IN HER own words, Emma Juneja describes her pathway to the AFLW as "the scenic route". Just two months after Sydney signed her while she was recovering from injury, the midfielder is preparing for her first Sydney Derby.

The 20-year-old did not follow the traditional path of being drafted straight at 18. Instead, she took the long way around.

When a severe ankle injury threatened to derail her progress, the opportunity she had been chasing finally arrived.

The Swans signed Juneja as an injury replacement player in early July while she was still recovering from a syndesmosis injury. Recruiting an undrafted player who was still injured highlighted how highly Sydney rated both her talent and character.

Now balancing her AFLW career with a double degree in commerce and engineering at the University of Sydney, Juneja's journey from draft disappointment to AFLW footballer is a testament to persistence.

Juneja's promising junior career kicked off in 2022 when she followed her older brother into the Sydney Swans Academy. Over the next three years, she played in the Talent League, represented the Allies in two AFLW Under-18 Championships, and made her state-league debut in Sydney's VFLW program.

However, after being passed over on draft night, Juneja was left to process the disappointment before recommitting to her dream and finding another way into the system.

"I wasn't super confident of being drafted. I knew there was a chance I wouldn't get picked up, but obviously, in your head, you always want to think the best," Juneja told AFL.com.au.

"I was happy to play for any team; I just wanted to be on an AFLW list. Growing up supporting the Swans, it is special being able to play for them now and put on their jersey, but at the time I just wanted to get on a list."

When her name wasn't called, Juneja had to turn that immediate letdown into motivation.

"When it gets to the end of the draft, and your name hasn't been called out, the initial feeling is just great disappointment. It almost feels like a weight on your chest.

"So, I had to let myself sit in that feeling for a few days and see what that was like. Then came the decision of, 'Well, do I still want this?'."

Living in Sydney made pursuing a secondary pathway like the VFL far more challenging, forcing Juneja to question whether she wanted to keep chasing her place.

"Ultimately, I decided, yes, this is what I want to do and I do believe I am good enough," she said.

"That is a big part of what helped me; I always believed I was good enough to be on an AFLW list. I knew I deserved it, I knew I'd worked hard for it and I just needed to keep going so that hopefully, eventually, it would pay off."

Juneja returned to the Swans Academy as a 19-year-old over-ager, a move she says helped restore her confidence and accelerate her development.

"Just being able to go back to a familiar place, play with girls I've played with before and build my confidence again helped me get back to playing really good footy," she said.

"Looking back, I was such a better player than in my draft year because I'd gotten fitter and stronger. Just staying in that grind and continuing to work hard helped."

After the Talent League season finished, Juneja relocated to Melbourne during her university break to play out the rest of the VFLW season, making eight appearances for Box Hill.

"I went down to Melbourne and played in the VFL, which was such an amazing experience meeting so many different girls and just playing in a different team and a different system, especially having always played for the Swans Academy," Juneja said.

"We ended up making finals, which was another great experience. Playing in big games really helped me become a better player and helped get me to the position I'm in today.

"Looking at that Box Hill team, four of us are now on an AFLW list, which is incredible. So, I think it just goes to show that there is still a pathway even if you don't get picked up straight away."

It's a sentiment echoed by Swans Academy U18 female head coach and AFLW senior assistant coach, Tanya Hetherington, who has watched Juneja's development firsthand.

"Em is an amazing story of resilience and never giving up," Hetherington told AFL.com.au.

"She was one of our most talented athletes as an Academy player, but for reasons that just happen sometimes, she didn't get drafted in her draft year. She has always driven her own career, and I think going to Melbourne and playing for Box Hill just gave her another experience to draw from."

Returning home, Juneja opted to remain in Sydney for her tertiary studies, balancing her football commitments with her double degree.

Before joining the Swans as a train-on player, she starred for Sydney University in AFL Sydney, emerging as one of the Premier Division competition's standout performers.

However, her momentum was halted by a syndesmosis injury suffered in a tackle while playing for Sydney Uni. While avoiding surgery but facing months on the sidelines, Juneja pivoted straight into recovery with her sights set on returning to the field.

When Sydney reached out mid-rehab, the club worked closely with her to manage the final stages of her recovery before integrating her into training. Remarkably, this meant Juneja had not completed a single pre-season training session before the club officially signed her.

"Being given the opportunity about midway through the year by the Swans was honestly so unexpected, but so exciting. It was the dream all along," Juneja said.

"When the Swans reached out, I wasn't 100 per cent ready to go yet; I was still on the back end of my rehab. They very much understood that and we had a big conversation about where I was at. So, I just finished off the last few weeks of rehab with the Swans and then joined back in normally."

The late call-up represented a significant vote of confidence — one that immediately reshaped Juneja's mindset as she entered the AFLW environment.

"Honestly, it's kind of crazy to think about, that they had that vote of confidence in me," she said.

"That level of confidence they had in me definitely helped build on the confidence I had in myself, knowing that despite not having done pre-season training, they still wanted me to play for them."

Taking a chance on an injured player was non-traditional, but Hetherington said Juneja's potential made it an easy decision.

"She was actually recovering from a syndesmosis injury when we picked her up as a replacement player," she said.

"I think that says a lot about how we value her as a person and a player, because I don't think many people would have gone that route. To see her playing three games in a row having recovered from that speaks volumes about her."

That belief from the coaching staff validated every extra session along her long-haul journey, providing the platform to make her debut and cement a spot in the side.

"When they told me, I was just so grateful that I was finally able to get this opportunity, and I knew that I didn't want to waste it," Juneja said.

"I wanted to make the most of it."

Earning a senior debut for the club she supported growing up turned years of sacrifice into a surreal milestone, yet Juneja has no intention of relying on a single standout performance.

"Genuinely, I don't think words can describe how much it meant to my family and me,” Juneja said of first putting on the red and white for Sydney’s round three win against St Kilda in Coffs Harbour.

"They stood by me through all the challenges I faced, and to be able to put on the guernsey and play for the Swans was genuinely so surreal and special."

Making an immediate impact on debut, Juneja looked instantly at home with 18 disposals, five marks and six intercept possessions against the Saints, before following up with a fierce four-tackle performance against the Bulldogs.

The winger’s rapid adaptation to senior football came as no surprise to Hetherington, who highlighted her instincts.

"She is one of the smartest ballers that we have," Hetherington said.

"Her footy IQ is through the roof. She’s got immense confidence in her ability to read the game, and when you do that, you can just let your talent shine. From that perspective, she's definitely one of the smartest footballers I've coached."

While her outstanding debut confirmed she belonged at the elite level, Juneja quickly shifted her focus toward long-term consistency.

"It did fuel that belief that I am meant to be here," she said.

"But there's also the feeling of, 'You're only as good as your last performance'. I still want to work hard so that I can reach that level consistently. I didn't just want that to be my one great game."

With two senior games now under her belt, Juneja turns her attention to this weekend's Sydney Derby — a fixture she grew up watching from the stands.

"As a Sydney local, my family and I have watched so many of these games across both the men's and women's competitions," Juneja said.

"They're always such a fiery contest. To be able to play in one is so exciting, and honestly, it doesn't really feel real."