SIX SEASONS have passed since the last time Tessa Boyd was on an AFLW list.

The new North Melbourne defender was signed as a replacement player for Niamh Martin (study commitments) in May, following a strong few years in the VFLW competition.

The last time Boyd was an AFLW-listed player was back in 2019, when she was signed for a year by the Western Bulldogs as a 19-year-old basketball-playing rookie.

She didn't play an official senior match – her first ever game of football was a practice match against Collingwood – and she went back to NBL1 with the Nunawading Spectres in Melbourne's outer-east.

Returning to the AFLW wasn't an immediate plan. COVID-19 got in the way somewhat, and Boyd was also keen to continue developing her career in allied health, training as an osteopath.

She took tentative steps in 2022, playing a handful of VFLW games with the Southern Saints (now Sandringham Zebras), before being named at centre-half back in consecutive VFLW teams of the year.

Now 27, Boyd moved to North Melbourne's premiership-winning VFLW program at the start of this year, in part due to an unrelated house move, but also to challenge herself playing alongside the best team in the competition.

"The biggest thing for me wasn't to get back to the AFLW, it was to get back to enjoying footy," Boyd told AFL.com.au.

"I loved my time [at Sandringham], then I felt like I did want to challenge my performance and the challenge of playing at the top clubs at VFLW level. Then obviously the opportunity came up through Flynn (Loft, list manager) at North, and that was really the only time I actually, genuinely thought pretty strongly about going back to AFLW." 

Boyd's time away from the elite level has provided her with more perspective, and she feels better equipped to manage AFLW football.

"I was a kid at the Bulldogs. I hadn't really been at that high physical standard and all those demands. I played basketball semi-professionally, but it's just a completely different ball game. I was in the deep end last time," she said.

"That's probably part of the reason I really wanted to prepare myself well prior to even consider jumping back into AFLW footy.

"Mentally, the biggest one is just being able to enjoy it, and know there's other parts of my life that I really value, and football is just one of those things. It's not what defines me as a person, and I'm able to actually enjoy it for what it is. 

"A big part of that is myself, but also the people at the club and North as a club itself, they set people up to enjoy football. Obviously nothing against the competition a few years ago, but they just didn't have the resources that they have now. It's been a much better, easier environment as well."

Brother Tom, the AFL's No.1 pick in 2013, retired in May 2019 and was incredibly forthright about his mental health in a time when men were less likely to be public about such challenges.

Forgoing a significant contract already signed for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, he has since become a noted speaker about mental health, and an important figure in the sporting landscape.

"We speak probably twice weekly, but yeah, we were laughing the other day about how different our experiences have been – him going through the draft, and starting as an 18-year-old, and me, apart from the Dogs, coming in a bit later on in life," Boyd said

"It's been really interesting hearing his perspective, and for me to be able to shine a light on my experiences."

While most AFLW players are now signed as youngsters coming through the draft, and only have limited work and study commitments to shuffle around, Boyd's life has turned upside down since signing her contract.

"I work for Allianz in workers' comp, and do injury management. They've been spectacular in allowing me to drop my work days, so I'm down to 0.6 (of a full working load) now. It was all stuff I had to think about before jumping into the AFLW contract," she said.

"Having full days now to focus on training and gym, it's much easier, preparation-wise. The level of training, physically and mentally, it's a challenging day, but highly enjoyable.

"I think it took a while to feel proud of my efforts. I don't think there was an initial, you know, 'Oh my God, I'm amazing'. 

"But I think as time's gone on, it's definitely worn on me that it has taken a lot to get here, and that it's something I've worked hard for and deserve – which is even hard for me to say at the moment, but it's still something I'm working on, to feel that pride. But it's definitely moving in that direction."