Football: AFLW coach Mat Buck at home in Warrnambool

Watch: Carlton AFLW coach Mat Buck during visit home to Warrnambool

Transcript

00:00 Thanks for joining us Matt, home in Warrnambool for a few weeks, but then heading back to

00:05 Carlton to get stuck into the AFL and AFLW.

00:08 How's it been getting home?

00:09 It's been fantastic, great to catch up with lots of friends down here.

00:13 I've been camping in Port Perry for a few weeks and get some golf in as well, so I love

00:17 coming down to the South West when we can and yeah, almost time to go back.

00:21 And you're preparing for your second AFLW season, head coach of Carlton.

00:26 What are some things you're looking forward to about the upcoming pre-season?

00:28 It's a long way away, but you've got plenty to do.

00:31 Well it comes around quick enough and we'll get the girls in to do some skill sessions

00:34 early probably in February to be honest, so it'll all come right around.

00:39 We chased high performance this last year and everything that encompasses that and going

00:44 into this year it'll be a little bit around consistency and making sure we're at that

00:47 level as often as we can be.

00:49 So yeah, I'm looking forward to getting back and probably driving the troops that way.

00:54 And if you had to name a couple of players you think are primed for a breakout year at

00:57 the Blues, who would you pick?

00:59 Yeah well, Abbey McKay had a great year for us this year, but I think Abbey can go to

01:03 a new level again with her leadership and her ability to play on field, so I think she'll

01:09 be one to track.

01:10 And then Keely Skepper who will be going into her third season, I think after this pre-season

01:16 she'll be set up for a really strong year, four quarter performances, nice left foot

01:21 outset to keep an eye on as well.

01:23 Excellent, and if you were to encourage any coaches from the South West keen to follow

01:26 your footsteps, what would you say to them?

01:28 Yeah I think it's about your networking a little bit, reach out to the people you know

01:31 in football and really lucky in the South West to have great coaches like Daniel O'Keefe

01:36 who's been in the elite system, Chris McLaren and Adam Dower who are hugely successful as

01:41 well.

01:42 So if you love your coaching and have a passion for it, reaching out to those guys and then

01:46 other people you know within the industry and start looking for little opportunities,

01:50 I think that's your best way if you're really keen to find your way into the elite system,

01:54 that's the way to go and I'm always happy to have people up at Carlton as well so reach

01:59 out if you can and I'm happy to help.

02:01 Thanks very much Bucky, best of luck.

02:02 No worries, thank you.

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