FOOTY means different things to different people, and that meaning can change depending on individual circumstances, but for Narelle Antonie it has almost always meant pure joy.
The joy that comes from the warm embrace she feels at Chelsea Heights Football Netball Club every time she's there.
And she's there a lot.
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Narelle, who is deaf and lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, has been a fixture at the Southern Football Netball League club for well over a decade.
She dutifully carries out a number of tasks assigned by the senior coach on match day, and this special bond with the Demons caught the eye of SFNL photographer Tim Marks.
"I'd seen Narelle at a few Chelsea Heights games, and I thought that she was a bit of a character," Tim said.
"I'd seen the way that the team embraced her, and I was like, 'Oh, this is really cool', they just embrace each other with such enthusiasm."
Usually, a photographer will enter pictures into the AFL's Footy Focus competition that they've already taken, and are proud of, but this was a bit different.
"Initially, I didn't have a 'banger' photo of Narelle, so to speak," Tim said.
"This was more a subject matter, a story, that I saw (and) then went looking to capture.
"I think the essence of it was just that pure joy on her face."
Narelle's sister Hope is delighted with the relationship her sibling shares with Chelsea Heights.
Like any sister, Hope only wants the very best for Narelle and she's thrilled that the Demons have provided an accepting and uplifting environment for her.
"Narelle hasn't had a lot of luck in life, but football is her life now," Hope said.
"Everyone at Chelsea Heights is just so lovely … they've taken Narelle under their wing and whatever happens, they're always on the lookout for her."
Historically, AFL club St Kilda has been at the forefront for Narelle and Hope, whose dad Colin Antonie played 17 games for the Saints between 1969 and 1971 before his career was cruelly cut short by brain surgery.
The draw of Chelsea Heights was irresistible for Narelle after a pivotal moment.
"Originally, it started with Jayden Attard," Hope said of the 25-game Brisbane and St Kilda player.
"He actually lived down the road from us, so Narelle got a liking to him.
"And then when he finished AFL, he came back to Chelsea Heights, so she started from basically watching him, and then it just didn't stop!"
Chelsea Heights seniors skipper, and 2022 Demons premiership player, Luke Clark hasn't known the club without Narelle around.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.
"Everyone loves Narelle," Luke said.
"She's like one of the team members, she's in every team song every time we win.
"She's in the rooms, she's always around win or lose, she's handing out water bottles and doing stuff to help out … she's super involved.
"Everyone genuinely loves to have her around because she just brings so much happiness and she's always so up and about.
"She's just always happy, and she just brings a real vibe to the team."
Narelle is an avid basketballer and is delighted when Luke and a few of the players turn out to watch her play.
"It's good to get some crew down there to support her," Luke said.
"She's always there for us, she's so involved in our sport, so it's something very small for us to just give back, and I'm sure it would mean a hell of a lot to her."
Chelsea Heights is Narelle's passion and Luke is one of Narelle's favourite players, but teammate Nick Lee, who she stands protectively over during breaks in games, might just edge him out of top spot currently.
"Nicko is such a great lad," Luke said.
"He really gets involved with Narelle, they just get along so well, he's someone who really goes out of his way to engage with her."
Tim shot his entry photos across two Chelsea Heights games; the first at RSEA Park and the second at the Demons' home ground in Melbourne's south.
"I'd spoken to Hope over text, and agreed I'd go and photograph Narelle," Tim said.
"But then, Narelle was waiting for me, and she was like, "Right, come here, take this photo, take that photo!
"I couldn't communicate with her very well, so it was a struggle. I was like, 'Just stand there and just watch the game as you would normally', but she was directing my every movement.
"She was this kind of whirlwind where she was trying to direct me to take all these photos, and I said, 'No, just go and watch the game'. It was so funny for all of us!
"The senior coach gave her the scorebook and she was into that full-on. She was writing every goal and point down and stat and whatever else, and cheering along.
"It was awesome."
Like many photographers, Tim began his journey taking happy snaps of his kids and discovered a knack for it.
A hobby eventually turned into a happy side hustle with the SFNL that allows him to pursue his photography dream.
>> See more of Tim Marks' photography HERE
"I think I kind of enjoy the challenge of the variable conditions of footy," Tim said.
"I shoot night games, and it could be raining, hailing, foggy, then day games in bright sunshine; it's always different.
"That's always a challenge for me, but I enjoy that and getting good results when it's challenging like that.
"That's always fun, and I love the community vibe of just footy clubs in general, especially local footy."
His pictures capture small moments that happen every week during the season that mean so much for Narelle and her family.
"She's happy, and that's all I want," Hope said.
"If they do win when she comes home, as soon as she walks in the door, like she has this massive smile.
"As a sister, and a family member, you wouldn't want to see anything other than that support for her.
"So yeah, it does mean a lot."
Footy Focus 26, thanks to Toyota's Good For Footy program, is now open for entries! Here's your chance to shadow and shoot with Michael Willson at a game in 2027. We want to see your photos that capture the essence of our great game at a grassroots level. To enter, upload your best community footy photos taken during 2026 to: afl.com.au/footyfocus
