LILY Mithen has football running through her veins.

Her grandfather’s cousin is Laurie Mithen – a Melbourne great, who played in five premierships and was named in the club’s team of the century.

Mithen, who won back-to-back Melbourne best and fairest awards in 1958-59, was a member of the club’s flags in 1955-56-57 and 1959-60. In total, Mithen played 153 games from 1954-62 and topped Melbourne’s goalkicking in 1962.

Lily’s father Anthony was also a former Richmond board member and high-profile football journalist/commentator in the 1990s/2000s.

But for the Caleb Daniel-like size Mithen, her recruitment to Melbourne is everything she could’ve wished for and more.  

“I couldn’t think of a better club to come to,” she told Melbourne TV.  

“They’ve been such an excellent pioneer in the female sporting industry, so to become a Demon is absolutely phenomenal.

“I’m very excited to pull on the polo and hopefully the guernsey in a few months’ time.”

Mithen said she had loved playing the game since Auskick age.

“I started playing at age five … and it’s something I’ve aspired to for a long time,” she said.

“As soon as the exhibition games started, I said ‘far out, I want to be a part of this’.

“That was only a few years ago, so it hasn’t been a very long timeframe, but growing up as a kid, I always wanted to play AFL, but didn’t think that was a possibility.”

Mithen is an in-and-under midfielder/forward with a knack of reading the footy well.