IT WAS a nervous wait for Jess Edwards as she waited for her name to called out during the 2018 NAB AFLW Draft.

Despite a decorated playing career which featured being named as the captain of North Adelaide (SANFL, 2017) and Collingwood’ (VFLW, 2018), the experienced midfielder remained unsure as to whether she would receive her chance to play at the top level.

However, her nerves were soon turned to elation when she heard her name called out with Carlton’s pick No.42.

“Heading into last year’s draft, I guess confidence wasn’t a key element of what I was feeling,” Edwards said

“When I found out I was going to be a Blue, I was at my friend’s house with a few close relatives.

“I was with another person who was also getting drafted to GWS so, when we both found out, it was really beautiful and special.”

Edwards grasped her opportunity with the Blues with both hands as she produced an  impressive debut season.

There was no hiding for the mature-age recruit, given the massive task of lining up against the league ‘s 2018 Best and Fairest Emma Kearney in her first game. 

Showing that she was more than up to the task, Edwards curtailed Kearney and went onto produce a memorable debut season which ended in selection for the Grand Final. 

Edwards was quick to praise her teammates and the wider Carlton community for her ability to find her feet so quickly. 

“Meeting my expectations of what I thought this Club was going to be, or what I believed it was going to be, was beyond what I thought to be honest. But this was incredible,” she said.

“You’ve got a really beautiful community base, I love the [Carlton] Respects program and what we bring to a wider community here.

“Even on the track when we train, we can still have a joke but we are able to bring that back in and train really hard.” 

With the next generation of Game Changers set to find out their fate at the 2019 NAB AFLW Draft on Tuesday, Edwards encouraged the group to truly embrace the night and - most of all - be excited for the journey ahead. 

“Some advice I can give anybody going into this draft is that it’s spectacular when your name gets called out,” she said.

“Nerves are a good thing because it means that you care, and to take the opportunity when it’s given to you.

“You never know what’s going to happen in the draft. You never know when you’re going to be called, or if you’re going to be called. 

“If you do hear your name, take that moment in, really celebrate it, then get ready for a really cool journey.”