Jemma Charity is determined to make the most of her AFLW opportunity.

Not because it’s with Port Adelaide, where she came through the Next Generation Academy.

Nor is it because the club gave her a chance despite a serious knee injury ruining her draft year.

The Port Adelaide draftee knows her mother Hayley Charity would have loved the chance to play in the AFLW and wants to make her proud.

“Mum has played footy her whole life, so she inspired me to play,” Charity told portadelaidefc.com.au.

“She played in the old Port Magpies team in the SAWFL and she’s still playing local footy at the moment with Henley Sharks. She’s 42 and she’s doing really well.

“Mum has helped me a lot throughout my footy journey, always taking me to games and supporting me.

“I just want to prove to her and to everyone that I am striving to work hard and take this opportunity. I want to make her proud by doing something she didn’t get the chance to do back when women’s football wasn’t even a thing.”

And Charity is making good strides towards that goal.

Having worked her way through a gruelling rehabilitation period following an ACL injury suffered last year playing for North Adelaide in the SANFLW, the 18-year-old is working hard in the gym and “running lots” and her knee is feeling “really good”.

It has helped that she has had some teammates rehabbing similar injuries including captain Janelle Cuthbertson and in particular fellow NGA graduate and Henley High School alumni Lauren Young.

“They have been helping me a lot, just more with the mental side of things because I feel like I'm a bit behind compared to everyone at the moment,” Charity explained.

“They definitely encourage me whenever I’m in the gym or running out on the track and they get around me a lot which is a great feeling as I’m progressing through rehab. They help me so much.

“I've known Lauren for about five years now. We went to the same school, we're both going through the same thing at the moment and it's good to just kind of lean on her if I'm unsure about something or if I get down about something, I can always chat to her about anything.”

While it has been easy to be consumed by football since her injury and being drafted, Charity has found fitness and family to be welcome distractions – currently working in a gym and studying to be a personal trainer.

“I think being busy and productive is helping me a lot,” she said. “It's distracting me from my knee because if I'm just always focused on footy, then I will think too much about it and it will make me upset that I’m not able to train or play with the team yet. I feel like I need to be doing something on the outside so that it keeps me distracted.”

“And I love spending time with my family and friends as well. I'm close with my brother, my older and my two sisters. We like to go for walks together, play basketball or even go out for a nice lunch.

“My family are always there for me, and they are supporting me through my rehab. They mean a lot to me and I love them so much.

“I love that we have an amazing relationship and that we get along really well. I’m really grateful to have a close bond with them all.”

A talented forward who can also play on ball, Charity played two seasons of league football for Woodville-West Torrens alongside current Power midfielder Shineah Goody before switching to North Adelaide along with her older sister Chloe ahead of the 2024 season.

She won All-Australian Under 18 honours in her bottom age year in 2023 before her injury last season got in the way of her chances of going back-to-back.

Now building towards her first AFLW pre-season, she is excited to play with and learn from forward Gemma Houghton, who she likes to model her game on.

And more than anything, she is excited to play in front of the passionate Port Adelaide supporters at Alberton Oval.

“I remember running around on Alberton Oval as a little kid when mum played here,” she elaborated. “It's actually pretty cool to see  how much Alberton Oval has changed over the years and that I even get to train is a dream come true, it’s unreal.

“I am honestly just so grateful to be a part of this team and I’m so excited to get started.”