It was quite the welcome to AFLW for new Crow, Jenna McCormick.

Last Sunday, McCormick was playing soccer for Canberra United when they lost a heartbreaking W-League Semi-Final to Melbourne City in extra time.

Five days later, she was part of a momentous win for the Crows women’s side against the fancied Western Bulldogs in front of 7,669 fans at Whitten Oval.

“What an experience going out there!” McCormick said after Friday night’s game.

“I did not expect that many people especially Crows supporters.

“It was just electric, the atmosphere was awesome.”

Match Report: Crows v Bulldogs

Originally from Mount Gambier in South Australia, the well-travelled McCormick was a member of the Brisbane Lions Football Academy and also played soccer in Iceland before being selected with Adelaide’s third pick in the inaugural women’s draft.

The talented athlete has spent the past few months in Canberra honouring her soccer commitments, only arriving in Adelaide and training with her South-Australian based Crows teammates on Tuesday.

But McCormick made a seamless and eyecatching swap of codes against the Bulldogs.

Late in the third quarter, the utility collected a bouncing ball one-handed near the boundary line, turned an opponent inside-out and snapped a spectacular goal across her body.

“It wouldn’t have been a goal without all that forward pressure that we put on at the start. I don’t know, I just turned around and snapped it I guess!”

There were individual moments of brilliance, but the 25-point win embodied team-first football the Club strives for.

“We believed we could do it. We believed we could win,” McCormick said.

“We all worked for each other, and that’s probably the most important thing.”


It was a physical and fiery game at times.

Both teams moved the ball with speed, but the Crows were more accurate in front of goal and had more winners across the ground.

“Everyone won their battle, so that’s probably where it starts,” McCormick said.

Adelaide’s gut running and forward pressure was unrelenting. The Crows won the contested possession count 94-88 and also laid eight more tackles.

The physicality of the game was an adjustment for McCormick.

“I haven’t experienced that toughness for a while, just because I’ve been playing soccer and I’m not used to the tackling,” McCormick said.

“I copped a few hard hits, but that’s just footy.”

McCormick is equal parts excited and relieved to finally be in Adelaide at her new club.

“It’s been a bit difficult mentally, to be honest. The girls were all here. I was in Canberra,” McCormick said.

“I had to make sure that I focused on soccer and finished all my duties before I focused on footy. I’ve had this in the background.

“It honestly gives me goosebumps thinking about it. I can just think about footy and not have to juggle the two.”

McCormick certainly didn’t look out of practice and credits her housemates for helping to keep her skills with the Sherrin up.

“They kick the footy with me all the time!” she said.

Despite huge celebrations out on the ground, the players had barely set foot in the change rooms before their thoughts turned to the next game.

The Crows return to Thebarton Oval on Sunday, February 19 to play the Blues at 11:35am (local). Entry is free.

“We’ll all just enjoy it now. But tomorrow, we’re onto Carlton,” McCormick said.

“We’re all looking forward to that. We can’t wait to get back out there already!”