LIKE many young AFLW stars it is a big time for Mikayla Williamson, currently embarking on her first season as an elite footballer.

Drafted by Hawthorn with pick 17 in last year’s AFL Women’s draft, she that it was “so surreal” to hear her name called out on draft night.

“I just got around my family and friends that I brought with me, lots of hugs, a few tears came out. It was very emotional, which I didn’t expect, but once you hear your name and realise your dream has come true, it’s just the most amazing experience,” she said.

She did not have any expectations heading into the night, noting that “I just obviously wanted to be picked up and that’s what happened” and it all worked out for her.

Although she had had a chat with a few clubs prior to the draft, Williamson said they had all “had the same sort of questions and responses” leaving her with little idea where she would end up.

Williamson said that her time at the Hawks so far had been amazing.

“All the girls just get around you, it’s just such a good group and so excited to have lots of new staff coming to the program and I’m so excited to get started,” she said.

Hawthorn has a stereotype of being the family club, but from what Williamson has experienced it is quite the reality.

“We’ve already had a couple of things that involved the family and on draft night, my family was so involved,” she said. “So yeah, they’re very lucky that I came here and very happy with how the club’s taken on them as well as me.”

Although Williamson had a taster of senior football in her top age year – suiting up for one match for the Southern Saints in the VFLW in 2023 – she said that playing a few games for the Box Hill Hawks this year helped her nerves around coming into the AFLW system.

“I feel like if I hadn’t played those games, I’m not sure what would have happened because it was good to brush off some cobwebs and just have a bit more match sense after talking about yourself and how you play for so long through interviews and then to actually get out back onto the field and make sure you can still do that was good,” she said.

Heading into her first season in the league, Williamson’s expectations are pretty straightforward.

“Probably as my first year I just want to go and develop as much as I can on the field but also off the field and learn from all the older girls and girls that have had lots of games in the AFLW,” she said.

Life certainly is not quiet off field for Williamson either, who is filling her time by working at her old school doing a footy program and helping out where she can.