AS THE days decrease to the start of the new AFLW season, the excitement for Grace Egan only increases.

Following the disappointing end to what was an electric debut season in the Navy Blue, Egan is looking forward to picking up where she and the team left off.

Speaking to 3AW, the young midfielder sung the praises of her teammates who she believes are now even more driven to chase an inaugural premiership for Carlton in the AFLW competition.

“I’m so excited for my second year, especially because we didn’t get to finish off last year,” Egan said.

“Honestly, it just makes us a lot stronger going into the next season.

“We won that last final and we found out on our way home about the season being called off. It just makes us a lot stronger and unites us as a team again.”

The 20-year-old burst onto the AFLW scene in 2020, making her presence felt in the Carlton midfield.

Egan - or ‘Greg’ as she’s more affectionately known around the Club - played with a ferocity and toughness not often seen among first-year players, with her tackling a real strength in her game.

Averaging 4.6 tackles in her seven games, including an 11-tackle effort in one game, Egan’s love for the game’s physicality set her apart and saw her earn a NAB AFLW Rising Star nomination in Round 4.

“If you want to get the ball, you’ve got to get it somehow,” Egan said when asked about her tackling.

“It’s something that is an important part of playing footy, and tackling people is kind of fun.”

Despite the sudden end to the 2020 AFLW season, and the ad-hoc nature of the 2020 AFL competition, Egan remained quietly confident that the Game Changers would get their chance in 2021.

“As soon as the AFL announced that the women’s [competition] was always going to go ahead, the doubt went away and I suppose whatever they threw at us – whether it be hubs, or fly in fly out - all of us girls were happy to do it,” she said.

“We just wanted to get the season going again because it finished so quickly.”

The gruelling pre-season ahead of the 20-year-old in the lead-up to her second year might not be the greatest concern, however.

Having moved in with teammates Maddy Prespapkis and Tayla Harris, Egan will have to make sure she’s on her toes – even when they leave Ikon Park.

“You’re always on your toes and you just never know what’s next,” she said

“You’ve got Tayla Harris with the boxing gloves and then you’ve got Maddy Prespakis who could just come at you at any moment, so you’re really on your toes the whole time.

“Honestly, it’s just the best household I’ve ever lived in and I’m loving it so much.”