SHE GAVE up a promising athletics career to focus on football and now Brisbane Lions midfielder Kaitlyn Ashmore will be one of the 44 players to run out in the inaugural NAB AFL Women’s Grand Final.

Ashmore, 25, was a national junior javelin champion and had aspirations to compete at the Olympics. She also played footy in Ballarat, a town about 110km north-west of Melbourne, and is a black belt in karate.

With not enough time to chase a career in both football and javelin, Ashmore was forced to give up one of the sports. While she could go further with javelin at the time, she loved the team aspect of football.

Ultimately it was the death of her grandfather Lawrence that convinced her to continue playing football with Melbourne University.

Ashmore signed with the Lions as a priority player prior to the draft and was just one of the Lions' five non-Queenslanders.

Ashmore has played seven games for the Lions this season, averaging almost nine disposals a game and kicking two goals, including a contender for Coates Hire goal of the year. She was also named in the 40-woman Virgin Australia AFL All-Australian squad.