What makes Crows AFLW Co-Captain Ebony Marinoff such a good footballer?
That’s a question opponents, teammates and supporters across the AFLW are likely to have asked themselves throughout the past 10 seasons, as the determined midfielder has built arguably the greatest CV in the competition’s history.
So, on the eve of her becoming the equal-first player in AFLW history to reach 100 games, we thought we’d try to get to the bottom of this and speak to her mother Kathy – who has not missed a single game since her daughter began her Crows journey in 2017.
When posed the question, Kathy simply explained that nobody thought quite like her daughter.
“It’s just that she loves it so much, football is her passion, and when her mind is set on something she will do everything she can to be the best,” she said.
“She lives it, breathes it and to see someone so dedicated to something, it is truly inspiring to watch.
“Ebony has always said to me ‘Mum nobody thinks like me, nobody understands how my mind works when it comes to footy, because it is genuinely all I think about.’
“Because she does have ADHD, when she focuses on something they become hyper-focused on it, which is really good in situations like this and I think a bit of a secret behind why she has been able to get the most out of herself.”
Although her daughter now lives and breathes football, and is the AFLW’s reigning Best and Fairest winner, Kathy admitted she never thought that growing up, Ebony would get the opportunity to play the sport for a living.
She revealed there was another passion she thought Ebony would have followed, that was not too dissimilar to life as a professional athlete.
“To be honest, no I wouldn’t have predicted things would have worked out this way back when she was growing up,” Kathy said.
“That’s just because she played so many sports, and I just went with the flow in being like that’s just another sport she’s going to do. She did always say ‘Mum i’m going to play footy when i’m older’ and not thinking much about it I would just agree.
“I actually probably thought surf life saving would be the path she’d go down, she really excelled at that, and treated it exactly the same as she does with footy now – she was just obsessed.
“Back then there just wasn’t really a pathway for her to play footy, but that didn’t stop her daring to dream and I couldn’t be happier it turned out this way.”
Fortunately for Ebony, the pathway to becoming an AFL player opened up at the perfect time, as the women’s competition began the year she turned 18.
Having spent the past eight years watching her daughter live out her dream, Marinoff took the opportunity to reminisce on some of the highlights of the journey so far.
“The biggest highlights have been the Grand Finals for sure, the first one especially wasn’t really expected, so when we won, we were all in shock and such a surreal experience,” she said.
“Another one that stands out is when she kicked her first goal, just because it took her a few years to finally get it, and it was a bit of a monkey on the back for her.
“I can’t even remember what season it was or what game, but I just remember that feeling of relief, and just seeing the smile on her face when it went through – it’s moments like that you cherish forever.
“Then of course you’ve got that first game at Thebarton Oval which was just incredible, as we got to see Ebony live out her dream in front of eyes and that’s a feeling as a mother you just can’t describe.”
Despite having experienced her daughter play on 99 occasions, Marinoff said her nerves have always stayed the same, as she is so desperate to see both Ebony and her teammates succeed.
“Lots of emotions go through me when I’m up in the stands watching Ebony play, people ask me if I still get nervous after all these years and my answer is of course,” Kathy said.
“I’m always proud, but not just of Ebony but all the girls out there on the field, as over these past 10 seasons I’ve watched them all grow and in a way they feel a little bit like my children as well.
“When they play together as a team it is such a cool thing to watch, and when it comes to Ebony I know she gives her all to every game she plays, which is a trait I am just so proud to see in her.
“Being part of this team in a small way is so incredible, and I can’t wait to watch all the girls give it their very best on Sunday.”
Adelaide takes on Sydney at Unley Oval this Sunday at 2.35pm.
Be there and bring a friend for free, using the codeword AFLW20252FOR1 when you buy tickets here.