Despite the shortest pre-season ever leading into an AFLW season, AFLW High Performance Manager Corey Morris believes that Fremantle’s AFLW list are as fit as ever.

Morris has worked under the tutelage of former High Performance Manager Kate Starre for the past four seasons, with Starre acting as ‘a mentor’ across that time.

Morris played 171 games for Peel Thunder in his own right (51 in League, 89 in Reserves, 31 in Colts) and is relishing his new role as HPM of Fremantle’s AFLW side.

“Kate gave me a lot of confidence to step into the role, I’m really enjoying it and I’m certainly happy I took on the opportunity,” Morris said.

“I’m pretty blessed with the group of girls that I get to work with - they make things fun and enjoyable, but at the same time they come to work hard.

“I think that’s something that Kate has instilled in them over the past four years as well.”

Morris was left impressed with the players willingness to complete their off-season running programs, each returning to the Club in great shape.

Lifting the players running intensity was a major focal point for Morris, which led to some impressive running data across Fremantle’s two pre-season practice matches against Richmond and West Coast.

“Even though it was a short turnaround between seasons, the girls were really good with the running program that was assigned to them in the off-season,” Morris said.

“They came back in really good shape, which then allowed us to build quite well across the shortened 9 to 10-week pre-season.

“Something I was keen to do was increase the capacity of the girls to run at a greater intensity - getting them up over 18km/h as our high-speed run markers.

“We wanted to increase that capacity without overdoing it volume wise, especially playing two seasons in the one calendar year.

“That’s been really pleasing and in the pre-season games we have had some of our best run outputs compared to the games from last season.”

TEAM: Freo set for season opener
Miller on Freo's extra motivation
50'Sullivan: A bittersweet milestone moment

Morris said there were a number of natural leaders driving the standards of hard work on the training track, but said it was also pleasing to see the younger players elevate to the next level.

“The most common one is Kiara Bowers, sometimes you have to pull her back a little bit because she likes to do too much!” Morris said.

“Phil Seth, Hayley Miller, Ange Stannett, and the whole leadership group at the Club drives a really high standard, and I think the young girls coming in have embraced that.

“You also start to see some of the younger girls in Mikayla Hyde and Emma O’Driscoll take on a bit of that leadership as well and I think there is quite an even spread of leadership across the group driving those standards.”