From being selected with the very first pick at the very first draft, through COVID-affected seasons, to current the 2023 season, Nicola Barr has seen the AFLW in in all its forms.

The inaugural number one draft pick has developed as both a person and a player over the course of her 49 games - and so has the competition.

From eight teams relying mainly on cross-code talent to the modern 18-team competition featuring players who have benefitted from unbroken development pathways, Barr has seen the magic of the AFLW evolve.

"The competition's drastically changed over the last eight seasons," she said on the eve of her 50th AFLW game.

"There's been a real shift in the percentage of time that girls can spend on developing their football craft and watching vision."

Barr believes this change has increased the talent within the competition - a far cry from the beginning days where she, among other players, had to balance their football goals with full time work or study. 

"Obviously we're trying to build and eventually get to full-time professionalism, but the difference between season one and now is that girls really see football as their main job. I think the biggest change that I've noticed is the talent coming into the competition now," she said. 

Round five of the AFLW’s inaugural season would eventually become Barr’s career highlight to date, with her beloved GIANTS recording their first win against the Demons in a moment she believes was hugely important for footy in New South Wales.

"It was incredible, especially because AFL has struggled to develop as quickly in New South Wales as it has in other states where footy might be the main sport," she said.

Lauding the importance of visibility in the state, she pointed to the AFLW's impact in increasing the profile of women's footy in New South Wales.

"I think back to when I was young and playing football and the lack of talent pathways that were around - it just was such an anomaly to be playing AFL, whereas now it's pretty normal," Barr said.

"The number of young girls that you see playing footy in New South Wales has just risen so much in the last few years."

With plenty of player movement over the course of the AFLW’s existence, Barr has stayed true to the club that drafted her all those years ago. 

She praised the GIANTS for their efforts in both supporting and growing the game for women in New South Wales, admitting that playing alongside the girls she played footy with as a 17-year-old in Rebecca Beeson and Jodie Hicks is something she’ll always treasure.

If there was one message the 50-gamer could pass on to the next generation of female footballing talent, it would be that nothing comes easy - and taking things one step at a time is the best way forward.

"Just focusing on what's on that day or that weekend, just making little micro goals for yourself is what really helps," she said of achieving success in sport.

While young female footballers today may look up to Barr, it was a run in with a different sporting superstar that inspired a young Barr. 

"When I was growing up, there weren't as many role models in the media. I think they were around, but they just weren't shown as much attention. I'll never forget when Ellyse Perry came to our school - when she spoke to us, I just remember being so starstruck. It made me want to be a professional athlete too," she said.

Away from footy, Barr works with FrontRunners, an organisation that works with athletes and sporting organisations to address the impacts of climate change. The role has been a grounding point for Barr during her footballing career and has given her an additional way to further inspire the next generation.

"I started to realise the impact that climate change is having on sport and the ability of both the athletes and sporting organisations to drive positive change," she said.

"I think that any position that you're in, whether it's being an athlete, if you're a sporting organisation, or whatever it is - everyone's got the ability to talk to the people that are around them and see if you can create some positive change."

The challenge that comes with a match-up against the reigning premiers is not unbeknownst to Barr, but taking to the field for her fiftieth game, memories of that first win - and everything since - are sure to come flooding back.