Poppy Kelly didn’t pick up footy until she was 18 years old, but like a late-blooming flower, she burst onto the field in full flourish.

Other pursuits like surf lifesaving and basketball occupied her time throughout her junior days, and it was only by chance that she found herself with a Sherrin in hand.

“I didn’t start playing footy until I was 18,” Kelly told Richmond Media.

“At school, I had always played a bit of footy when the round robin would come around, and I really enjoyed that.

“I think the game just suited my attributes. Before I started playing VFL, I went to the Uni Games and had so much fun.

“That is what kind of drove me to apply for the VFLW.”

Kelly credited her family for allowing her to pursue her dreams in footy and for supporting her as she rose through the ranks.

Despite being born on Australian soil, the 26-year-old still draws a strong connection to her New Zealand heritage, with both of her parents hailing from there.

“My parents are both Kiwis, and I had no idea what the rules of Aussie Rules were,” Kelly said.

“My mum and dad did play Rugby, but I had never thought about AFL because I just wasn't around it at all.

“I was born in Australia, but my parents are both from there, and my extended family are all over there.

“They are great supporters, and they have always driven me to everything, come to most games, and my mum was kind of a pioneer in women’s rugby in New Zealand.”

Quickly learning the game and adapting to the demands of footy, Kelly decided to go all-in and pursue her dreams at the highest level.

However, she almost missed the boat.

“I saw that St Kilda had their VFLW trial day, but I actually missed the cut-off date to apply for that,” Kelly said.

“I had a friend who played, and they gave me the coach's number.

“I emailed them, and they let me come to the trial day. I went on to play VFLW at Saints that year and got taken up to their AFLW team the following year, when they came into the competition.”

After two years with St Kilda, Kelly was traded to Richmond in 2022, where she has since played 35 games for the Club.

The 184cm ruck said she felt instantly at home when entering the Swinburne Centre for the first time, thanks to the support from AFLW Head Coach Ryan Ferguson.

“It was amazing, everyone was so welcoming,” Kelly said.

“I loved the way Ferg approached his coaching, and I think that my confidence has built astronomically since being here.

“I think just not being afraid to make mistakes and working on my game all the time has just made it so comfortable being here.”

Constantly looking at ways to level up her game to become one of the most formidable rucks across the competition, Kelly has drawn inspiration from teammate Gabby Seymour and Assistant Coach and former Richmond and Carlton ruck, Shaun Hampson.

“I think I have taken a lot from Gab Seymour when I first got here, just her work ethic and the way she approaches it,” Kelly said.

“Also, Shaun Hampson, I have done a lot of work with him on developing my game, but a lot around contested marking, and that has definitely given me a lot of confidence.”

Away from Punt Road, Kelly has worked hard to complete her Bachelor of Environmental Engineering, a passion she hopes to pursue post-football.

“I just graduated this year with a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering and Environmental Science,” Kelly said.

“It took me nine years to do, but I’ve always had a big passion for nature, and I wanted to be able to have a positive impact on the world.”

As the side prepares to face Narrm this Saturday at Casey Fields, Kelly takes confidence in how the two teams match up against one another.

“I think we match up well against them,” Kelly said.

“They are very tall, and we have a very tall list this year, and we have some very exciting ins coming into the team.”

“I think just staying connected. We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel or anything. Just focus on what we are doing well.”

“I think that if we can just play our game for longer, we will match up well.”

Be there as we take on Narrm this Saturday from 12:35pm. Buy tickets here.