WHEN number one pick Olivia Wolmarans made the move across the country, forwards coach Brendan Fevola was at the airport to pick her up with a homemade sign and welcome her to his family home.

She's quickly formed a tight bond with former champion spearhead and cult hero, who as the only member of the coaching group to have remained on the books from 2025, was entrusted to pick up the West Australian from the airport when she first came to the club back in February. 

Wolmarans stayed with the wider Fevola family for her first few weeks while adjusting to life in Melbourne.

"I was so nervous, but once I sat in his car, I just went around with his jokes, and then I remember our first conversation, he asked if I was studying, and I said, 'I'm going to study criminology'. And he said 'I did that', and we just slowly figured out how similar we were. It was very crazy, we kept finding all these little things where we were so similar," Wolmarans told Richmond's In Their Words podcast.

"Then I got to his house, and his three daughters were very arms open, family. I'd finish training and sit on the massage chair, and there'd be a knock on the door, and it was UberEats, Fev's giving me a burrito while I was on the chair. 

"But Fev's cooking is actually really good. We'd have these ribs – Fev would order double, because the two of us would be eating them all. It was very fun. By the end of it, Alex Fevola said to Fev, 'it is so weird how similar you are'."

Born in 2006, Wolmarans is too young to remember Fevola (whose AFL career with Carlton and Brisbane spanned from 1999-2010 for 623 goals) and the most well-known No.12 in Tiger history, Matthew Richardson (1993-2009 for 800 goals).

Now wearing the No. 12 herself, Wolmarans is set to be the new face of powerful key forwards clunking contested marks, and with the support of two heroes from the past, is continuing the legacy for a fresh generation of players – who also happen to be women.

"I was too young to have seen Fev play. He's great, he makes us girls so calm," Wolmarans told AFL.com.au.

"He believes in us as people and players, which makes us do the things we do, and it's just so great having him there. 

"[Richardson] is such a big name in our club, and I'm hopefully going to carry that along."

In just three games, the 18-year-old is sitting equal-fourth in the league for marks, having taken 19 already.

To drill down further, the only players ahead of Wolmarans in the marking charts are a key defender (Jenna Richardson), a ruck (Lucy Wales) and a midfielder (Kiara Bowers), with the young Tiger level with another key forward in Jac Dupuy.

While her accuracy was astray in the round three win over Essendon in Darwin – kicking 0.3 and another shot that fell short – there's no doubting that the 181cm tall has quickly adjusted to playing in the AFLW, having lined up against senior women in the WAFLW with Subiaco.

Wolmarans also has a sporting pedigree, with mum Coralie having represented South Africa in netball, while she had a background in rugby and heptathlon before switching her full attention to footy.

"I love Richmond, I think I'm definitely going to stay here. The culture at Richmond is just so great, the girls get around me, especially Jarrad (Donders, coach), he's been a great support system for me," she said.

"It was hard with the weather (in Melbourne) at the start, but when I went back home, I wasn't wearing any jumpers, and my friends were saying 'what are you doing, it's cold', so I think I've adjusted really well. 

"I feel like I belong. I feel like I'm one of them, and the girls are great."