90 minutes is all the time Annabel Strahan had to process the news she’d be making her AFLW debut on Tuesday night.

Rather than being told in front of the playing group during a team meeting – 24 hours or so out from a game - Strahan was named an emergency for the clash against Fremantle, and gearing up to watch from the sidelines.

Next thing she knew, she was receiving her first guernsey from Bonnie Toogood, and lining up on-field.

“I was out doing some skills with Twiggy (Sarah Hartwig) before the game, and then Burkey came over – I thought he was going to talk some gameplans,” Strahan said.

“He asked me a question, which I answered correctly and then he told me (I’m playing).

“It was still pretty nice because I had some of the girls around me – but it was also weird and fun.

01:27

Annabel Strahan | 'So much fun to be out there'

Annabel Strahan talks about her late call up to debut against Fremantle and how she settled in playing at AFLW level for the first time.

“Burkey had mentioned they’d be doing some tests on some players that morning, but when I hadn’t heard anything from that I thought ‘they must be all good, so I’ll just come in and help the girls out while watching’.

“30 minutes before the warm-up I was chucking on my stuff.”

Despite Strahan’s mother and boyfriend having to rush to VU Whitten Oval for the guernsey presentation, the 19-year old said they couldn’t have been prouder.

“My Mum said they were running around the house trying to get here as quick as possible - they had like 10 minutes before the jumper presentation.

“They would’ve been happy if I’d fallen over five times out there. They were just so happy to be there."

01:50

Strahan & Woods presented with their guernseys

Our debutants from the additional game against Fremantle, Annabel Strahan and Jemima Woods, are presented with their guernseys by Bonnie Toogood and Ellyse Gamble respectively.

Added to the Bulldogs’ list prior to the 2021 season, nearly 13 months had passed before Strahan finally got her chance.

She said taking on Burke’s feedback was critical in remaining motivated, and leant on fellow second-year Bulldog Jess Fitzgerald for guidance on Tuesday night.

“I just really paid attention to what Burkey was telling me, and kept working on those things and trying to stay positive,” Strahan said.

“I knew that as soon as I was negative about (the wait) it just wouldn’t help with anything.

“Fitzy and I actually had a really good chat at half-time. I told her I felt a bit all over the place and was a bit frazzled, but she was really good.

“She gave me some pointers to work on which was really good.

“Most of the girls in the midfield were really good with me as well – I haven’t been training there so it was nice to have them too.”