LILY-Rose Williamson remembers exactly where she was last December when her manager called to say Brisbane wanted her on its list.

On the eve of the Trade Period, the energetic midfielder was in limbo, having not been offered another contract by Collingwood.

Williamson was spending the day with her mum in their regional Victorian home, when a call from manager Michael Saundry suddenly changed the trajectory of her career.

"Mick called, and the calls were coming every day at this point because it was Trade Period," Williamson recalled for womens.afl.

"There was Hawthorn looking at me, a little bit of Richmond there.

"I pick up hoping Collingwood was offering something because that's what we were waiting on, but then he says: 'Craig Starcevich has contacted me' and I just kind of stopped.

"I remember exactly where I was.

"Mum was in a crystal shop. One of those little hippie ones. There's only one of these little shops in Trafalgar, so people who know it, know it.

"Mum was chatting to the receptionist, who she knows, and then I walked in with the biggest smile on my face.

"I nearly started crying and mum started crying when I told her: 'Brisbane wants me'.

"She just lost it and started jumping up. Her arms were going everywhere. That whole drive home … I'm getting emotional talking about it."

From Traralgon, Williamson's journey to get to the Lions has been anything but smooth.

She played eight games in three seasons for Essendon before being delisted and was then picked up by Collingwood a week before the 2025 season as an injury replacement player.

The 21-year-old would play 11 consecutive games last season, but despite the run of continuity, found herself without a contract.

"It was a surprise to me because I thought I'd performed," she said.

"I did my role. I know I'm a pretty good player, so that was a bit of a punch in the face.

"Being delisted and going through VFL … they’re really not hardships, they're blessings in disguise. I attacked that with so much optimism and I knew that I'd get back."

Williamson moved to Brisbane in March and is now sharing a house with gun draftee Marlo Graham and Irishwoman Caitlin Kennedy.

She was terrific in Brisbane’s first round win over Essendon, gathering 16 disposals (nine contested), four clearances and laying seven tackles as part of an evolving midfield group.

"It's an amazing thing to come back from people telling you you're not going to make it," she said.

"Now my teammates see I'm a contested bull and they want that in the midfield. They're fully trusting my footy. I'm not told to change my style at all.

"Coaches from previous teams would try and bend my style and I was overthinking my footy and I couldn't get into games, but here 'Starce' just says: 'take it on'.

"They know that balance of encouraging you and taking you on that journey with your growth and craft. The ownership is in your hands.

"I'm just buzzing. It's so good."