved how creative some players were. Some used wheelie bins as their squat racks while others re-purposed various household items to complete their exercises. On the farm I used hay bales to practise marking, the beams in the shearing shed to do chin-ups and pull-ups, while the sheep tracks in the paddocks became my running circuits.”

The initial novelty of returning home ultimately turned into a challenging time for Kearney. She missed the routine of training. 

“I am a bit of an introvert and quite frankly, I loved the first part of lockdown,” she said.  

“But after a while it started to get me down. I missed my family and friends back in Melbourne. I missed my daily routines and I missed playing sport. I had to work on staying positive and used my daily exercise regime to boost my mental health. I also used impromptu phone conversations with friends or family to keep me up and about.”

There were times a return to playing looked a million miles away, but Sunday’s round one clash against Geelong can’t come quick enough for Kearney and her teammates.

“All AFLW players have shown incredible grit and determination to prepare themselves for the season,” Kearney added. 

“Being part-time athletes and juggling full-time work always has its challenges, even more so during a pandemic. We have nurses, doctors, police and fire officers who have worked many hours of overtime and others are on the COVID-19 front lines working seven days a week to ensure the safety of the community. There’s no shortage of inspiration to draw on and that’s without a ball even being kicked.

“I truly hope all our fans and supporters of AFLW come out in force to cheer us on after what has been a challenging year for everyone. I sincerely wish that the resumption of our great game will bring some normality back to people’s lives and provide an outlet for us all to wash away the frustrations of the past 12 months.

“After all, there’s a lot of unfinished business, so the 2021 AFLW season will be one to watch.”