SHE SHARES a name with a much-loved Collingwood defender, but is ready to make her own mark on the AFLW.

Jordyn Allen just happens to also play as an aggressive, rebounding defender, and is hoping to land at a club come December's Telstra AFLW draft.

"I love her," Allen told AFL.com.au of her namesake.

"She's a good player, plays half-back as well. I love taking the game on from half-back, getting some inside 50s."

Allen did just that in the Coates Talent League Grand Final back in September, where her Eastern Ranges broke through for a flag. She recorded 20 disposals and six inside 50s before being pulled from the game with a fractured hand.

"I fractured it in four spots at the start of the third quarter, but Josie (Bamford), one of my good friends, I showed her. I was like 'I think I just broke my hand' and she looked at it just like 'Nah, I think you're fine'. So, I kept playing," Allen explained.

"And then in the last quarter, the doctor looked at it and said, 'Yeah it's broken, you can't go back on'. It was pretty upsetting."

But Allen was finally a premiership player, after two losing Grand Finals with Eastern in the preceding two years. It was the ideal way to cap off Allen's underage footy career.

But she was only there after a decision to quit cricket and focus on footy. The nature of football and opportunities to put mistakes behind you, was a big drawcard in the teenager's choice.

"I used to play cricket as well as footy, but in cricket, if you go out, you go out, and you can't really do anything about it. But in footy, if you stuff up, or stuff up the kick, you can just go and get the next kick," Allen explained.

"And it’s just the team aspect, playing with all your best mates and doing stuff for each other out there."

Her selection in the Eastern Ranges squad three years ago locked in the code switch for Allen. 

"I was probably better at cricket than I was footy, but then once I got into Eastern, I quit cricket and I just wanted to play footy," Allen said.

After three years with Eastern, bidding goodbye to her teammates – including other notable draft prospects Tayla McMillan, Bamford, and Zoe Vozzo – will be a tough part of the draft. 

The same goes for friends in the Marsh AFLW Academy, which brought her together with the best talent across the country for several intensive camps over the last year. Gold Coast Academy prospects Ava Usher and Alannah Welsh, and West Australian Olivia Wolmarans are Allen's closest friends in the program.

"I'm really grateful to be where I am, and being in the Academy is one of the best experiences of my life. It was good fun, I've made connections with girls all over Australia. So, it's something I'll never forget," Allen said.

"I think when you're around people who are the best people in Australia at your age, you want to beat them. I'm quite a competitive person so I never want to lose, I always want to be better than the person next to me, so it definitely drives you to be better."

The 2025 Telstra AFLW Draft will take place on Monday, December 15.