New Hawthorn ruck/ forward Jess Vukic can’t quite believe what has just happened.

Just six years after beginning her football journey at Vermont Junior Football Club, the 18-year-old has progressed through the Eastern Ranges pathway to now joining Hawthorn as part of the AFLW’s Expansion U18 Talent Pathway Pre-Signing Period.

Vukic said being picked up by the club is a “dream come true” and that she is “stoked”.

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She is also excited about getting to train and play alongside two familiar faces in Eastern Ranges teammates Laura Stone and Hayley McLaughlin, who joined Vukic in being pre-signed by the Hawks.

“I’ve known Hayley since I was six so having familiar faces around me in a new environment will be really good,” Vukic said.

In terms of how she plays, Vukic said she is “ definitely the competitor type of player” who possesses a lot of “grunt”.