BUOYED by the disappointment of missing last year’s inaugural NAB AFL Women's Grand Final by percentage, Melbourne skipper Daisy Pearce will be looking to lead her teammates into this year’s premiership-decider with a win against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.

Pearce is the competition's most decorated captain. She was the All Australian skipper last year, was named the AFL Players' Association best captain award, and led Victoria to a 97-point win over an Allies team in last year's AFLW State of Origin game.

She's also won 10 premierships with VFLW club Darebin.

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Although leadership is something Pearce says does come naturally to her, the 29-year-old continues to find new ways to develop and inspire her teammates. 

"It’s really important to lead by example and get everything right, but by the same token, you need to show your teammates you’re human … so letting them in on some of your vulnerabilities can be quite powerful," Pearce said.

The midfielder has continued to focus on her own development, finding "little pockets" in her day to practice her skills alone.    

"You can’t tick off your skills as accomplished. You have to keep going back and honing those skills," Pearce said.

"That repetition [is important] so that when you go out there on game-day, it's almost automatic. All those other distractions, like opponents and pressure and scores and time … don’t matter because the repetition means the skill itself is an automatic thing." 

The skipper has also introduced mindfulness and meditation into her routine, techniques Richmond used in its drought-breaking 2017 premiership season.

"I’m trying to find ways to switch off from football. I'm very easily consumed by tactics and how the game may play out. This year I have been using music and meditation to get me to that line between relaxation and aggression," Pearce said.