Amy Smith is a premiership Kangaroo, but in another world, she's lacing up the boots for the opposition in this weekend's AFLW preliminary final.

It's a sliding doors moment that feels strange to imagine, given just how crucial the humble and hard-working winger has been to North Melbourne's system since debuting in Season 6, 2022.

With her father Shaun having played 47 games as a Kangaroo and 62 as a Demon across the 1980s and 90s, Amy had the opportunity to begin her AFLW career as a father-daughter selection at either club.

"They (Melbourne) did show some interest and I spoke to them," Smith told NMFC Media.

"They were probably more looking at me as a developmental kind of player to have on their list."

Instead, she became North Melbourne's first father-daughter pick, a decision helped by Shaun's connection with Kangaroos stars like Jasmine Garner and Jenna Bruton from his coaching days at the St Kilda Sharks.

"I was grateful that North wanted to take me and with dad knowing a few of the girls that were at the club already, it made sense to come here," Smith said.

"He knew they were all great people and that I was going to a club that had a super culture."

Although football would later become her focus, Smith's early years were spent on the basketball court, with her family showing zero interest in steering her towards the sport her dad and brother Joel had undertaken.

"Literally no encouragement," Smith laughed.

"I think six months before [I started playing], in an interview dad actually said, 'Amy will never play football'.

"Then six months later I thought, 'I want to give footy a go'."

That hasn't meant the family has been unsupportive of Smith in her footy journey. In fact, it's been the opposite, with Shaun being her ultimate supporter from day one. 

"He had a big impact when I first started," she said.

"He'd come down to the park, and my kicking wasn't the greatest, so we had to put a few hours of practice in, and he was there videoing me and giving me feedback.

"He absolutely loves coming to the games now and getting around everyone."

Does he still offer tips?

"Sometimes I need to remind him that the game looks a little bit different these days compared to what it was when he played," she said.

"But he's pretty good, he just supports me a lot."

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It's been a career-best season for North Melbourne's No.15, who has found ways to repeatedly grow as a player since entering the competition.

From last season to this season, she has lifted her averages from 12.6 disposals per game to 18.8, 1.3 score involvements to 2.5, and 110 metres gained to 183.

In the process she has shifted from an under-the-radar player to one who attracts headlines - and opposition attention.

"I had the best off-season and pre-season that I'd had since coming into the AFLW," she said on her preparation for the 2025 campaign.

"I didn't have any injuries, so I was able to get pretty much every session under my belt, and I think that's purely what set me up for the year."

The gut-running that sees her drop into defence and then appear up the ground in the same passage hasn't come by accident. It's the product of steady, behind-the-scenes work that's lifted her game to new levels.

"When I got drafted, I'd really only played one full season of local footy and then there was COVID, so I didn't have much footy under my belt before coming to North Melbourne.

"I had to put a mountain of work in to learn the game but also to develop my fitness, the field is obviously a lot bigger than a basketball court.

"And just feeding off players like 'Jammin' (Jasmine Garner), Ash (Riddell), 'Kearns' (Emma Kearney), all those leaders. Getting all their knowledge and building my game out from there."

That work ethic and footy IQ can be encapsulated in a single play.

As the Roos looked to secure a 24th consecutive victory in Round 12, the winger's talent was on display during the first quarter as she streamed inside 50 to win a loose ball, overtaking and dispatching of a Hawk in the process, before feeding Amy Gavin Mangan for the second goal of the night.

Smith is one of eight Kangaroos who featured in all 24 of those wins, as is defender Jasmine Ferguson, a teammate with whom Smith has formed a close bond since 'Ferg' was drafted in 2021.

"It was a bit of a joke that when Ferg came to the club she looked around the room and tried to see who was the one that didn't really have many friends or was more the quiet one, and she latched onto me," Smith said.

"That's the running joke of how we became friends … it's probably true.

"Our friendship has grown since then and we work really well together.

"We love doing our warm-ups together and kicking snaps before the game, even though none of us ever really do it in a match."