Maisy Evans has thought long and hard about how she’d feel before becoming the 39th Bond University Bull Shark to make an AFLW debut.
When you’re named as an emergency player for eight consecutive weeks and don’t get a start, thinking time is something you have plenty of.
“Now that I’ve been given the opportunity, I want to appreciate every moment and every contest, give everything I can to my teammates and make the most of an opportunity that, for the last nine weeks, I wasn’t sure when – or even if – it would come,” she says.
Although she’d been overlooked in the 2024 and 2025 AFLW drafts, the 2024 Riewoldt Family AFL Excellence Scholar knew then in her heart-of-hearts that she was probably too young.
But when Evans was invited in as a train-on player with the Gold Coast Suns last year, she knew her stocks were rising.
When she was picked up by the GWS Giants in the 2026 AFLW Pre-Season draft, it was like everything had magically clicked into place.
It didn’t take long for all that palpable excitement to morph into the hard reality that in the eyes of her new club, Evans was no more or less than any other promising athletic kid.
The big fish from the little pond now had to earn her stripes in the ocean.
“I came from such a supportive and inclusive environment at Bond University where it felt like one big family, so being drafted late in the AFLW preseason to moving on my own to a new city where I knew no one and having limited time to get to know the coaches and staff, was a huge adjustment,” she says.
She’s not complaining, just being honest.
Evans is 20. There are a handful of other younger players on the Giants list, but there’s also plenty in their mid-to-late 20s.
Training with and playing against hardened athletes who’ve endured all those extra years of AFLW pre-season work and elite-level strength and conditioning has been an eye opener.
“The intensity, professionalism and competitiveness of AFLW has been a big step up,” she says.
“It’s such a ruthless and demanding environment.
“The training is amazing, and I enjoy it, but it’s pretty taxing day-in, day-out and takes a bit of getting used to.”
But that’s just the physical side.
“What people on the outside don’t necessarily see is everything that happens behind all the cameras and the closed doors.
“The emotional and mental side of this journey–juggling the uncertainty and all the work that goes into continuing to show up every day –aren’t always things that get brought to light.”
Add to this Bond University’s extraordinary 2026 QAFLW season.
Evans had made the trip up a few times to support her teammates during their finals campaign and she was there to see them raise the QAFLW Premiership Cup after their unexpected win over hot pre-match favourite, Southport Sharks.
It was a lot to take when she wasn’t getting a start elsewhere.
“I was so, so happy for my friends, and of course I absolutely loved watching them do so well, but I was hurting a bit being stuck in this kind of in-between place.”
But Evans says going through it all has taught her plenty about herself both as a player and as a person.
“I feel like I’ve become more humble, resilient and stronger through the whole experience,” she says.
“I’ve learned a lot about the player I want to become, the person I want to be and, importantly, the type of teammate I want to be.
“I want to be someone my teammates love playing alongside, trust and respect.”
Evans learned of her debut when she was called into the coach's office earlier this week.
“I was thinking 'Oh no. What have I done wrong?’.”
As it happens, she'd been doing plenty right.
"They'd been telling me all along that I was ticking all the right boxes, but when you're not getting picked you can't help but doubt yourself.”
Her debut will be a baptism of fire.
Evans arrived at the Giants as a ruck who could play forward.
Against Geelong she’ll line up as a defender.
“It’s different for me, but I’ve always thought it was something I had in my bag of tricks,” she says.
“We’ve put in the work at training. It’ll be a great challenge.”
There’s also the recent form guide to ponder.
Geelong have won their last seven on the trot. The Giants have lost all seven of theirs.
Evans is unfazed.
Besides, there'll be plenty of family on hand to cheer on their girl.
Evans grew up in Melbourne – she played her early football with St Kilda City Juniors and Hampton Rovers – and her family is still down south, so a Geelong-based debut suits the broader Evans clan just fine.
“I’m well and truly excited to head down to Geelong and play in front of my family and friends who have my back entirely.
“I’m so grateful and have so much love for everyone in my corner, my family in Melbourne, my closest mates up at Bond University, and all my Bond coaches.
“They all know the journey I’ve been through and the sacrifice I’ve had to make to get to this point right now.”