BENDIGO Pioneer Emily Everist's meteoric football rise has continued after she was taken by Hawthorn with pick 25 in tonight's AFLW Draft.
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Everist has a soccer and futsal background and didn't play her first game of football until January this year with the Pioneers.
But she's now an AFLW-listed player after the Hawks picked the 17-year-old developing tall.
Everist averaged 8.5 disposals, 1.6 marks and 1.6 rebound 50s from eight games with the Pioneers in the NAB League girls competition earlier this year.
Everist was a Victoria Country under-18 representative this year and also gained experience with VFLW power side Essendon.
Everist ranked fourth nationally in the AFLW Combine 2km time trial.
READ MORE: Bendigo Pioneers' stars in AFLW Draft mix
"She was an elite junior soccer player, so the high performance side of things wasn't an issue for her. She had a great work ethic and trained as hard as any player in our program," Pioneers coach Danny O'Bree said earlier this week of Everist in the lead-up to the Draft.
"She had to learn to play our game, but it was pretty awesome to watch.
"In her second game we played her on Amber Clarke, who is probably going to be drafted into the top two or three selections, and she held her significantly. Amber had no impact on the game.
"In her third game she played on Paige Scott, who is an awesome player and will be drafted in the top 10 most likely, and she had minimal impact.
"Everything has been brand new to her, but she's handled it so well."
Hawthorn is one of the four new teams entering the AFLW for season seven, which will begin in late August.
Earlier, the Sydney Swans took Montana Ham from the Western Jets with pick No.1.
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