When Adelaide selected Teah Charlton ahead of the AFLW’s Season Five, the youngster was determined to do more than be a number in the squad.

Now, fast forward almost two years, Charlton has become one of the Crows’ most durable players - second only to three-time Premiership player Ebony Marinoff.

Charlton has only missed one game since her debut in Round One Season Five - that match was in Round Five last season, after she caught Covid.

Marinoff, meanwhile, has played in every game since she made her debut in Round One, 2017.

Speaking to AFC Media ahead of this week’s game against Collingwood, which will be her 26th AFW match, Charlton said doing “all the extras” behind the scenes had helped.

“I think it comes down to making sure I am doing every little bit of the program and all the extras,” Charlton, who played in Adelaide’s Season Six Premiership, said.

“If there’s a free day, I usually just try to get in the gym and get my body moving and being active every day.

“If there’s a free day, I usually just try to get in the gym and get my body moving.

“It’s about being consistent in all areas - the recovery, the training - to get a gradual improvement each year.

“Recovery is just as important as training itself, so I love going for walks down the beach and things like that.”

Charlton, a former surf lifesaver, burst onto the local football scene, playing for Christies Beach and representing SA at the School Sport Australia Championships.

She made her SANFLW debut with South Adelaide in 2019 and was an integral cog in the Panthers’ Grand Final win, amassing 18 disposals and five tackles.

The now 20-year-old’s AFLW career began against West Coast in Round One, Season Five, in which she played as a forward.

It wasn’t until Season Six that the youngster cemented herself as a midfielder.

“I was quite young and probably not as strong as I am starting to get, now,” Charlton said.

“I did love it because I had more opportunities to score goals, but being in the midfield just means I get to be around the ball more and have more of an impact on the game.”

Charlton said she looked up to three-time Crows Premiership stars Marinoff and Anne Hatchard before becoming their teammates.

“I admired how hard working the stars of the competition are and how they’ve got to where they are,” Charlton said.

“Now being in the system, I just want to aspire to be like them and do everything I can to reach that goal.

“I like to take little parts of everyone’s game and add it to my own - I love Noffy’s hunt for the ball and her tackling and also the attacking drive of Anne Hatchard.

“It’s the little things you can do for the team that make an impact.”

Adelaide plays Collingwood at Victoria Park on Sunday at 11.40am (ACST).