Bulleen basketballer Lauren Pearce kicks a goal on the MCG in her sixth ever game of football

LAUREN Pearce will forever remember her sixth game of football.

LAUREN Pearce will forever remember her sixth game of football.

The Bulleen Boomer who is juggling basketball with a debut season for Darebin in the Women’s VFL achieved what many dream of and kicked a goal on the MCG last Sunday.

The 23-year-old received a late call up to Melbourne’s line-up for its AFL exhibition match against Brisbane.

“My dream hasn’t been to play on the MCG whereas a lot of the newbies in the team were so nervous and excited because it’s theirs. I was just excited for the awesome opportunity but I didn’t really have those nerves because football is still new to me,’’ she said.

“It was pretty special. I was thinking this isn’t my dream since I was a kid but there’s people out there who have that dream and will never get that opportunity. I was excited to live out the opportunity and these goals of other girls and other people.”

Following an injury to a Demons ruckman, Pearce got the call-up from coach Michelle Cowan and joined the squad for two training sessions at Gosch’s Paddock. Four Darebin team mates in the line-up and familiar faces from the AFL Victoria Women’s Academy ensured a comfortable step-up.

Pearce’s preparation for the big game was unusual for some but habitual for her, she played basketball the night before and top scored with 20 points for the Boomers in its Big V loss to Ringwood.

Her thoughts then turned to the ground she’d run out on the next day, a vast contrast to the ones she’s played on it her five-game career.

“I thought it’s going to be so big, how am I going to be able to run that far for so long?,’’ she said.

“We soaked it all up the first time we went out on the ground then we went back in the rooms and when we came out again it was game time.

“It was amazing being out there and it was good because there was no potholes like local footy, it was beautiful!”

Pearce started in the ruck then went forward in the second quarter and kicked a memorable goal in the Demons’ 71-point win.

After leading and taking a mark inside 50, Pearce drew on earlier advice from captain and the game’s best player, Daisy Pearce. Earlier after setting up a goal for a team mate instead of kicking it herself, Lauren said she’d do the same again. “Don’t be silly, if you mark it in there you are looking to kick that goal,’’ Daisy responded.

“So when I marked it next I thought maybe this is close enough,’’ Lauren said.

“My problem is that I look at the goals too much, so I looked once to set my angle, then looked at the ball the whole time and when it was going through I was so excited. I turned to my right and Daisy was running at me and we hugged.

“As someone said to me after the game, not even all the AFL footballers have kicked a goal on the MCG.”

The magical MCG experience has lit a fire for Pearce who is keen to be involved in the inaugural national women’s competition next year.

“It’s like basketball I’m going to work as hard as I can to get to the highest level I can, it’s too great an opportunity to give up,’’ she said.

“Playing elite level sport is what I’m all about - I like the professionalism, I like working hard and I love trying to earn my spot.

“I didn’t know where I’d fit into things or the standard but being involved (in the exhibition game) I saw I’m not that far off. My height and build has helped me but now it’s more about fine tuning the football side and learning the game, that’s what I really need to work on.”