IF THERE’S one thing Olivia Purcell is known for, it’s her competitiveness.
This known competitiveness has been developed through her tenacious on-field character, with the midfielder’s ruthless attack at the ball recognisable across the competition.
“I am pretty competitive, as the group probably knows,” Purcell told Melbourne Media through a slight chuckle.
“That’s probably one of my strengths that I bring to the group.”
And Purcell has used this strength to her advantage this season, with the Demon in the midst of producing one of her best individual campaigns since joining the league back in 2019.
She is currently averaging 25 disposals (the second highest in the league), 10.5 contested possessions and 3.6 tackles, putting her first full pre-season in two years to good use.
After moving across from Geelong in June of 2021, Purcell played her first game for the Dees halfway through season six, returning to football after nearly 12 months on the sidelines due to an ACL injury.
“It’s been a really fun year,” Purcell said.
“It’s pretty funny having two seasons in one year but I think we’re all really enjoying it.
“I only played the back end of last season and was lucky enough to play finals and a grand final.
“But I was pretty happy to hear that we were going to have another season. I think everyone was, the more footy, the better, you just enjoy it.”
While the midfielder may have returned to play last season, she began to really hit her stride at the beginning of season seven, adding another layer of talent to Melbourne's engine room.
“I’m feeling pretty comfortable, it was nice to play a few games last season and then have a full proper pre-season,” Purcell said.
“I feel like we’ve got such a strong team especially in our midfield group, I always feel like I’m getting challenged at training and in games.
“I love Westy (Eliza West), she brings such good energy and hunt at the ball, it motivates me and gets me inspired to do the same.
“I love playing alongside Hanksy (Tyla Hanks) as well, she’s got such a good footy IQ, she’s so composed and calm.
“They’ve been brilliant to play with.
“It’s pretty inspiring to play alongside my teammates because they’re pushing me in every session.”
With two games left of the home-and-away season, Melbourne is sitting at second on the overall league ladder and as finals begin to approach, the team is still looking to grow and develop.
“I think we’re a group that still wants to keep challenging each other, we want to always keep building form," Purcell said.
“If we can get that going in the last two games, we’ll be in a good position in finals, but we’ve also just got to enjoy these last two home games too.”
