Inaugural Bomber Natalie MacDonald has learnt the importance of organisation, on and off the football field, balancing full-time university and part-time work with the commitments of playing VFLW.
The 22-year-old, who is in her final year of studying secondary health and physical education teaching, has regular 5am starts and 16-hour days to ensure all her work, study and training are completed.
As busy as she is, MacDonald wouldn’t change anything about her full-on lifestyle as she knows the hard work will pay off, as a teacher and a Bomber.
“The days when I’m out for 16 hours and I get home, I can’t even wind down because my brain is still go, go, go. And then the next day, it just starts all over again,” MacDonald said.
“It does definitely take its toll but it’s just what we have to do. If this is the path you want to take, you just have to suck it up and I wouldn’t change it all, but I wish there was an extra day in the week.”
During high school, MacDonald had a full schedule playing representative basketball and competing in the Basketball Victoria’s ‘Big V’ league. In 2017, she decided to make the switch to footy to focus more on her studies.
“I was playing ‘rep’ (representative basketball) and Big V, and in year 11 it was becoming too much. I was quite anxious, and it wasn’t enjoyable,” MacDonald said.
“Mum was like, ‘maybe it’s time you stopped basketball and focus on something else, especially going into year 12’ because it was interrupting everyday life, so I took up footy.”
After joining Marcellin Old Collegians Football Club’s inaugural women’s team, MacDonald quickly progressed with her football. In her first year of playing, she was selected for the Victorian Amateur Football League’s ‘Big V’ representative side, where she caught the attention of Essendon’s coaches.
Since becoming a Bomber in 2018, MacDonald has seen growth and improvement across the club; what she believes is a result of having a core group of people involved from the beginning.
“If you look at the girls from second year to third year to this year, we’re basically the same list which is just crazy. It is just so much nicer going from year to year knowing who you’re playing with,” MacDonald said.
“From the girls who have come in, I think we have had maybe five, they just fit in so well which is really nice. Major (Brendan Major) is really big on not letting just anyone into the club, doesn’t matter who they are, how many goals they kick or disposals they get, if they’re not Essendon by culture, then it doesn’t matter, he won’t take them.”
The establishment of the Essendon culture within the VFLW program has set the club up for an exciting season and future.
MacDonald, who was best on ground in the round three win over Hawthorn, is seeing the years of hard work starting to pay off, not just individually but as a team.
“Everyone’s so excited. We have just come off that win against Hawthorn where everyone played well and our structures were in form,” MacDonald said.
“All our hard work, over not just the pre-season but all of 2020 is finally being put into action.”
MacDonald knows she performs well when she’s having fun, something her teammates can also relate to.
This shared feeling has led to the creation of the team’s hashtag #EnjoyTheRide, emphasising the team’s drive to enjoy playing football.
“I just want to be happy for the rest of the season and just enjoy it, and I enjoy footy when I’m having fun,” MacDonald said.
“A lot of the coaches push that we should just be happy and that is why we have our hashtag ‘enjoy the ride’, because at the end of the day that’s what we are here for.”
MacDonald hopes to continue her impressive form into round four and extend the Bombers’ winning streak to three games when they take on Darebin at the NEC Hangar on Sunday at 10:30am.
