It was a tense few weeks for Erin Naden.
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The Orange Tiger was left out of line-ups and couldn't tell anybody why. But once she was able to spill the beans, she couldn't have had a more supportive group to share her news with.
The star midfielder has signed on with the Rouse Hill based East Coast Eagles to show what she is made of in the AFL Sydney competition.
"They were very happy when I told them the news," Naden said of her Orange teammates.
"I had to keep it a little bit of a secret for a while and I was missing games with the Tigers, but once I told them and explained to them why, they were all quite happy for me.
"I was pretty shocked and very happy because it's definitely something I've been wanting to do for a while and I would've liked to finish the season with Orange, but it was an opportunity that I couldn't turn away. My teammates have already said that if they can, they'll be coming down to watch and support me."
Naden's play first drew the attention from the Eagles coaches a month ago who then invited her down for a training run.
She impressed and just like that, was swapping yellow and black for blue and gold.
"They have three different divisions and I was expecting to be in the lowest one, but the was happy to have me in division one and also premier league training," Naden said.
"I was quite surprised actually. The first game I was expecting to be on the bench, have a little bit of a watch, but they put me straight in the midfield and I played the whole game which was pretty cool."
Naden's Eagles sit third out of 12 in the division 1 competition while the premier side is undefeated in first.
But the competition has had to be put on hold due to the COVID outbreak in NSW.
"I'm in Orange so I haven't been up there for training for a few weeks now," she added.
"But they have sent out some programs for the team to do, so I've just being doing that and training with Tigers as well."
But Naden isn't content with just being an Eagle...unless you add West Coast to the start of it.
"Definitely a small goal for now would be making the premier league team up there and then of course making the AFLW one year would be pretty good. That would be the biggest goal for me," she said.
"There are a few steps in between this level and AFLW and it is a bit harder for somebody over 19 to make these things, but there's plenty of scouts that go up and watch this team in particular.
"My first game up there, one of the spectators was talking to mum and was quite impressed with how I was playing and he's involved with the (GWS) Giants."
With seven rounds still due to be played, it is unclear how much more opportunity Naden will have left this season to shine.
But one thing is for certain, given the chance, she will be sure to grab it with both hands.
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