Lifelong Crows fan Courtney Cramey has described her signing by the Club as a “dream come true.”

On Thursday, Cramey and Northern Territory-based midfielder Angela Foley were announced as pre-signed players for the Crows in the 2017 National Women’s League.

It was only fitting that Cramey – the South Australian state women’s captain since 2011 – was the first South Aussie listed by the Crows, while Foley is the team’s inaugural NT signing.

The duo joins West Australian marquee players Chelsea Randall and Kellie Gibson in committing to the joint-Crows/Northern Territory team for the historic first season.

Cramey, 30, said there were times she doubted a national women’s competition would come to fruition during her career.

“The original date (for the National Women’s League) was 2020 but when it was brought forward to 2017 by the AFL, I knew I was a good chance to give it a shot and make something of it,” she said.

“My Dad coached at Sturt and my brother played there. Kicking the footy into the bin in those days, I didn’t think that one day females would be able to play in a national, AFL-sanctioned competition.

“It’s really a dream come true. I grew up supporting the Crows and taking ‘Modras’ in the backyard with my brother, so to be able to put on the Club colours as a player is pretty exciting.”

Cramey started playing football in primary school and continued as a student at Unley High School.

The aggressive midfielder gave up the game in her teenage years because of the lack of a clear pathway, and ended up representing Norwood and South Australia in basketball at state junior level.

In 2004, she returned to footy when she learned about the South Australian Women’s Football League and hasn’t stopped playing since. Recently, Cramey notched up the 150-game milestone in the SAWFL where she represents two-time reigning premiers, Morphettvillle Park Football Club.

Cramey, or ‘CJ’, made her first state side in 2009 and was selected to play in the previous four AFL Women's Exhibition Matches. She’s an All Australian, and veteran of three national championships as a player, as well as two as a youth girls coach.

A strong leader on and away from the football field, Cramey hoped the National Women’s League would inspire future generations of players.

“It’s an exciting time for females in football, to now have the ability to be role models for juniors coming through the SAWFL competition,” she said.

“The challenge is bringing girls from all different parts of the country, potentially, together but I’m confident in the culture that we can build here at the Crows and the success that we can have.

“It’s definitely taking shape. It’s exciting. All the girls I’ve spoken to so far are just wanting to get started … I think we’re all counting down the days.”