Tara Murray
Northern Knights forward Alyssa Bannan this year turned her attention to areas off the field that she could work on to help improve her chances of being drafted.
Bannan played just three games in the NAB League Girls competition before it was cancelled due to COVID-19, ending her underage football slightly earlier than anticipated.
The 18-year-old said it had been a crazy year.
“It’s definitely kind of annoying not being able to play and continue to do the sport that I love,” she said.
“It’s kind of been good to focus on the aspects that I wouldn’t normally be working on. I’ve done a lot of strength and conditioning by myself to get my body as strong as possible, hopefully for the AFLW season, which has been really good.
“I know a lot of the team work you do is skills, and I guess strategy-based. It’s been good to focus on myself a bit more this year.”
For Bannan, who started footy as a hobby before falling in love with it, this year was about putting everything out on the field.
She had been part of the Knights premiership side last season and represented Vic Metro at the national championships, and entered the season one of the key forwards to watch.
“Going into this year the focus was on putting everything out there as it was my last year [at the Knights],” she said.
“I had to give everything I had and I was pretty proud of how I went.
“I know after each game I came off feeling really proud of myself and it was about putting everything on the field and I definitely think I did. I was happy.”
Bannan, who said she models her game on Tayla Harris, was excited to see how the Knights would go this season before the season was cancelled.
She said one of the biggest things she learned in her three years at the club was being more determined and pushing through the challenges.
Bannan has been invited to the AFLW state combine, but at this stage she’s unsure whether she will get to test due to COVID-19.
She’s one of five Knights players to be selected for the combine.
Bannan said knowing a few clubs were interested in her, made the whole draft process a bit easier.
“It is a bit nerve wracking, but I’m grateful for the invitation. Even if it doesn’t go ahead it’s nice to know that clubs have some interest in me and how well I can do.
“At the start of this year I was a bit unsure how I would go, now it’s kind of making me feel a bit better about myself.
“I’ve been able to catch up with a few clubs and get to know them a bit which has been really, really nice.”
Bannan said she had been in touch with other players in a similar situation.
“I think it is really good to have some friends in a similar position, because you can kind of have the same understanding,” she said.
“You know how they’re feeling and they know how you’re feeling and be able to talk to other people about how they go about it and change it.
She’s also spoken to former Knights players who were drafted last year, to give her an idea of what to expect.
Bannan has selected to stay in Melbourne if she’s drafted, meaning only Melbourne-based sides can select her in the draft.
The draft will be held online on October 6.
