JESS Rentsch was one of the highlights of last year's Telstra AFLW Draft night, the enthusiasm and sheer happiness of the West Coast recruit infectious throughout the room.
But Rentsch – who was selected with pick No.2 by the Eagles – nearly didn't come to the event, needing an intervention via her dad and one Daisy Pearce.
The new West Coast coach got on the phone to enlist Rentsch's dad to convince Jess to make the trek to Melbourne for draft night, the family making the three-hour drive from Penshurst, just south-east of Hamilton.
"It was a bit of a shock. I had a rough idea – 'Dais' may have called my dad and said, 'Get this girl down to Melbourne right now'. It was the day before [when] I decided, so it was anyone who could come," Rentsch told the Credit to the Girls podcast.
"Originally it was seven people (invited), I managed to squeeze in 12. I wanted to get my (Perth-based) sister, but she was foul at me, because I decided at the last minute.
"It's a feeling that's so hard to explain. Everything is just 'holy moly', it's just so hard to describe. It's up there with hearing you're going to debut."
Having overcome a serious broken femur in 2022 – which needed a follow-up surgery last year to remove a plate and screws – Rentsch finished her junior career playing with GWV Rebels in the Coates Talent League, before linking up with Pearce at the Eagles.
"It relates to some of the boys. I was listening to Luke (Breust) at Hawthorn talking about how he's (watched then) worked with Sam Mitchell, and that's like me with Daisy now," Rentsch said.
"You can relate to her, too. When the men grew up, they got to watch stars who then went on to coaching, and now it's finally good to see some of the girls who grew up as stars and key big names, are now AFLW coaches.
"She brings a world of knowledge to our group, and it's really valuable to have her."
