AFLW defender/forward Ash Brazill made her first visit to the Club two weeks ago, meeting her teammates and coaches for the first time.
Brazill had been travelling around Australia in a campervan with her wife and two kids for the last seven months, until arriving in Perth a few weeks ago.
“It’s been amazing just to be back in WA,” Brazill said.
“I don't think I've lived here for eight years so to be back and have (both mine) and Brooke's parents around the corner is something that we've definitely missed and just happy to be back.
Reflecting on her travel journey, Brazill said she and her family have memories that will last a lifetime.
“It was so special and something that we'll forever be so grateful we had the time for – seven months in a caravan with my four-year-old, my two-year-old and my wife, (we have) memories that we'll never forget,” Brazill said.
“Our plans had to change here and there with the Northern Territory flooding, we did Adelaide which we weren't expecting to do, and we cut the trip short a couple of weeks just to get back.
“I also got a little bit envious of seeing all the girls training, so happy to be back here and wearing the purple.”
The cross-coder said she was nervous about the introduction, as she surprised her new teammates during a team meeting.
“(I was) super nervous. I'm the oldest in the team and in that moment, I felt like I was the youngest,” Brazill said.
“I felt like I was back at school for the first time and (there were) a lot of new faces.
“(I’m) just excited to see how we go and to get amongst the team.”
Brazill said she was humbled by the warm welcome she received from everyone at the Club, putting her nerves at ease.
“Number one thing is how welcoming everyone is, and I knew that everyone would have been very welcoming, but (everyone was) wrapping their arms around me (and have) been really helpful,” Brazill said.
The dynamic forward/defender watched her teammates in a pre-pre-season hit out with West Coast recently, getting amongst the team huddles and showing her support.
“I absolutely loved watching the girls. I thought everyone played really well,” Brazill said.
“What stuck out the best was the back line. It's something I'm trying to slot back into, but to see how they work, see what the structures are (was great).
“I’m excited to get amongst that back line and figure out what the structures are.”
Brazill will join her teammates in purple for the official pre-season start date on Monday 3 June.
“I'm excited to get stuck in, but I hate pre-season, so I'm not looking forward to the start but yeah, I think once you're around the group and you're all training together, you're chasing after a ball, it all gets exciting,” Brazill said.
