The Bulldogs’ first pick in the 2022 NAB AFLW Draft attributes some of her rapid rise in women’s footy to someone she can now proudly call a team-mate.

Riley Wilcox, the 158-centimetre speedy winger/forward taken by the Bulldogs with pick 21, has benefited from some up-close mentoring from 2019 number one pick, Gabby Newton.

Newton, on the recovery trail from shoulder injuries, is also a former Northern Knights prodigy who has taken on some coaching duties in the NAB League recently.

And Wilcox, who only took up football in 2018 after playing junior soccer and hockey, has clearly benefited from the advice.

The 17-year-old’s 2022 NAB League and National Championships stats jumped off the page, leading to the Dogs pouncing with their first round selection in Wednesday night’s Draft.

“I had a good assistant coach beside me,” Wilcox said of Newton. She really helped me through all the skills, learning how to actually play the game.

“I really focussed on all the fundamentals throughout the whole pre-season, and pushed myself to the limits.”

The Bulldogs’ Northern Knights connection has been strengthened, with the Club having used their first-round pick on Knights players in three out of the last four drafts.

After Newton’s selection in 2019, Jess Fitzgerald arrived at the Kennel with the number two pick overall, the following year.

Wilcox believes she is ready to take on the rigours of AFLW football, after strong experience in 2022 with the Knights, Vic Metro, the under 23 All-Stars team and VFLW footy with Carlton.

“It’s definitely been a step up from last year,” she told the Herald Sun.

“I think I had a pretty good season and showed my skills and what I can do as a player.

“(Vic Metro) was such a good experience … I really enjoyed playing and travelling, when we went to Gold Coast, I’m really grateful for the opportunity.

“Getting to play against bigger bodies (in the VFLW), definitely in the first game I felt rattled but then I got used to the bigger bodies and used my strengths to get around them and backed myself.

“It was such a great experience, it was a little taste of what it will be like in AFLW.”