SOUTH Adelaide’s Melissa Anderson was one of the many thousands of people each year who missed out on reaching the elite level in her top-age season. In what was only her first year of SANFL Women’s football back in 2023, the talented Panthers prospect never lost hope, and always had the faith that she could get better.

Two years on, Anderson is better than ever, having taken plenty aboard from her time as a train-on with the Adelaide Crows, and developing greater footy IQ and working harder on the track to earn a State Draft Combine invite.

“t was probably becoming fitter as a person and gaining more football knowledge,” she said. “Developing my football IQ was a really big thing back after the 2023 season because that was my first season. “Put in the hard work, got the recognition to train out at the Crows.

“I think being out there and being able to ask the coaches for feedback whenever I wanted it or support and be like ‘hey I’m doing this right or wrong’ it helped me develop as a player. “Understanding when I’m out at South, there’s so many girls and so many look up to me that have told me already but I think its just take the opportunities as they come because they don’t come every day.”

Anderson conceded she was a “bit green” in her draft year, and it was a great lesson for anyone who might be overlooked at first, but not necessarily outside of the recruiters’ watch.

“Being able to train-on with the Crows and gain development has really benefited me how I go about my season in South and now its lead to this opportunity which is really exciting,” she said. “It’s really good having clubs being interested from interstate just kind of shows that they are watching and its not you go under the radar at all.

“They’re watching, there’s always going to be an opportunity whether it comes when you want it to or if it comes unexpectedly. “I think its remaining in a really good mindset and this is what I’m working towards, but you can’t get set on wanting that. “You have to just keep putting in the hard work. I’m 20, I’m not like the under 18 girls, so I think its just reward for recognition being out here and getting the invite.”

The South Adelaide draft prospect has been best known for her impact inside 50, but over the course of the last six months, grabbed a midfield opportunity – when some of the Panther cubs missed due to the national championships – with both hands.

“I liked being in the midfield as much as I loved playing that high-forward role,” she said. “Being in the mid, being a part of it and in the mess, it was really good and I think I got to learn that little bit extra both craft wise and positional wise understanding what its like to be in a midfield role.

“Then establishing what I needed to work on, but I had a really good time in the midfield and it was a recognition that I didn’t expect to be in. I was expecting to stay in the forwardline, then got pushed up to the midfield.”

Anderson sees herself playing “a bit of both” going forward, having predominantly been a midfielder at local level, but a forward with the Panthers in years gone by. She is thankful the South coaches had the faith in her to trust her around the ball, because it has added another layer to her game.

“Getting the opportunity to go into the midfield just shows how much the coaches have my back and believe in me,” Anderson said “They think that I can do the work in the midfield as much as I can do the work in the forwardline. “It’s been really helpful that they’ve been so supportive to back me all the way and taking on roles that might not be as familiar as what I’m used to, but I like the versatility.”

The 20-year-old describes her strengths as her defensive pressure, speed, agility, overhead marking and penetrating kick, while still needing to work on her endurance and some more strength in order to go to another level.

Outside of football, Anderson has “only just started” a Bachelor of Teaching in Primary Education at Flinders University, while working at an Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) facility. While pretty settled into life in South Australia, Anderson said if the opportunity arose to play interstate at the elite level, she would be willing to relocate.

“It’s something that I’d be willing to do if the opportunity came,” Anderson said. “Obviously we’d have to have a few hard conversations, but it’s what comes down to it, if its a dream to live and come true, then it’s what I have to do.”