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IT'S been a whirlwind six months for Bendigo teenager Bella Ayre.
After the excitement of being drafted by Carlton, Ayre played in six of the Blues' seven games in the inaugural AFL Women's league season, collecting an AFLW Rising Star nomination along the way.
Not a bad return for the emerging key forward, who at 18, was the second youngest of 211 AFLW players to register a game this season.
Like most associated with the new competition, Ayre admitted the season had been a steep learning curve.
Particularly after entering the season on the back of a knee injury.
"It took me a bit of time to find my feet, but I got there eventually through the season," said Ayre, who was only 17 when drafted last October.
"I think I improved game-by-game with the girls really backing me and giving me that confidence I really needed.
"It wasn't too bad a season, but I'd like to think I can do better next season.
"Being so young, I am only developing."
Ayre was one of six players from the Bendigo Thunder's 2016 grand final team to make their way into the league.
An undoubted highlight was her Rising Star nomination, alongside teammate Tilly Lucas-Rodd, following two goals and eight disposals in a six point win over the Western Bulldogs in round five.
So too was being a part of the first AFLW match to be played for premiership points against arch-rival Collingwood at Ikon Park on February 3.
A sellout crowd of 24,500 people watched the Blues upstage the Magpies by 35 points.
Ayre said it was amazing to be a part of such a marquee game.
She remembers well the anticipation and excitement and also cringing when her former Thunder captain Emma Grant (Collingwood) went down after a sickening collision with a Blues player.
"I was standing about 20 metres away when our vice-captain grabbed her a little bit high and hit her neck and Emma went straight down," Ayre said.
"I knew straight away that didn't look good at all.
"It was disappointing for Emma, but she was straight back up and playing good football the next week as usual."
It was almost impossible to escape the buzz surrounding the new women's competition.
Ayre said it had become increasingly common for people to mention football in conversations she was involved in.
The former Victorian Country said it was after being asked to sign her first autograph she realised just how popular the competition might become, even if it did make her a little nervous.
"There was a function on the night I got drafted with lots of board members and families and one of their little daughters came up and asked if she could have my autograph," she said.
"I was just gobsmacked. I said 'of course', but I didn't really know what to do. It was crazy.
"I went home and said to dad "I need to get a better signature', that (one) was shocking."
Ayre will spend the 2017 season plying her trade with in the Victorian Football League State league with Diamond Creek.
Her decision to join the Demons was made all that much easier by the fact they will be coached by Carlton's defence coach Scott Gowans.
Ayre said she would always cherish her time with the Thunder and would continually monitor their progress as the club fields sides in the Northern Football League and AFL Goulburn Murray and AFL Central Victoria League.
Meanwhile, with the female equivalent of the Brownlow Medal to be awarded on Tuesday night in Melbourne, Ayre was hoping teammate Brianna Davey could take home the inaugural best and fairest, ahead of Melbourne's Daisy Pearce and Adelaide premiership star Erin Phillips.