Fremantle has struck gold heading into the 2018 AFLW season, employing the West Coast Fever’s Nat Medhurst as the club’s player development manager. 

A Commonwealth Games gold medallist and three-time world champion with the Australian Diamonds, Medhurst is ready to pass her experiences on to Freo’s AFLW side.

Medhurst said she came across the role when talking to the Diamonds wellbeing manager, Angie Bain, who suggested she would be a perfect fit at Freo.

“It’s very exciting, I’ll be working closely with the girls, particularly around their work, study commitments and balancing all of that with elite sport,” Medhurst said.

“The wellbeing space is becoming a big thing in the sporting world. The Aussie Diamonds wellbeing manager said it was something that’s always been a big passion of mine, so I went through the interview process and here I am.”

Medhurst says she can relate strongly with Fremantle’s AFLW players, coming from a sport that also includes a significant number of semi-professional athletes.

“I’ve got a good understanding of what it’s like to be an elite athlete and I know the demands,” Medhurst said. 

“There’s a lot more that comes with (being semi-professional), balancing life, study and work commitments. That’s certainly something that I have a good understanding of, so I understand how important this role is.

“It’s something that I want to do a really good job at and provide a lot of support for the girls. I’ve had my own challenges along the way and I know how I’ve dealt with them - my own struggles and knowing what it’s like in that elite sporting environment.”

Many of Freo’s AFLW players will already be familiar with Medhurst, who addressed the side ahead of the 2017 season.

“I was asked by (senior coach) Michelle (Cowan) to go out and talk to the group when they first started training, to talk about being an elite athlete and my own experiences,” Medhurst said. 

“I spoke to them when they were first starting off the season and then I went and watched their games as well, as well as on TV. It’s very exciting for women’s sport.”

The role is a perfect fit for the netballer who is a contracted to the West Coast Fever until the end of the 2019 season, with the Super Netball League running from April to August, outside of the AFLW season which runs from January to March.

“It’s worked out really well, I flagged applying for this position with the Fever and getting their support has been really important,” Medhurst said.