Madison Newman and her family grew up adoring the Adelaide Football Club.

Now, she plays for the reigning AFLW premiers.

Throughout her life, Newman has never been far from a footy field, with her dad Steve playing over 300 games for Morphett Vale.

Newman would always watch his games wearing a mini-guernsey and during half time, she would wander onto the field and kick the footy by herself.

When they weren’t out having a kick, she’d also watch every Crows game alongside her dad.

The 18-year-old said it meant everything to her and her family to be drafted to the Club she loves.

“Footy’s been the biggest sport in our family, we’ve grown up adoring the club and we’d always watch the Crows boys,” Newman said.

“Then when the girls came in, they’ve done a lot for the competition and been such a big success, so it means a lot.”

Maddi as a youngster in her Crows kit with a photo of Bryce Gibbs

It’s lucky that the AFLW competition started when it did, because Newman was almost lost to the sport through a lack of pathways.

The defender started playing football in boys’ teams during primary school, but had to stop once she reached the age that she was no longer allowed to play with the boys.

So, Newman switched to cricket where there was a more established pathway for girls, playing in State teams and also making All-Australian squads.

Once she heard there was an AFLW competition starting up, she took the opportunity to get involved in the game again, joining West Adelaide’s SAWFL team.

It didn’t take long for her to then rise to their SANFLW team, being named in the League’s Team of the Year after the 2019 season.

Newman also represented the Central Allies in the 2019 National Championships and was selected as an All-Australian defender – something that was extra special for Newman, as she had been specifically working towards it.

“At the start of the year, Dad and I sat down and wrote down some goals,” she said.

“Some of them didn’t seem very achievable like All-Australian, and I was like ‘I probably won’t get there’ but I wrote it down anyway.

“When I was selected it meant so much to me, because last year I was struggling to make the Westie’s SANFLW team, but I just focused in the pre-season and worked really hard”

JAIMI'S JOURNEY: From water girl to teammate

Newman’s hard work paid off when she was selected with pick No.100 in the 2019 AFLW draft.

One of her new teammates has put in significant effort to help her get drafted and is now assisting her settle into the Club.

“Ebony Marinoff has given me advice over the last year or so because she was one of our mentors in my first Allies,” Newman said.

“She gives me really good tips and it’s great to have someone here that knows a lot about it and can help me.

“When I found out I was going to the Draft Combine, she took me out for a schnitty after training and we had a good chat.

“She’s made me feel a lot more comfortable about getting drafted.”

Newman will join her new teammates for their first pre-season training session on Monday, November 25.