MEET Zabreena Manjerovic, a self-confessed tomboy who dreams of being drafted to play football for the Hawks.
The Hobart schoolgirl, 14, is so good at the game the AFL selected her as the youngest member of its academy girls under-16 side chosen from the country's elite female players.
The team, announced last week, will play games and hold clinics in New Zealand in October.
"I'm pumped it was great to get chosen," Zabreena said yesterday.
"I'm looking forward to getting back together with all the girls I met at the academy because I really like them and they are all tomboys like me."
A natural athlete, Zabreena lives, eats, and breathes footy.
She counts the days between seasons, and when the goal posts are reinstated before the season, she gives every one of them a hug.
For the past six years, Zabreena has played in the backline of the Lauderdale boys team.
She can do more push-ups and sit-ups than most of her teammates and more than holds her own on the field.
Now she is about to turn 15, competition regulations mean she is no longer eligible to play with the boys' team.
She has been granted an exemption to play in the women's senior competition, and her mother, Leslee, is coach of Lauderdale's new women's team.
If the AFL meets its goal of having a women's team at every club in 2020, Zabreena will be prime draft material.
"I'm hoping to be drafted by Hawthorn," she said. "I'd like to be a PE teacher or personal trainer if AFL doesn't work out."
Mercury Newspaper
Last Modified on 02/03/2013 18:08