IT is easy to forget that Ava Jordan is still a bottom-ager. The Northern Knights midfielder has already proven a standout in her region, having come second to Georgie Prespakis in the 2021 NAB League Girls best and fairest count as a first year player.

The diminutive ball winner, standing at 148cm, enjoyed an extended crack at the competition against girls as much as four years her elder last season. “With that, and Vic Metro Under 17 experience under her belt, Jordan is already more seasoned than some top-agers.

“I’ve got a lot of experience now so I want to be able to use that to my advantage,” Jordan said. “I want to be able to stay that one step ahead of players my age to be able to have success further in my future.

“(Playing Vic Metro Under 17s) was very fun. It was awesome to be around girls that are probably at the same standard as you. “Just being able to share their experiences and mine as well, it was great to be around.”

Having accelerated her footballing maturation with pure game time, Jordan is also clear on what she does well and where she can look to improve. Finding the ball is no problem, as a current disposal average of 24 across her first two games this campaign would suggest.

“My clean hands, and just getting down and hunting the ball (are my strengths),” she said. “Also being able to win the ball at the contest and then feed out to runners or wingers.

“I want to improve on my left foot, and also tackling pressure – being able to be defensive as well… (and) just further improving all my skills and fundamentals to the best ability that I can.”

Picking up just as many midfield minutes in 2022 as she did last time around, Jordan is set for plenty more success in her “favourite” position. Northern Knights talent operations lead Nat Grindal confirmed that plan, but we could also see the clever competitor sneak forward of centre.

“I don’t think (Jordan) realises how good she is yet, and I think when she starts to realise and things start to fall into place, she’s only going to continue to develop and go up in the competition,” Grindal said during preseason. “She’ll probably be in a similar role this year, she’s pushed forward in a couple of games last year and impacted on the scoreboard and hopefully she can do more of that.”

With more work on her fundamentals and running capacity, Jordan expressed her excitement for the recently commenced season, saying the Knights should be able to produce some strong results despite their 0-2 start.

“I reckon we’re going to go really well,” she said. “We’ve got a good, strong, solid group of girls. The 17s and 19s have been able to train throughout the pre-Christmas (period) and I think it’s going to be a really good season.”

Jordan and her Knights will be hoping third time’s a charm, as they enter Round 3 searching for win number one. They are scheduled to face the Western Jets on Saturday afternoon in a consecutive dig at Highgate Recreation Reserve.