DAREBIN Falcons defender Victoria Blackwood may be well known in footy circles for her skills as a key defender, but down at the Falcons her role is a little bit more expansive than just that.

Often known as “Roger’s Mum”, she is the reason the Falcons have a wellbeing officer. And no, Roger is not a human, but a golden retriever dog.

“I got Roger in 2020, the week before COVID lockdown started,” Blackwood said. “Everyone kind of knew that I was getting him and he kind of got sent around a few people when we were all in lockdown and then I brought him down to training when we got to go back and he’s pretty much never left.

“He started at trainings and then went to games as well, and kind of became the well being officer. Just everyone loves having him down, having a good time. smiling happy face that is going to run up to you and everything after a hard game or hard training session. Everyone loves having him and he loves it here.”

Blackwood herself has come a long way since her footy journey began “playing footy in the backyard with my brothers” in the regional Victorian town of Ballarat.

“I started when I was at school in Ballarat, just playing for the school team” Blackwood said.

“Had a year in local and then came up to the Darebin tryout day and got into the team 2019 and have been playing here since.”

She was making the move down to Melbourne anyway, but felt very welcome at the Falcons and decided to call AH Capp home.

“I think just the welcoming environment, coming down here, brand new to Melbourne, pretty much new to footy it felt like as well, so coming down and just being welcomed straight away and it didn’t feel quite like a new club, just going straight into it and being supported and looked after,” Blackwood said.

“Being new to Melbourne as well, everything and then having the legacy behind it, I didn’t know before I came here. Came down, but then once I’d been to the trial day and heard a few things and having all the AFLW players that have come through and gone on to AFLW now.”

Ever the competitive being, Blackwood said that she became a defender because of her love of “the tackling, the competitive side of it, the physical aspect. I just love stopping the forward from getting a go.”

Thankfully for Blackwood her off-field life is a lot less hectic. She is “just working in a warehouse at the moment and spending a lot of time with Roger.”