“It’s a big challenge for us and we love challenges at Collingwood,” Magpies teenager Eliza James told The Age ahead of her side’s semi-final date with the AFLW reigning premiers Adelaide on Saturday.
Last season would have been the 19-year-old’s first finals series but she contracted COVID as it ripped through the Collingwood camp ahead of their 50-point qualifying final loss to the Brisbane Lions. But this time, she’s already proving to be up the task.
Collingwood’s Eliza James.Credit:Joe Armao
Last weekend, in her finals debut, she booted four of her side’s five goals in their five-point victory against the Western Bulldogs – the most any AFLW player has kicked in a final – and kept her composure after an early mishap.
“It was pretty awesome,” James said.
“In the first couple minutes of the game I had a pretty shocking miss, but I just knew not to let that get into my head because after a miss like that I’m normally getting into my head and getting pretty hard on myself.
“So I was really proud of myself for not letting that disturb my game. If you miss something like that, you just move on and focus on the next play and focus on your next move and what’s gonna happen next.”
It was an impressive bag given James had only kicked five goals during the home-and-away rounds, and five in the previous season, but she is settling into her role after a whirlwind first year.
“I think my first season was more just about me fitting into a new environment, fitting into a new team, and learning all the different game plans we have. Whereas with season two, I found myself to be a bit more comfortable in the role I play and comfortable with everything else,” she said.
James added that she had been enjoying her role in the forward line, alongside more experienced teammates who have played “big influential roles”.
“The strengths that you need to play the role are definitely some of my strengths … Some of those strengths would be like the speed and the up-and-down running … and goalkicking as well,” she said with a laugh after her haul against the Bulldogs was mentioned.
The Pies have been a regular finalist , but have fallen agonisingly short in past seasons. Last year, they bowed out to Brisbane in a four-point preliminary final defeat and were knocked out in a semi-final by two points by North Melbourne in 2020.
Since those games, they’ve faced adversity in COVID-disruptions and losing their two star midfielders, league best-and-fairest Brianna Davey and Brittany Bonnici, to ACL injuries.
But Pies co-captain Steph Chiocci said she had been impressed with how the group had faced these challenges and individually shifted roles to fulfil what the team required, which had resulted in greater depth.
Collingwood celebrate after winning through to a semi-final against Adelaide.Credit:Getty Images
This has included several younger players, such as 21-year-old defender Lauren Butler, who has “gone from strength to strength” after All-Australian defender Ruby Schleicher moved into the midfield in the absence of Davey and Bonnici, while James has fired in the forward line.
“EJ, or Cardi B as I call her, is a class act. A humble and down-to-earth kid who just loves footy and the contest,” Chiocci said.
“EJ is super competitive and she can get a bit fiery, which I love. Her skill set is impressive, I mean, what 19-year-old casually slots a checkside goal from the boundary in their first final? You can’t teach that.
“I truly believe that naivety can prosper under pressure because they don’t really know what to expect. She’s dangerous, and I have no doubt she will give us a spark this weekend.”
Chiocci said her side learnt a lot from their previous finals appearance – in particular the blowout loss against the Lions, where they were “overawed by the occasion” while ravaged by COVID – and that, that along with the squad’s development, had put them in good stead to face top-tier Adelaide.
James agreed, saying “It’s a good challenge that we’re all willing to take on”.
“I think [we’ll] just play our game plan and play the way we play, and I think if we do that, I have really big belief that we could be the best team in the competition.”
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