Essendon’s VFL Women’s side are pioneers in many ways. However, two members of the inaugural squad stand clear in the history books.

Playing assistant coach Lauren Morecroft and vice-captain Tash Hardy are the first mothers to pull on the red and black.

Morecroft’s son Jack and Hardy’s daughter Macey joined the pair in the rooms after Essendon’s round two clash with Melbourne Uni on Saturday.

“It’s pretty challenging at times. One minute we’re talking baby talk and singing lullabies and the next minute, we’re out on the fields and barking orders to each other,” Hardy said.

“It’s two totally different ends to the spectrum.

“I’ve found that having football two nights a week and on game days is a great mental health outlet for me as well.”

As one of the most experienced footballers at Essendon, Morecroft says there is similarity in the role of being a mother and the role of being a team leader.

“There’s slight overlap because I’m teaching a lot with my backline group and tend to do the same with Jack, teaching him every day and I’m trying to do the same thing with the girls teaching them at training.”

With Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday, Hardy with her partner Natalie and Macey, and Morecroft with her partner Erin and Jack will be balancing football duties with a family day.

“We have swimming lessons in the mornings and we’ll be hanging out with our mothers, so we’ll have a few generations at lunch together,” Hardy said.

“Mother’s Day we will go out for breakfast with Jack, lunch with my mother and grandmother and dinner with my partners family. Lots of family time, which is really important to us,” Morecroft said.