A LEAGUE spot in Norwood’s team was not on Emily Bartsch‘s agenda, let alone the AFL Women’s Draft, but after some coaxing from her coach and teammates, the young defender opted to nominate for Monday night’s event.

“I actually never really thought about it,” Bartsch said. “My old head coach Brad Snell sent me a message and said ‘I really want to put your name in for the draft’.

“I wasn’t going to do it at all, like at all. “Then I had my other head coach and my old captain Ali (Ferrall) were like ‘you should put your name in for the draft’ and I was like ‘okay I’ll put my name in’. I never really ever thought about it, I thought I’ll just play SANFL.”

Bartsch nominated South Australia as she intends to remain in the state to continue to develop her craft alongside her family and work, but she is not expecting anything in particular. Instead, she is focusing on having a big preseason and focusing her attention on 2024.

“I don’t even know really much at all (about my draft chances),” Bartsch said. “Brad’s told me a few things but I just want to work on my skills at the moment.”

The South Australian is in fact a Carlton supporter, following her father and grandfather into the Navy Blues supporter base. Bartsch said her father was so keen on all things Blues that her supported Sturt due to the ‘Double Blues’ moniker and even encouraged Bartsch to join Sturt when she was looking to move into the SANFLW.

Though the draft was never really on Bartsch’s agenda she will be “100 per cent” more inclined to focus on it over the next 12 months.

“I want to keep progressing, strongly so hopefully it’s getting there. But in the future hopefully I’ll keep pushing,” she said.

Before going forward, it is worth rewinding back to the start of Bartsch’s journey, which is still relatively in its infancy, having been a basketballer throughout her teen years.

“I started (footy) at Hectorville, it was just supposed to be a fun thing that I wanted to do because I played basketball,” Bartsch said. “I played basketball in the NBL1 team for Woodville. This footy was just meant to be fun, just an extra curricular thing.

“Then my coach told me to come out to the Norwood trials last year. I went out to them, got picked, wasn’t expecting to get picked, thought I was going to be a train-on. Then the first Wednesday the week before Round 1, got told I’d be playing my first League game so that was pretty stoked. It was a lot to understand.”

Not only did Bartsch debut in Round 1, she held her spot across the course of the season, playing all 14 games. She averaged the 7.6 disposals, 1.2 marks and 34 tackles, often locking down on opponents. The 173cm 20-year-old played a variety of roles in her first season, and her rise from local player who was taking it up as a hobby to consistent League representative was “awesome”.

“I couldn’t comprehend it,” Bartsch said of her debut game. “It didn’t even hit me until I was on the field. So many emotions, I was just ecstatic. It was tough to get there. I wasn’t as fit as I wanted to be, but still made the team and I wanted my skills to be a bit better, but that’s okay, I still got there.”

Bartsch said basketball translates well into a defensive role on the football field, having been trialed in a variety of positions for Hectorville, before finding her home all year in the Redlegs’ defence.

“Last year was my first year ever playing football and he just put me everywhere,” she said. I was in the midfield sometimes, defence, put me up forward for a bit in the local league and then I got to Norwood and they just put me in defence and I’ve just stuck there which is good. I like it.”

Playing alongside a host of experienced defenders at Norwood, Bartsch said she took plenty from the year and has developed in a number of ways, including learning more about her teammates on-field.

“I’ve learnt so many new skills and keeping how our structure is has really helped,” she said. “I know when to press, when to block on as a defender. Where to kick to, handballing. I know how all my other teammates play now which is really good.

“Whereas at the start meet a new player and they’ve all played together, it was a bit difficult trying to find out if I should kick to them, if should handball to them, what I should do. It’s progressed nicely which is good.”

Retired Norwood skipper Alison Ferrall had the most influence on Bartsch’s season, having continually helped the first-year player when she was “lost”.

“When she was playing with us in the backline and she would tell me where to go when I was completely lost and she’s just guided me so I can’t thank her enough,” Bartsch said.

Bartsch looks up to the likes of Najwa Allen and Hannah Dunn, who are similarly strong and athletic which Bartsch wants to develop into going forward. Already quite strong, Bartsch described her other strengths as being able to lock down on an opponent and provide run out of the defensive half.

As for her improvements, her skills – in particular her short kicks – standout admitting “they’re not really where I want them to be, but they’ll get there”.

Looking ahead to 2024, Bartsch’s goals are simple.

“I just want to make sure that I’ve got my skills down pat and get my fitness up a bit more because that could be a little bit better and just be a good defender, that’s my goals,” she said.