I was sitting nervously on the edge of my seat up in the media box at the MCG on Saturday as the game was tight in the dying minutes. All I could think about was being responsible if a loss was to occur as I was the new addition to the travelling party. Simmo had so light heartedly joked, “You better not jinx us for this game Dana” during his initial team meeting at the airport, where I was welcomed to the group officially and an invited to attend all the team and line meetings in the lead up to the club’s round 15 clash with Hawthorn.

I felt incredibly welcomed and respected as a member of the football club last weekend. The opportunity to travel with the AFL team allowed me to develop a rapport with the coaching staff and players, gain a better understanding of the operational side of the football department and how the players prepare as a team and in their own individual manner. Delving deep into the team meetings, pre-game routines and better understanding how they prepare was valuable for me as a footballer, but also provided me with more information to take back to the AFLW team to better prepare us for the upcoming season.

While in Melbourne I also did an interview with AFL Media ahead of the upcoming 2020 season and spoke at corporate and members functions at half-time and post-match. Throughout that time I was able to meet and get to know some key stakeholders within the organisation, which included a number of board members. The level of professionalism and purpose displayed whilst on the trip was exceptional.

However, I do feel that some of the most valuable interactions I had were the incidental ones. From having conversations during the pre-game preparations with assistant coaches and support staff on the more technical side of things, to the chats on the bus and in the hotel with a number of players. From Bunga (Shannon Hurn) eluding to his running sessions back on the farm and “hardening up” those ankles and feet after asking me how my running session was in the morning and me explaining the only place I could find near the hotel was a stretch of long, uneven grass behind a school to do my interval training. To the chats with Tom Hickey on the bus ride to the airport about the challenges of moving teams and Luke Shuey on the plane home around some of the challenges we both experience as parents and trying to get sleep with heavy training schedules!

For me, those are some really pivotal foundations for developing a relationship between the male and female players within the club and building mutual support as we work towards our common goal of on-field success.

I’m incredibly appreciative of the support and integration of the AFLW side so quickly into the club. I am of course pleased that I’m not a bad omen for the travelling team and may in fact get another invite back into the inner sanctum for future learnings!