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Melbourne premiership captain Daisy Pearce has parked a decision on her playing future, instead choosing to pay tribute to her coach and teammates after the side’s historic win.
The Dees broke through for their inaugural AFLW premiership on Sunday, defeating Brisbane by four points at Brighton Homes Arena in Springfield.
It marked a long-awaited flag for Pearce, who has achieved virtually every major milestone in the game barring a premiership.
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Speaking to Channel Seven post-game, Pearce praised her group for the upset victory.
“I’m just so proud of our group. They played their absolute hearts out,” she said.
“It’s not a game that looks like one of our games but we found a way just through sheer heart and our spirit.
“Every single one of them had a moment today and I’m just so proud.”
The decider marked the first game at Brighton Homes Arena, with the Springfield stadium drawing a crowd of 7,412 fans.
“To do it here today, to have to come up here to Brisbane … we don’t care where we’re playing, we’re playing in a grand final and we’re going up there to win it,” Pearce said.
“They invited the wrong team to their house-warming!”
With a premiership finally sealed for Pearce, much intrigue will now centre on the 34-year-old’s playing future.
Pearce said a decision was yet to be made, but that it was also not pressing.
“I’m not thinking any further ahead than right now. Don’t make me even think about it and rob me of these moments. I’m just so proud of this team,” she said.
“I felt uncomfortable the whole time with the narrative of it being about me. I feel like that’s a glorified thing that happens outside of these four walls.
“In here, all I get is the s**t taken out of me, I’m the butt of everyone’s jokes, it’s no coincidence why I keep coming back and hanging around with this group.”
Sunday’s premiership marked a triumph for Stinear – the side’s inaugural coach.
“There are so many great stories in there that I was playing for. Mick Stinear our coach, he’s a world-class coach, he’s an amazing person and he’s just built this program from the ground up,” Pearce said.
“We don’t have the best facility in the comp, we’re a bit off-Broadway, we’re not the most popular team and we don’t have all the bells and whistles – we don’t give away cars to players that come to us – but we’ve got the best coach in the competition that helps make you a good footballer.”
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