A digital designer, a retail coordinator, four teachers and a dental assistant will be among the all-female Saints team running out on Sunday.

With team selection based on skill and talent, it sees six players of the final team of 24 debuting on the big stage with less than three official games behind them. 

The team, representing AFL Victoria’s Southern Women’s Open-Age Academy, started training at Linen House Centre in November and have been squeezing in two skill sessions, two conditioning sessions and two gym sessions into their already busy lives ever since.

Despite losing two players to AFLW selection (Georgia Walker to Collingwood and Tahni Nestor to Carlton) the girls have elevated their work load, playing scratch matches against the Dandenong Stingrays TAC Cup women’s team, Box Hill VFLW team and the AFL under 18 girls team.

St Kilda Football Club General Manager of Football and Performance Jamie Cox said the hard work the girls have put in over the past few months will be put to the test on Sunday.

“We know that the ADF All Stars will bring a high standard of play, but I’ve seen the work these girls have put in over the past few months and have no doubt they’ll give their all this weekend,” Cox said.