ARRIVING at a new football club is a unique experience.

The player must adjust themselves to a new environment, new faces, new routines, making it a reasonable assumption that it would be a daunting experience for many.

But not for Demon recruit Rhiannon Watt.

Watt has embraced the ‘new’, quickly becoming a much-loved teammate of the red and blue.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but I’m really grateful and I’ve loved every second,” Watt told Melbourne Media.

“I know I’ve only been here for a couple of weeks, but it feels like I have been here for years.”

Watt arrived at the club towards the beginning of June, picked up during the AFLW Delisted Free Agency period.

The 29-year-old was an established AFLW player, starting her career in 2018 at Carlton, before moving to St Kilda to co-captain their inaugural AFLW side in 2020.

Unfortunately, Watt's AFLW career came to a disappointing halt at the beginning of 2022, tearing her ACL during season six.

With season seven moved forward, the injury meant she would be miss a fair chunk of football, but that didn't stop her from wanting to stay involved in league.

“It was a bit of an unusual process; I tore my ACL in round seven or eight of season six and things were looking a little dire and unfortunately, I departed the Saints,” Watt said.

“Thankfully at the Saints I knew a number of girls that played for Melbourne.

“I’ve never been in rehab, so it was tough to tackle that from a mental aspect and with the understanding that season seven was right around the corner.

“I love football and I want to be known as a really good football player, but I think that the skillset that I have, being the age that I am, having experience in leadership roles, I felt like I had a lot more to offer a club than just my on-field experience."

And while she may not have the opportunity to take the field in season seven, Watt is looking forward to using her leadership skills to better herself and her teammates off the field.  

“To me, it is about being the best teammate that I can be and making others around me be the best versions of themselves,” Watt said.

“I think at the end of the day, if you can be the best version of yourself, then that elite football will naturally happen.

“It’s challenging to not be out there on the field and driving from an on-field perspective, but I’m really excited at the opportunity to see what I can bring off-field."