SPEAKING the morning after the AFLW Draft, new Dee Alyssia Pisano admitted that it was still all sinking in that she had been drafted at all.

“Not really if I’m being honest,” she said. “It still feels like a dream. I didn’t really sleep last night if I’m being honest, I’m just so excited but it’s so surreal.”

Getting drafted so high normally means you do not get drafted to powerhouse clubs like Melbourne, but Pisano is excited to be joining the red and blue.

“They’re such an established club which is awesome, and they’ve had lots of success with the past couple of years, and to be able to play in a team like this is going to be awesome,” she said.

She is not the only Eastern Ranges player heading down the high way to Casey Fields, joining Jacinta Hose and Delany Madigan in Melbourne’s draft haul, and Pisano was thrilled Hose and Delany were drafted to the same club as her.

“Well I actually didn’t know that they got drafted until I came out, and I remember seeing Jacinta on the red carpet with the Melbourne scarf on and I was in disbelief, I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “She’s worked so hard and for her to come off the back of the injury and unfortunately do it again was devastating, but her perseverance and resilience really showed and I can’t wait to see what she’s going to do. Same with Delany, they’ve both worked so hard this year and I’m stoked I can continue my career with them.”

After rupturing her ACL last year Pisano said she was not expecting to come back into football and have the impact she did.

“Not really,” she said. “I guess going into the year I really just wanted to enjoy the year and just make the most of all my opportunities and everything, so I guess I really didn’t put too many expectations on myself and I think that really helped me to enjoy my football, and when I’m enjoying football I play my best football.”

Although more known as a forward, Pisano has played a little of half back, and she said that it helped her become a more well rounded footballer.

“It was a bit different I guess, you’re playing on the opposite side of the field, but I think it was really good. I love run and carry with the ball, so I guess being able to use that off the half back was a good experience and being able to improve on defensive habits and covering off, which was really good,” she said.