Western Bulldogs’ AFLW rookie signing Dani Marshall hasn’t had the typical pathway to AFL Women’s.

Landing back in Australia earlier this month, Marshall played her fourth VFLW match with the Bulldogs last Saturday at Mars Stadium, where she booted a goal against the NT Thunder.

Learning about AFL while playing soccer in the United States, Marshall told ABC Grandstand earlier this week that her love of the game came unexpectedly.  

“ESPN had a deal with the AFL in 2009 to 2011 and I stumbled across it when I was trying to watch some soccer,” Marshall said.

“I started watching and just absolutely fell in love with it.

“Now I learn something new every practice. The girls are always coming up to me and saying okay, when we did this, this is what it looks like, particularly the AFLW players.”

After falling in love with the sport, Marshall travelled from her native Colorado to Arizona, to play with the Arizona Hawks women’s team.

With limited access to ovals in America, Marshall said that her teammates would adapt the game to rectangular fields, while creating makeshift goalposts for their matches.

“We don’t have ovals, we just play on a gridiron field, so it’s not very wide,” she said.

“It’s usually very narrow fields and the goalposts are usually PVC pipe that we get made extra-long. We just do what we can to make a field work.

“Growing up, girls didn’t really play gridiron, which is the main contact sport in America, but I always had wanted to play. So, when I found footy and there was a team, I was like yes, let’s do it.”

With the popularity of AFL growing globally, Marshall said that she hopes she can pave the way for future American AFLW players.

“I’ve been able to share my story and tell other people how exciting this sport is and how welcoming everyone has been,” she said.

“Aberfeldie (Football Club) when I first got here, and the Western Bulldogs being able to give me these opportunities has been incredible.”