Collingwood midfielder Mikala Cann will become the second youngest player in AFLW history to reach 50 games when she runs out against Brisbane on Saturday night.
The 22-year-old reaches the milestone in just her sixth season after debuting for the Club in 2019, having established herself as one of the toughest players in the competition since.
On the eve of the milestone, Cann expressed her gratitude to the Pies for giving her a chance while in the infancy of her football journey.
“50 games is something I’m proud of individually but I don’t think I’d be here without all my friends, family, teammates and the Club,” she said.
“I think looking back, I’m so grateful that the Club drafted me in 2018 and it’s such an honour and privilege to be able to wear the black and white stripes.
“Especially coming from a basketball background, when I was younger I never really had the opportunity and then when I was 17 I went down a tried out for Eastern Rangers and that same year I got drafted so it was a really quick turnaround.
“I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to play at the level.”
Cann goes by the nickname ‘Bull’, stemming from her ferocious attack on the ball – something she says she’s had all her life.
“I actually got the nickname at Hawthorn, I spent a season at the Hawks in the VFL and they just nicknamed me Bull from the way I played as an inside mid,” she said.
“Then I got to the club here and I actually don’t know who told them that, but it’s stuck ever since.
“I think that’s always been the way I attack my sport, as a basketballer I always used to get fouled out so I think that hunt and in and under pressure player comes quite instinctively to me.
“I love that part of the game.”
Cann works as a strength and conditioning coach in the city’s east, mentoring young kids as they embark on a career in sport.
The midfielder believes as the growth of the AFLW competition continues and the professionalism increases, it’s an exciting time for both her and the players she mentors to be involved.
“If it tracks in the trajectory it is it would be a really exciting opportunity to be full time and I guess a lot of the juniors coming through have a great opportunity,” she said.
“Myself working as an S&C, specifically in that development for young kids it’s a really good opportunity and hopefully we can continue to pave the way for them.
“Mostly footy is our athletes and I kind of see myself as an S&C coach but also a mentor for them and it’s really rewarding. I love it.”
Fresh off an important win over Essendon last Saturday, the Pies will enter this week’s clash with the fourth-placed Lions full of hope.
Aiming to square their ledger at three wins and three loses, Cann is intent on leading the charge to finals in the second half of the season.
“It’s a really exciting week, going up to play Brisbane in Brisbane which is always a good challenge,” she said.
“The start of the season hasn’t been ideal from what we envisioned but I think each week we’ve taken some really positive learnings away.
“To be able to put a four-quarter effort in last week was really, really positive and we should take a lot of confidence away from that.
“Hopefully we can continue to have four quarter sustained efforts over the next few weeks.”
