Adelaide Co-Captain Sarah Allan can remember the moment the Crows called out her name on draft day.
It was on October 12, 2016 and just four months before the inaugural AFLW season was set to kick off.
“I waited three hours for my name to get called,” Allan said.
“To be honest, at that point, it probably felt like it (being drafted) wasn’t going to happen.
“I was the third to last pick for the Crows, they had to draft the whole squad and I had been doing development sessions with the team and I think there were try-outs and fitness testing, so I put my best foot forward.
“I took the day off uni, but I probably could’ve gone to Uni and still come back by the time my name was called out.”
Now, Allan has a long list of football accolades, including three Premierships (2017, 2019 and 2022 Season Six), three All Australian selections, as well as three Crows Best Defensive player awards.
And after having the Co-Captaincy bestowed on her ahead of this season, Allan is preparing to add another to that list - notching her 75th AFLW game - against St Kilda this Friday night.
Speaking to AFC Media, Allan said hitting the milestone was a privilege.
“It’s a great honour to play that many games for the Club I was drafted by,” Allan said.
“Because we don’t play as many games as the men, I think it’s like the equivalent of 150 games, so it’s a great achievement that I’m very happy about.
“It’s been an amazing few months to be a Co-Captain with Ebony (Marinoff) this year and continuing to help drive this group.”
Allan grew up with a tight-knit family in Millicent in the state’s south-east, and her love for Aussie Rules started as a five-year-old, when she could first participate in Auskick.
Living about 400 km from Adelaide meant her parents would make regular eight-hour round trips to ensure she could play footy.
She says that unwavering support from her Dad, Keith, and Mum, Sue, has largely been behind her rapid rise in footy.
“My parents have never told me or my siblings that playing footy wasn’t possible,” Allan said.
“They were always driving us to Adelaide, even though at the time there was no national league for me.
“Jess (younger sister and Crows teammate) and I wouldn’t be where we are today without their sacrifices.”
Hitting the milestone this weekend hasn’t come without hardships.
Last year, Allan spent a lengthy time on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury and credited her partner, Brock, for helping her through.
“It was the first time I had ever missed due to an injury, so I tried to turn it into a positive,” Allan said.
“I was Vice Captain and was lucky enough to be able to mentor the defenders on game day, so feeling like I still had a role also helped.
“(And) Brock has always been so supportive of me and my career, he’s been there for all the highs and the lows.
“I couldn’t have made it through it without him.”
As Allan reflects on her journey so far, she says the three Premierships will always be special but one that will go down as her favourite.
“I can’t go past winning Premierships but I think for me, the one in 2022 (Season Six) is my favourite memory,” Allan said.
“I felt like I contributed a lot more to the team that year and played my role but also it was a very sacrificial year, through Covid, we pretty much didn’t see anyone for three months.
“It felt like we sacrificed so much and then we got the ultimate reward, so it was all worth it.”
The Crows will be hoping to celebrate Allan’s milestone with a win when they play the Saints at Norwood Oval on Friday at 7.15pm.
Tickets available here.
