DAREBIN Falcons’ vice-captain Alyssa Mifsud has experienced a lot in her career, but as her career progresses her goals have become simpler in nature.

The start to her career was high octane, drafted into the AFL Women’s by Melbourne after one year in the code.

When asked what it was like to get drafted, she said with a laugh “It does feel like a long time ago now.”

“It feels like another life, but it was amazing,” she said. “It was an unbelievable opportunity the way it all came about for me. It was after my first year of footy down at the [VU Western] Spurs. It was unbelievable to go into that environment so early in my footy days, I learnt so much so quickly and just the way the game was progressing at the time, it was so awesome to be apart of. Everyone wanted to know what was happening and what it was like, and it was really cool to be a part of that first stepping stone for women’s AFL and the professionalism of it. I loved it, it was such a buzz to be around.”

“I don’t know about other clubs, but I felt like Melbourne had already invested so much into women’s footy before, with that game against the Bulldogs. They had already been building that women’s program around for a long time so when I walked through the door it felt like so much work had already gone into it that you were really stepping into a professional environment and they did everything they could at the time to make it that real professional environment, treat women in the sport with that real professionalism and really set that standard across the board in the competition.

“The coaching group and even I got to play with some of the most amazing VFL players that came through, Daisy and Paxy and Mel Hickey. You learn so much just by being in that professional environment and what it takes to play AFL at the highest level and that’s something I’ve never forgotten and I try and carry that through with me now.”

Unfortunately for Mifsud her time in the AFLW was short and sweet, delisted after only two season.

“It was obviously pretty tough,” Mifsud said, talking about what it was like to be let go.

“I felt through the second season it probably wasn’t my best season. I struggled sort of in that second season a little bit, which obviously led to that at the end of the year, but I think everything happens for a reason. In a way for me looking back now, it was an amazing opportunity to get and I learnt so much, but it allowed me to step away and do a few other things and enjoy footy again at a different level and went back and enjoyed footy again with some friends and got back to why I really love it, and that’s probably what’s led me here to Darebin.”

After leaving the AFLW system, Mifsud was looking to go back to a place where she felt comfortable and could learn to love footy again, and thanks to the connections she had from her days at the Spurs, the Western Bulldogs’ VFLW side was that place.

After also spending some time at the Spurs and winning a flag, it was on to the Falcons where she has been ever since. The Falcons’ connection to the community and the history of the club is what drew Mifsud to Preston City Oval.

These days, Mifsud has some simple and selfless goals for her career moving forward.

“Moving forward and especially this year, from where Darebin’s been the past couple of years we really just want to get the club and get that name back to where it was before, just have some team success, and I think that’s my main goal this year,” she said. “I think I really want to enjoy the season. It’s not all about team success, but I think the group this year, it’s really exciting, having that feeling that there is something really special there and I think this is why I’ve kept playing and obviously later in my career I really want to enjoy that connection and that real fun footy at the highest level.”