Playing during a pandemic has presented a unique set of challenges for many athletes, but for Kangaroo Brooke Brown last season's disruption provided motivation.

“I played through the VFLW last season while all the girls were playing AFL, and with Covid I couldn’t even be around them when they played,” Brown told North Media.

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“I was watching from a distance and that gave me a little bit of extra incentive to work hard and try and get in the team. I just wanted to be amongst it."

“VFL continued after the AFL season finished and I played right through, so it was easier for me to keep training and just not stop," she said.

“I didn’t really have an off-season, I just trained right through. I’m much fitter than I was compared to last year and that’s really helped me push my case.”

As AFLW continues to expand in depth and quality, it is becoming increasingly tough for players crossing from other sports to make it at the top level.

Jess Duffin is coming off a successful WBBL campaign with the Melbourne Renegades, and Emma Kearney was an accomplished cricketer whilst playing for the Melbourne Stars. However football has long been a part of both their lives, and they arrived equipped with a knowledge of the game and the skillset to succeed against the best players in the country.

Brown entered the AFLW system with a comparatively small amount of football experience, instead focusing on basketball in her youth.

Starting as a ruck/forward, she excelled in defence in VFLW last season, and says she feels like she’s finally found her best position.

“The coaches decided to see me somewhere different, and it probably feels a bit more natural to me than playing as a ruck or forward,” Brown told North Media.

“Playing in defence is less reliant on getting to the right spots, and you don’t need your teammates to get you the ball to have an impact. You can just read it, intercept and run which suits my attributes.

“My basketball background seems to suit playing in defence and I think that’s why I was tried down there.

“I’m also pretty athletic for my height and play more like a small than a tall, so having that extra bit of height works well in defence.”

With the likes of Dani Hardiman, Sarah Wright and Tahlia Randall known quantities at senior level, and the addition of classy defender Jas Ferguson through the draft, the team’s tall defensive stocks are perhaps the best they’ve ever been.

Brown had a taste of senior football after making her senior debut in Round 4 last season, and she says it has left her wanting more. Her VFLW experience, coupled with learnings taken from key teammates, has left her feeling ready to make an impact at senior level.

“VFL does help you learn a bit quicker. You’re still thrown in the deep end a bit having to learn a new position, but not as much as if it were that level up,” she said.

“You get a little bit more leeway with little things like time, so it’s easier to learn under those conditions as opposed to the high, high pressure of the AFL.

“Dani (Hardiman) has helped me too. She helps everyone in the backline.

“It all comes back to her letting you know when you’re in good spots, but also giving you feedback when you’re not."