IT’S BEEN a steady road to the top for new Melbourne recruit Kate Gillespie-Jones.

Playing for her local team Seaford Tigerettes, the ruck has worked her way through the divisions of women’s football, with her efforts seeing her rewarded with a spot in this Sunday’s AFL Women’s Exhibition Game.

Ahead of her first game in Melbourne colours, Gillespie-Jones said she was keen to make the most of her opportunity to impress.

“I’m pretty excited – I’ve tried out for a few of the exhibition matches in previous years, so it’s pretty exciting to finally get to put an AFL jumper on,” she told melbournefc.com.au.

“I’d love to get another go in the next few exhibition games then hopefully get picked up by an AFL club next year through a national draft.”

Gillespie-Jones has played five seasons of senior women’s football but first fell in love with the game when she played “with the boys” as a junior.

“They stopped you playing [with the boys] when you were about 14 or so, then I lost interest for a little bit – I was a little bit bummed out that you couldn’t play with the boys anymore,” she said.

“I lost interest but then when I was 20 I met a few girls that were playing football and had another go at it.”

Since returning to the game, the 24-year-old has made her mark across multiple divisions of women’s football, winning back-to-back league best and fairests in Division Two (2014) and Division One (2015) of the Victorian Women’s Football League.

Gillespie-Jones, who prides herself on her ability to cover the ground and provide an option up forward, said her subsequent selection for the AFL Victoria Women’s Academy had helped her to build her game.

“It’s been really good, I’ve learned heaps,” she said.

“It’s been awesome being able to train with so many good players and it really makes you push yourself.

“I think all aspects of my football have really improved this pre-season.”

With the Tigerettes included in a revamped state competition for 2016, Gillespie-Jones will now have the opportunity to test herself against Victoria’s best footballers on a weekly basis.

“I wanted to stay at Seaford and now we’ve been pushed up to the state league, so that’s pretty good, but it was tempting to move up to the premier division in previous years,” she said.

Gillespie-Jones said she would love to have the opportunity to represent Melbourne again in the future, given the club’s ongoing support of women’s football.

“It’s great that [Melbourne have] supported women for years,” she said.

“They’ve been sponsors of the VWFL and given players the opportunity to play in exhibition games.

“I’d be honoured if I got a spot with Melbourne again.”