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”.

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”.