ALICIA Janz had to be dragged along to her first women’s football training session.

Having focused on high-level netball throughout her teenage years, Janz was reluctant when close friend Kirby Bentley, who played for Melbourne’s women’s team in 2013, 2014 and 2015, encouraged her to have a go at football.

“Kirby dragged me along to one of her training sessions and I kept telling her that I would wait in the car because I was really nervous and I didn’t really know the rules,” Janz said.

“She dragged me out and then I really enjoyed it – the girls were really welcoming and were happy to explain things which made me want to come back.

“So at the end of the netball season, I just rocked up to a training session and was like, ‘I’m back!’”

Since then, Janz’s football career has escalated.

The mobile ruck/forward, who plays for Melbourne University, joined the AFL Victoria Women’s Academy late last year and worked hard to develop her game.

The intensive football-focused training paid off when Janz was named in Melbourne’s team to face the Western Bulldogs this week.

“My netball fitness carried across into football but it was more the game sense things – the structures, the plays – that I didn’t know a lot about,” she said.

“So by going to the Academy, it’s telling me about those things and what to expect, as well as having the other girls there and just knowing the standard that’s expected.

“It lifts the level so it’s more professional than what we’d do at state league level.

“It’s really good to learn from the other girls and the other teams and what they know and to share the knowledge around.”

Before taking up football, Janz had an accomplished netball career in Western Australia.

She was selected in the Australian U/21 squad in 2011 and was also signed by ANZ Championship team West Coast Fever.

“I played with [the Fever] for a year but didn’t get re-signed and then I tore my AC joint, so there were a couple of barriers to deal with,” Janz said.

“From there, I continued playing state level in WA and found there wasn’t really a further pathway.”

“I had a job offer to work in Melbourne with the Wirrpanda Foundation, so I decided to leave and see how I went with work and netball – then I decided to play football over here.”

Having spent time within netball’s professional league, Janz said it was exciting to see the development of a national competition for women’s football.

“With netball, there’s this expectation of what you want to see with the sport and I guess that’s the same with women’s football,” she said.

“There’s been that perception that women’s sport isn’t as competitive, so it’s good to see that people are supporting it and seeing how physical the girls actually are.

“Our passion for the sport is just the same as the men’s, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t be seen as just as professional and elite.”

Janz is also making her mark off the football field through her work with the Wirrpanda Foundation.

Working in its Deadly Sista Girlz Program, Janz mentors young Indigenous girls within local schools.

“We deliver stuff to do with sexual health, food and nutrition, drugs and alcohol – anything that might be going on within the school or within the Indigenous community,” she said.

“It involves mentoring the girls one-on-one as well, just making sure that their wellbeing is okay and they’re going alright with school and whether they need help talking to teachers or coaches – anything like that.

“It’s about looking after them and hoping that we’re encouraging them to do the best that they can and making sure they reach their potential, if not beyond.”

As for her own future, Janz is keen to make the most of her opportunity at Melbourne as she looks to continue her development as a footballer.

With her extensive netball commitments previously limiting her time available to play other sports, she said she was relishing the opportunity to test herself on the football field.

“I think one of my biggest things is pushing myself to see how far I can go and not just limit myself to one sport,” Janz said.

“It’s always been hard with netball – with the amount of training and games you have, it makes it hard to venture out into other sports.

“Since I wasn’t making it to the next level, it’s given me a lot more time, so I can actually play football and have a go and it’s been going alright so far.

“So I think I’m going to keep pushing and see what I can do for the club and for myself as well.”