THE SMALL town of Yirol in South Sudan, nearly 13,000km from Carlton's Ikon Park in Melbourne's inner north, is the birthplace of a footballer keen to make her mark on and off the field.
Akec Makur Chuotm, who is now 25, was only 12 when she moved to Perth with her single mother and seven siblings, after spending years in a Kenyan refugee camp.
Her father passed away when her mother was just one month pregnant with Akec, and she is named in his honour, a cultural tradition in South Sudan.
From such humble beginnings, kicking a Sherrin around has had a profound impact on her sense of belonging in Australia.
"I love footy, and when I play footy, I know I belong," Makur Chuot said.
"Growing up I was told I was wasting my time and that Australian Football and sport was never going to take me anywhere."
As it stands, footy has given her plenty.
Makur Chuot was drafted with the 139th pick in the 2016 NAB AFL Women's draft by Fremantle after playing for Swan Districts in the WAWFL since 2013.
To her surprise, the Dockers delisted her at the end of the 2017 AFLW season, after she had played six games for the club.
"It was really sad as I didn't expect it," she said.
The charismatic Makur Chuot crossed the Nullabor this year to live in Melbourne and play for Carlton in the VFLW. She hopes the stint with the Blues will help revive her AFLW career in 2019.
New beginnings at Carlton
It was a highlight reel sent to a number of prospective AFLW clubs that landed Makur Chuot at Ikon Park in 2018.
After training with Carlton but missing out on being selected in the 2017 NAB AFLW Draft, Makur Chuot was told there was a spot for her in the Blues VFLW squad.
"It was a big opportunity to gain new experiences and play in a different competition," she said.
"Life experiences are really important, and I made the decision to move to Melbourne with the help of people from Swan Districts and my family," she said.
Makur Chuot is relishing her time in Melbourne and works for AFL Victoria as a multicultural development officer as part of the AFL Sportsready traineeship program.
"I work with female multicultural talent to encourage girls from multicultural backgrounds to play footy, with a focus on the northern suburbs of Melbourne," she said.
Makur Chuot says she has always been about inspiring people, in particular the next generation.
"I want to share my journey and the challenges I've faced, to inspire people," she said.
Makur Chuot works for AFL Victoria as a multicultural development officer as part of the AFL Sportsready traineeship program. (Photo: AFL Media)
Makur Chuot's move to Melbourne and away from her family in Perth is a journey unfamiliar to many in her community.
"Mum is so supportive, which doesn't happen a lot in our culture, where parents are protective and you stay at home until you get married," she said.
"I've been given the licence to live alone, which is important to me. I make my own decisions and am really career-driven at the moment."
Yirol, Perth and the red leather
The 25-year-old was born in the small town of Yirol, 280km from South Sudan's capital, Juba.
Makur Chuot treasures her Australian way of life and the freedom and opportunities it has given her, acknowledging that her upbringing is unconventional by Australian standards.
"In the South Sudanese culture, it's the men who make decisions for women and girls. It's a cultural thing, but looking back it has shaped me," Makur Chuot said.
Makur Chuot was an avid junior soccer player for eight years, but was introduced to Australian Football in 2009 by a teacher at Perth's Aranmore Catholic College.
She took part in a school carnival organised by the East Perth Football Club, with tremendous success.
"I was named best on ground in my first game of footy and loved every moment of it," she said.
The decision to play footy instead of soccer was a no-brainer for Makur Chuot.
"I didn't see a lot of African girls playing and I thought, 'Maybe I can go in there and shake it up a little bit'.
"Hopefully when young girls see me they think. 'That's different and maybe I can play footy too'," she said.
After playing a season with the Mount Lawley Hawks in Perth, she was picked for Western Australia in the 2013 AFL National Women's Championships in Cairns.
"I played against (now-Melbourne captain) Daisy Pearce and other big names. It was such a great experience and I haven't looked back," Makur Chuot said.
A footy success story
It was soon after that her career with Swan Districts began. In five seasons, Makur Chuot has won four premierships with the Swans, crediting former men's team coach and ex-Fremantle and West player Greg Harding for helping shape her football career.
"Greg taught me the basics of ruck play. He showed me the fundamentals of the game: how to jump, tap, handball and kick," she said.
A self-confessed West Coast fanatic, Makur Chuot never dreamed of playing in a national women's competition.
"I wanted to get drafted, but never thought I was good enough," Makur Chuot said, referring to the 2016 draft.
The 178cm ruck had trialled for Fremantle, but was none the wiser as to whether her name would be called on draft day.
She grew sceptical of her chances as many other names were read out. But when the Dockers selected her with their final pick, she couldn't believe it.
"It was unreal and my family was so happy. The support from them and the community is what got me here," Makur Chuot said.
Despite her tenure with Fremantle ending abruptly, she is enjoying her chance to play for the Blues this season.
Her skills and versatility have grown in her short time at the club. She has moved from the ruck to half-back, as she adapts to a change in game speed in the VFLW.
"There is a lot more run and carry in the VFLW compared to the WAWFL," she said.
"I love to roam the ground. I love running and competing in one-on-one contests and beating my opponent," she said.
Makur Chuot would love to capitalise on her chance with Carlton and be drafted by the Blues in October.
"I love the club and everything they've been able to provide me so far," she said.
"If I don't get drafted by Carlton, then I'd love an opportunity to play somewhere else. It's important that there are more multicultural people in the AFLW, but I want to earn it on merit."
