Jasmine Anderson remembers what it was like to watch two of her brothers get drafted.
While she was “super proud” of older brother Joe being selected to Carlton in 2006 and younger brother Jed making his way to Hawthorn a few years ago, she couldn’t help but feel envious of their opportunities.
“I wouldn’t say I was overly jealous of them but I remember wishing I had that same opportunity but it has never been available up until now,” Anderson told Aflplayers.com.au.
“I wasn’t annoyed but it was more ‘I wish I could be paid to do something I love’.”
Little did she know, only a few years later the 25-year-old would receive her own chance at the elite level, after being selected as an Adelaide Crow rookie for the inaugural AFLW season.
One of eight siblings, Anderson hasn’t played the sport for four years, in fact, her footy experience is limited to two seasons as an adult and only one year as a nine-year-old Auskicker.
She netted a best and fairest award ahead of her future draftee brother Joe that year and the 25-year-old’s lack of serious practice isn’t apparent in her skills and she’s convinced her abilities have actually improved during her football hiatus.
Her time playing soccer for a few years certainly hadn’t diminished her love for the game either, which was reaffirmed during a recent match featuring her younger sister.
“I actually ran water for my sister’s Under-18s game last Saturday and it gave me goosebumps — I just wanted to be out there playing and not running water. It was just exciting to be on the field again,” Anderson added.
“I love the competitiveness of the game. It’s a contact sport, so tackling, going in hard for the ball and being rough is what I’ve been brought up doing with my siblings.”
As the season draws nearer, the Crows are keen to put Anderson to the test, and she’s been granted permission to play a few games with the Darwin Buffettes by Adelaide coaches Bec Goddard and Andrew Hodges.
While the Anderson family has significant football pedigree with father David a football legend in the Northern Territory, there’s encouraging genes on their maternal side also.
“Mum was a netballer but she has actually taken up football in the last three years and she even played on the weekend. Even though she’s 53, she plays in the forward line and is pretty quick and rough.”
“I’ll actually be playing alongside of her the following weekend. Bec Goddard and Andrew Hodges came to an agreement that I can play a few games to get that game sense back.
“I’m a bit nervous because it’s been a while since I last played and also because I’ll be lining up next to my mum.”
Although it’s taken a decade, Anderson will move into 2017 as the envy of her footballing brothers.