TASMANIAN talent Mischa Barwin is one of two National Academy members coming out of the Apple Isle and the top-ager has a wide array of eye-catching traits. Not willing to rest on her laurels, Barwin is fully focused on equally enjoying the year, and improving on just about every aspect of her game to reach her full potential.

We spoke to Barwin at the Tasmania Devils Preseason Testing Day about her football journey, inspirations, who she connected most with in the National Academy, and her goals for the year ahead.

Q: Mischa, tell us a little about your footy journey and your favourite football moment?

MB: “I was about nine so I played under 9s footy at a local club at Dodgers Ferry with the boys. My dad was the coach that kind of got me into wanting to play football and dad was a footy player so I found my love footy then. My favourite moment, I’ve won two grand finals and obviously playing as a team and you know you never get that feeling once you’ve won a grand final.”

Q: Coming into the Devils squad, what’s that been like?

MB: “Probably the hardest thing is seeing all the older ages go so I don’t know, but just the memories. It goes so fast you’ve just got to embrace the time before it all goes out the window, but definitely the whole experience and being able to play as a team.”

Q: What’s your favourite position, forward or mid?

MB: “Bit of both to be honest. I love mid and forward, but I don’t really mind where I play on the ground, I like to switch it up sometimes but yeah forward would probably be my preferred position.”

Q: Where do you see yourself playing this year?

MB: “I think I’ll be playing outside mid/forward so that bit of rotation.”

Q: What do you see as some of the strengths in your game?

MB: “Probably speed, agility, endurance and just my groundballs and just being crafty.”

Q: A player you look up to or model your game on?

MB: “Love Mon Conti, think she’s a great player from Richmond, and also Kash (Kaitlyn Ashmore) from Hawthorn. I think awesome as well.”

Q: in terms of your improvements, what are you looking to make?

MB: “I feel like I can improve anywhere in my skills, but the ones that I’m focusing on now are driving out of contests with the footy. Improving my groundballs and improving in my marking and kicking.”

Q: The Allies experience last year, what was that like?

MB: “For the National Champs, it was so good to connect from all different states and just all play together and drive each other so that was an overall good experience.”

Q: You’re a member of that National Academy, what’s that been like?

MB: “It’s been so cool, making new connections with all the girls around the country. But just building connections and the overall experience and learning new things and taking them back to the states.”

Q: Who would you say you’ve got the closest to in terms of friends from across the country?

MB: “I don’t know, I kinda got close with Eloise (Mackereth) from Adelaide and Georja Davies from Gold Coast. But I’m really close with Priya Bowering but she’s down in Tassie obviously.”

Q: For you who’s had the most individual influence on your career?

MB: “Probably coach Woosh (Jess Wuetschner) and my dad. My dad’s a big thing in my footy and he gives me a text message after my game and tells me how I went and all that sort of stuff.”

Q: Which AFL/W club do you support?

MB: “Hawthorn.”

Q: Is there a reason behind that?

MB: “I got dragged into it when I was younger, but I’ve always been a Hawthorn fan.”

Q: Tassie gets a team in a few years, what’s that been like down here with the news and the buzz around that announcement?

MB: “It’s such a great thing for Tassie to have their own team, it’s always a good thing. It hasn’t really kicked in, but I feel once the stadium starts to get built it will start to kick in. But I think it’s a great opportunity for Tassie to have a stadium and their own team.”

Q: For this season, what are you looking forward to most?

MB: “Just playing with my team, supporting each other, goal celebrations, that kind of thing. But just enjoying while I can because it goes so fast and then all of a sudden you’re at the end of it, but just the enjoyment of it all.”

Q: Finally, what goals do you set for yourself throughout the year?

MB: “I feel like the improvement. Obviously I’ve got heaps of skills that I want to improve on, so just improving that. Just everything is a goal for me, and hopefully to win, that’s the main thing.”