“It was never really a reality when I was younger,” Laura McClelland says of getting the chance to play AFLW.
“I was playing footy because my friends were playing and I wanted to be like my older brother.”
However, McClelland is one step closer to making this her reality after being one of 45 players invited to the NAB AFLW draft combine in October.
“It’s exciting but I’m very nervous.”
It’s been a long time coming for the 18-year-old, who has been playing footy since she was just nine years old.
She played alongside her male teammates up until she turned 14, when she had to move clubs because Monbulk didn’t have a junior female side.
It was a move that proved to be worth it.
Not long after McClelland started playing at Ferntree Gully, she was recruited by Eastern Ranges, where she has now played her last three years of footy.
In her second year at Eastern, she was voted into the leadership group and this year was voted in as the captain of their U18 side.
McClelland is no stranger to playing sport at a high level.
She played three years of representative basketball for Knox Raiders, where she was named as captain for two of those years.
She also played in the Australian Junior Volleyball team at the age of 15, where she travelled to Thailand to compete in the World Championships.
Up until not that long ago, McClelland was still splitting her time between these three sports.
“It’s been pretty intense the last few years, because I was playing rep basketball, playing Australian volleyball and then I was playing footy.
“I didn't know which one to choose and everyone was telling me ‘you have to pick one’ and then eventually I stuck with footy.”
To add to her list of achievements, she has been named in the U18 Vic Metro side three years in a row and recently competed at the U18 Championships in Queensland earlier this year.
“We played three games in the week and we won all of them, so that was good.
“It was pretty demanding on the body, but everyone was going through the same thing so it was fine.”
At the Championships McClelland demonstrated her strong hands, her ability to play multiple roles and her huge kick, skills that earned her a spot in the U18 All Australian team.
McClelland signed with Hawthorn at the start of the 2019 VFLW season as one of the side’s NAB League players.
“I already knew a few of the Eastern girls playing here and I knew they loved it.”
One of the biggest things she has noticed during her time at Hawthorn is the club’s culture.
“All the girls are really accomodating.
“I wasn’t sure coming here because I’m pretty shy, but all the girls always come to me and make me feel welcome."
She says everyone at the Hawks has been really supportive, in particular, senior players Lou Wotton and Meg Hutchins.
“Hutch and Wotto are always getting around you.
“Wotto sends Tayah, Serena and myself a text every morning reminding us to use our health and wellbeing app.
“Hutch just always makes you feel a part of the team and a part of the culture.”
Playing for Eastern Ranges and Vic Metro, McClelland wasn’t able to debut in the brown and gold until Round 12 against Melbourne University, where she helped the side to a 23-point win.
The 18-year-old has been playing as a defender in the Hawthorn side but is known as an all rounder.
She was developed as a forward for Eastern Ranges but played as both a forward and a defender during her time at Vic Metro.
“I don't really mind what position I play.
“When you're a forward you get all the glory because you get to kick goals but in the backline you know you're needed.
“I’m not really fussed though, just as long as I’m on the ground.”
McClelland and the VFLW girls face the Pies in the last round of the season this week at Box Hill City Oval, 11:30am.
