If you’ve followed Port Adelaide’s entry into the AFLW, chances are by now, you’ve heard the name Hannah Ewings.

The AFLW Rising Star winner is fast becoming one of the most exciting young midfielders in the league, getting fans excited for the future.

But there’s more to her than meets the eye – Ewings’ life is a wonderful combination of food and football, balancing an on-field career with a cheffing apprenticeship.

While Ewings and her teammates hope football can be their sole focus one day, most AFLW players currently have a ‘day job’, generally born out of financial necessity.

For some though, it’s an opportunity to explore another passion, with Ewings inspired by her Filipino roots to pursue a career in the kitchen.

“I think I wanted to be a chef because of my cultural background,” she said.

“I grew up alongside my Lula (‘grandmother’ in Filipino). She would always cook us food and I was always like, ‘what’s this, what’s that?’, so I love food and do have a passion for food.”

As South Australia’s number one draft pick, the pressure was on Ewings to perform in her first year of AFLW, but it’s fair to say the talented teenager has lived up to expectations.

She’s already making her mark on the competition with her thumping kick, clever ability to clear the ball and smart on-field movement.

Ewings now has a full season of AFLW behind her and created a piece of history in Round 4 when she became the first player in the league to record nine or more clearances and three or more goals in a game.

Winning more clearances than any other first-season player with 39, the smooth-mover also ranked equal-second in the same cohort for inside 50s.

But, while Ewings is part of the first crop of draftees in the system with little-to-no interruption to their football development, growing up in the country didn’t make it easy for her to pursue her on-field dream.

“I started playing football when I was about five years old doing Auskick,” Ewings said.

“I played all the way up until I was about 14 and girls weren’t allowed to play back then in the country, so I had to go play in Adelaide. I played Maccas Shield, played for SMOSH, then I played SANFLW, and throughout that time, I was also playing netball and cricket.”

As a youngster, Ewings yearned to give sport a red-hot crack, so it was up to her parents to commit to their daughter’s regular commute, from Whyalla to Adelaide and back.

“Travelling four-and-a-half hours every weekend, or even two to three times a week, was pretty tiring,” she said.

When she was just 17, Ewings left her family behind to make the move to the city and pursue football more seriously.

She was signed by North Adelaide, and soon accomplished a successful SANFLW premiership campaign and an All-Australian performance in the under 18 national championships, just weeks before being drafted by the Power.

“When the AFLW came in, I was super stoked,” she said.

“It was something I dreamed of, being a part of. To have that chance now is unbelievable.”

Leaving school at the beginning of year 11, she began her cheffing apprenticeship in Whyalla, and was later able to transfer her employment to the city.

Now working at How the Focaccia in Hindmarsh, her employer has offered support and flexibility, particularly since Ewings was drafted.

The inside of the tiny Port Road café has a wall dedicated to its favourite footballer, with photos and newspaper articles of Ewings covering an entire internal wall.

“We’re really supportive and follow her really closely,” café manager Mel Cheesbrough said.

“I’m a bit of a fan. I went out during North Adelaide finals to see Hannah play and see what the hype was about. I’m a Port supporter, so it worked out!

“She lets me know her schedule and what she needs to do. I’d rather have her here (at work) one day a week than not at all. She makes my job easier. She’s very competent at what she does, I don’t need to tell her what to do, unless she’s on her phone,” she laughed.

Ewings’ football journey has come wonderfully full circle – Port Adelaide legend Greg Phillips coached her at SMOSH West Lakes as a junior, only for her to later play under the leadership of Greg’s daughter Erin.

“The girls welcomed me with open arms (at Port Adelaide) and made me feel welcome as soon as I got there,” Ewings said.

“The coaching staff, everything, it’s all perfect. I couldn’t really ask for anything more.”

From a young age, Ewings showed an aptitude for multiple sports, but her true passion and dedication was reserved for football.

“Every footy training, every game, I’d leave school at recess time, go to training, get back home about three o’clock in the morning and then do it all again,” she recounted.

“Playing for North Adelaide and for SMOSH, I was always super motivated but it was certainly mentally challenging and draining on me and my parents. We all sacrificed a lot over the years and obviously (footy) is what I wanted to do for my career and that’s what I was passionate about.”

It certainly hasn’t been all smooth-sailing for the young athlete – in addition to the sheer volume of travel, an unwelcome stopper was placed in her path in 2017.

Ewings sustained a serious knee injury, forcing her to miss key moments and deeply reconsider her future in football.

“I was out for quite a long time, so I missed state, I missed SANFL, I missed everything really,” she said.

“I did my MCL (medial collateral ligament), and then did a syndesmosis injury last year (2021) and was out for the whole season. I was in a dark place, I wasn’t able to work, I wasn’t able to earn an income and I was moving to Adelaide during that time. It was challenging and difficult, but I obviously had my family and friends getting around me and supporting me.

“I had worked so hard and it felt like it had all been taken away from me. Eventually I found the determination to come back to it.”

With confidence and grit, Ewings emerged out the other side of injury, but not without a newfound sense of responsibility to her culture – she was keen to inspire other young Filipino girls to pursue their dreams.

And as the adage goes: “you can’t be what you can’t see.”

“Through my cultural background, I’ve been through multicultural pathways for footy and I’ve been able to learn from other people with different cultures and it’s really been beneficial for me,” she said.

“There are obviously girls (of Asian heritage) that will know of me and hopefully do look up to me and are inspired because they are seeing themselves represented in AFLW footy. It’s pretty cool.”

Like most teenagers, family is important to Ewings, with her parents, older brothers Tyson and Jordan and younger sister Emma, all supporting her along the road to sporting stardom.

Her dad Jeff played a key part in his oldest daughter’s journey and recently celebrated a milestone of his own – an astonishing 450 football games for Whyalla club, Roopena.

The club veteran and his wife Tash chaperoned their daughter to the AFLW Draft in June and when she was selected early, it made the years of travel, sleep deprivation and hard work worthwhile.

“I just love spending time with family,” Ewings said.

“I like to go fishing with my dad, we love golfing, and I used to ride motorbikes. I still chat (to my family) every day.

“Since I’ve moved to Adelaide, I’ve found the independence I needed and feel like I’ve taken control. It can be difficult finding balance, but work is flexible and gives me the time I need to focus on football.

“I feel like I belong here.”