“NOT a chance.”

For inaugural Blue Natalie Plane, a day which started out the day she became a Game Changer will be a day she never forgets – but was also a day just like any other.

The landscaper by trade was selected by Carlton at pick No.83 in the 2016 NAB AFL Women’s Draft ahead of the inaugural AFLW season.

For the landscaper by trade, Plane’s draft experience was more down-to-earth than your average recruit.

“I was literally at work and I watched the first ten [picks],” Plane said when speaking with Sarah Hosking the Behind the Game Changers podcast.

“Then I said to some of the girls that we also played at Seaford with, just let me know when Sarah [Hosking], Jess [Hosking] and Kate [Gillespie-Jones] go because they’re definitely going to get picked up.

“Then throughout the day: Sarah’s gone, Kate’s gone, Jess’ gone and it was awesome and then suddenly I’m cutting a tile and my phone blows up.”

The Behind the Game Changers podcast has officially landed!🎤@sarah_hosking10 is on the mic as we get to know the players behind our AFLW program. First up: @NataliePlane!



Listen to the first episode now.👇#BoundByBlue — Carlton Womens (@carltonfc_w) December 13, 2019

It had been a huge week for the inside midfielder, with the cross-coder offered a Women’s Big Bash League contract by the Melbourne Renegades on the Monday before the draft.

With cricket as her main focus prior to the draft, the Seaford product wasn’t confident in her chances of reaching AFLW level.

“The week that they had the draft I had just found out that I got a Renegades contract, so it was already a pretty good week,” Plane said.

“I didn’t play the whole footy season because I went away with cricket, so I was there for training but didn’t play until the back end.

“I initially wasn’t even going to put my name in for the draft because I thought, ‘I’ve played ten games, not a chance.’ But I think even (Sarah) might have suggested to me to just put my name in.”

There wasn’t much time to take it all in as Plane rushed to finish her day as a landscaper to get to Ikon Park to join the year’s other draftees that night.

“I was like oh my god I’m at work I’ve got to go home and shower, I was filthy, I was covered head to toe in dirt,” Plane said.