IT DIDN’T take long for Mia Austin to know that Melbourne was the right place to continue her AFLW career.

At the end of 2025, having played 30 games across four seasons at Carlton, the 22-year-old’s future was up to her and after one meeting with the Dees, she could see herself fitting into life in red and blue.

“I had my meeting with Melbourne and when I left, I was just so excited,” Austin said.  

“The amount of detail the club had put into the meeting, I knew that this was the place I wanted to be.

“I could tell how much love everyone had for each other here and that’s the environment I wanted to be in.”

Melbourne was the right fit for Austin, but Austin was also the right fit for the Dees.

The tall forward has slotted straight into Melbourne’s best 21, quickly becoming a key contributor to the team’s five-win start to season 2026.

The 22-year-old is putting together standout performances, most notably in her Round 1 match, where she kicked a career-high four goals in Melbourne’s 19-point win over Hawthorn.

She’s kicked nine goals across four games, averaging a career-high 2.3 goals a game, making it clear to the competition that she means business in the red and blue.

“Everyone has embraced me and it’s helped me integrate really easily into the group,” Austin said.

“The coaches highlight what your strengths are and help you build on that and it’s been nice having that belief.

“My first meeting I had with [Shae Sloane], before I’d even signed, she already had so much belief in me and what I could do.

“I think that goes a long way, being in an environment that values what you can bring. It all plays a huge role in helping not just myself, but everyone to develop and get better.”

Melbourne’s senior coach Tom Wilson praised the young Demon’s talent and work ethic, highlighting her pre-season commitment.  

“She’s been a terrific addition to our playing group,” Wilson said.

“Her ability, over the pre-season, to set herself up has been significant. The way she’s bought into the playing group and bought into her role, it’s clearly showing in the way she’s been playing.

“Her consistency in training and her ability to back sessions up and build with each week. I think that continuity helps when you’re trying to prepare for a season.

Austin is part of a Dees outfit that remains undefeated this season, currently sitting second on the AFLW ladder.

The side is set for a big two weeks where they’ll face third-placed Carlton and the undefeated North Melbourne.

Despite this early success, Austin said the team still had space to improve.  

“We’ve obviously had some good results to start the season, but I think we’re also building each week and that’s really exciting,” Austin said. 

“You can feel the belief that everyone has in each other. Everyone plays their role, and it all balances out.

“Willo has been really great at working with us all to bring out our strengths, embracing everyone for what they bring to the team. I think that’s the reason why it’s been so fun.”

This week, Austin will face her biggest challenge to date since joining the Dees - she’ll line up against her former side, Carlton, for a top three battle at Casey Fields.

Thankfully, there’s no bad blood between Austin and her former side, with the 22-year-old looking forward to the reunion.

“I still have so many close mates at Carlton, so I’m excited for it,” Austin said.

“I think closer to the game, I’ll be feeling pretty nervous, but we’ve both been playing good footy, so it’ll be a really good match-up.

“There’ll definitely be some banter on field, it might be a bit weird at first, but probably mostly fun.”