Millicent’s Olivia Fuller has not messed around at the Cattery making her debut at the first time of asking in the opening round of the 2022 NAB AFLW season.

Fuller was given no time to be nervous being thrown into the ruck for the first bounce of the season in last week’s battle against North Melbourne at Arden Street.

The former Millicent player looked at home at the top level, throwing herself at the ruck contest before getting a handball inside the first five seconds of the game.

Fuller went on to win 13 hit outs as the main ruck in the Cats team and collected the greatest number of disposals by any tall in the game with three kicks and seven handballs.

Unfortunately, the impressive individual performance was not quite enough for the classic “we are Geelong” song to sound after the final siren as the Kangaroos faithful joined in the chorus celebrating their team’s eight-point win following a hard-fought encounter.

Fuller said she was pleased with how she performed on the big stage against the likes of Emma King and Kimberley Rennie, but conceded disappointment was the overriding emotion after the defeat.

“I am happy with how I went against some really big names in the ruck,” she said.

“I am mainly disappointed because we should have and could have won that game and let it go.”

Despite looking composed and focused on the field, Fuller admitted it was a long journey to the ground as the nerves and anxiety crept in.

“I was definitely very nervous during the bus trip (to the game),” she said.

“It was only an hour journey, but I kept thinking about game scenarios and then thought ‘do not think about it and relax to get the heart rate down’.

“It was just a cycle.”

After battling the pre-match shakes, Fuller was able to compose herself when it mattered and took the fight to two-time All-Australian ruck King.

The 22-year-old wearing guernsey #13 said she was able to switch on as soon as she finished the warmup.

“No matter what game it is whether it was VFL or AFL, you always have nerves ahead of the first bounce,” she said.

“Making sure your timing is right and where your hit zone is, but then you just zone in and focus on what needs to be done.

“As soon as you get past that first warmup you switch on and the nerves go.”

The game itself was a bruising affair as three players had to leave field due to heavy knocks and injuries.

Having toiled in the middle all day taking most of Geelong’s ruck duties, Fuller admitted it was one of the toughest games she has ever played, but enjoyed the challenge.

“Every game you give 100%, but I pulled up very sore and had quite a few cramps in that last quarter,” she said.

“I kind of took on the challenge because they (North Melbourne) had some of the highest regarded rucks in the competition, so it thought this is my time to prove myself and make a point.”

The debut completes a dream ascension to the top for Fuller.

A touch over 12 months ago the Millicent product was not even considering touching a Sherrin, with basketball her top priority until an opportunity to play in the VFLW came out of nowhere.

Suddenly Fuller was wearing the blue and white hoops in the second-tier league and entrenched her name into the starting 18 as an athletic ruck.

Her name rose so far up the pecking order by the end of the season she was named in the VFLW team of the year with her best-on-ground performance in the Qualifying Final against Collingwood a highlight.

In a matter of months her fairytale journey to the big league was complete after Geelong recruited her to its AFLW list as a pre-draft mature age selection.

Across the last five months Fuller continued to impress, giving it her all on the training track to put her hand up for selection.

She said her brief experience with VFLW team played a significant role in making the jump to the top a much easier one.

“It was not too bad because a lot of the VFL players trained with the AFL team as well, so I had a bit of a taste of what it (AFLW) would be like,” Fuller said.

“I like to work hard anyway so whether it is VFL or AFL, you just train 100% because you get out what you put in.

“We have an extra one or two sessions a week with time allocated for the gym, so there is definitely more commitment and expectations in the AFLW.”

After going through a dream year on the football field and a tough on off it battling lockdowns building up to the season, Fuller received the news of her debut in unusual circumstances.

“We had just finished a Tuesday night training session and the coach just went up behind me and whispered you’re playing this weekend into my ear,” she said.

“So, it was really low key and quite funny which was how I preferred it anyway.

“Then we did a proper announcement after Thursday night training which was great because there were nine of us and the team got around everyone.”

In the backdrop of the season is the growing threat of COVID-19 and players must present a negative test result before each interaction with the club.

Despite the challenges off the field, Fuller has high hopes for the remainder of the season.

“I really want to become a respected ruck in the competition,” she said.

“So, I just have to keep performing, work on the little things and continually improve.”