Sport
Fremantle star Ange Stannett finally opens up to media
That was Ange Stannett’s nervous response in July after she was told that she’d been voted in as captain of Fremantle ahead of the 2024 NAB AFLW season.
Her hesitancy came from knowing that she wouldn’t play a game this season, having ruptured her ACL two months earlier.
Stannett’s club and teammates were aware that she was out for the year. Regardless, they backed the 27-year-old in to lead them in a way that had never been done previously.
“I knew that they had considered absolutely everything and if they were happy to go with this decision and they were happy to back me in, then it was on me to grab it with both hands and make the most of the opportunity,” Stannett explained.
“Knowing my teammates had put their faith in me to be able to do the job and play the role regardless of my own circumstances, that meant a lot.”
It had been a rollercoaster few months for Stannett.
The former soccer star had a standout season in 2023 with career-high numbers across the board, finishing the year winning her club’s Fairest and Best Award, Players’ Award as well as the Best Clubwoman Award for the fourth consecutive year.
Stannett was looking to go one better in 2024 and was flying in pre-pre-season, when things turned for the worse in May.
“It was basically the last drill of a training session. I went for the ground ball and copped a knock while I was down low and my foot just got caught under me. It twisted and I heard a crack,” she recalled.
“It happened pretty quickly but I knew straight away that I’d really done something and done a good job.”
Stannett was right, she had “really done something”.
Her ACL had ruptured, damaging her medial and lateral meniscus, and she’d also fractured her leg. Her injury was so severe that the surgeon was unable to operate for a month due to swelling.
Having never had a long-term injury, Stannett had to come to terms with missing a whole season of football.
“It was definitely a tough one to swallow because I felt like off the back of last season I was charging in pre-pre-season,” she said.
“Then having an ACL op a week out from pre-season week one was definitely a shift.”
“I leant on my support network a lot and I was very conscious about how I was showing up at the club with my attitude and my energy, even though I was going through what was a really big low in doing my ACL.
“Being able to be vulnerable in front of our group is a big thing but it was also about getting the timing right.
“I was just making sure that I was giving myself the space to feel the feels, so that I wasn’t just going to erupt at a random point in time when I was around the group.”
Stannett attacked her rehab and did everything possible to make the most of the situation, often arriving to training early to complete her rehab so she could join her teammates when they were out on the track.
Four weeks into pre-season it came as a huge surprise when Stannett was told she had been selected as captain, despite the fact she wouldn’t play a minute of AFLW football in 2024.
“I was pretty emotional and also very honoured. To know that I had the support of my teammates, and their backing was actually everything,” she said.
“I get a lot of strength from my teammates, they’re the best. We’ve got such a tight-knit group, we’re very connected and we genuinely do want to see everyone be the best that they can be. To have their support was massive.
In the space of two months Stannett had experienced some of the highest of highs and lowest of lows you can face in football. Having just come to terms with her long-term injury, she now needed to learn to lead her team, without being on the ground with her teammates.
Fremantle’s decision raised a few eyebrows in the wider industry, with questions over how it would work, and initially Stannett wasn’t too sure herself.
“I place a lot of value on being able to be that sort of teammate who works hard and helps to set standards and encourages others out on the track,” she said.
“I realised I had to shift how I approached the role, because my situation was so unique.
“I had some doubts around my own expectations of leadership and how best to have an impact on my teammates to really add value. Basically, I had to really lean into the off-field stuff.”
“I’m absolutely loving my game day role. Basically, the way it works is I’m very much just relaying messages or reinforcing what it is we’re trying to do,” she said.
“Essentially just trying to realign us or pump us up when needed, working really closely with my teammates one-on-one on the bench, having chats and providing encouragement.”
The off-field captaincy has also had its benefits with Stannett able to focus solely on her team and teammates on game days.
“It’s given me a selfless leadership lens because it’s not about me and I was very clear from the start that it’s literally not about me this season in any way,” she said.
“It’s really allowed me to look outwards and focus on how I can get better for my teammates without getting caught up in my own performance.”
Fremantle’s on-field results this season suggest that the unorthodox decision has paid off.
The Dockers finished fifth on the ladder at the end of the home and away season and featured in their first finals campaign since season six.
Stannett believes it’s been successful because of the help she’s received from her leadership group, the club and her teammates.
“Yeah, I do think it has been a success if I’m measuring it against what our goals were for our leadership group this season,” she said.
“You look at our group now and we’ve got more people sharing their voice, sharing ideas, having discussions, problem solving, not only on-field but off-field as well.
“If anything, it made us really hone in on how we could share the load throughout the entire leadership group. I’m very lucky to be supported by incredible leaders in Hayley (Miller), ‘Pughy’ (Laura Pugh), Aine (Tighe), ‘Braz’ (Ash Brazill) and Emma (O’Driscoll). They are incredible leaders in their own way and we all bring something different to the group.”
Watching from the sidelines, Stannett couldn’t be prouder of her team this season. The Dockers have doubled their number of wins from 2023 and have had statement wins against last year’s finalists Geelong, Melbourne and Essendon.
“I’m so proud, I’m so proud of the girls and I’m so excited for Freo to be back in finals,” she said.
“To see our group overcome a lot of adversity, and every team has it, but to overcome the adversity that we’ve had through personnel or injuries or fixturing, or whatever it looks like, to play finals is incredible.”
