A PROMISING debut season in 2021 saw South Adelaide forward Jorja Hooper boot 11 goals in nine games and finish just three goals off the competition leader. Just a couple of months later, the bottom-age tall would begin rehab as she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) which put a line through her 2022 season. After watching on from the sidelines, the Happy Valley young gun is keen to get back into the on-field action.

“It (2021 season) was really good,” Hooper said. “I think it was a really good experience, just learning exactly where I need to be at and what I need to do to take my game to the next level. I think it’s a really good building block for me to go forward. Obviously there’s lots of things I want to improve on from that season and then just build on.”

Hooper got “fully cleared” to play back in August, admitting the timing of the knee injury could not be worse. Though she got through the full SANFL Women’s season, being so close to the post-season, it meant no chance of returning until 2023.

“I was playing netball in August and I did my ACL,” Hooper said. “But the timing of it meant that I obviously couldn’t do any of the footy just because of when our season was, so I missed all of last year.”

Without the on-field action in 2022, the forward has been working hard on her strength to be bigger, better and more imposing for opposition defenders. Conceding she “probably neglected cardio a bit too much” over the year off, Hooper has made lifting her endurance a focus over the off-season now she is back in full training. Though that is her main focus, she has a checklist of improvements in her game.

“I think just my general understanding of the game and all the skills and where I need to be at when I come back,” Hooper said. “That upper body strength and being able to use my strength a bit more which I don’t think I did very well in my debut season. Then just my leading patterns, just watching the game I think I’ve learnt a lot from it.”

Naturally Hooper has plenty of strengths to her game, including her actual strength, which allowed her to slot those 11 goals in nine games, while averaging 5.8 disposals and 1.9 marks, kicking a goal every 4.7 disposals.

“I think as a tall I’ve also got pretty good groundball skills,” Hooper said. “They’re not obviously top tier like some of your midfielders but I think as a tall I can get down and get the ball. Then just bringing a contest.”

Hooper has been training with the forwards, looking towards joining the front five once again, but admitted there were plenty of fresh faces around. Building new connections is another box to tick for the over-age talent ahead of the 2023 season, and her personal goals are simple.

“I just really want to build on that first season to get a good injury-free season in,” Hooper said. “Just work really hard, put out my best and then just see where that takes me.”