MADISON Yarran may have a famous football name, but she's not letting the pressure get to her.
The forward is quietly making her mark in the game, recently representing Western Australia in the under-15 School Sport Australia Combined AFL Championships, where her team finished second to Victoria.
More impressively, she is also the captain of the Woomeras – an indigenous representative under-18 side made up of girls from around the country – at the tender age of 15. Yarran led the Woomeras at this year’s AFL Youth Girls’ National Championships in Melbourne.
Captaining girls three years older than her didn’t faze Yarran.
"It was kind of hard (for the older girls) looking down at a younger one, but I took the role because I had some experience, having played footy since I was in year four," Yarran said.
At the SSA Championships, the Perth Angels star kicked six goals in five games, including three in Western Australia's 42-point thumping of South Australia.
"I played last year, so I tried out again, pushed myself and ended up being selected again," she said.
"It was a good experience, especially meeting new girls. Everyone was talented, so it was good to play other talented girls. I liked the challenge."
Yarran counts Richmond player Chris Yarran and former Collingwood forward Andrew Krakouer as uncles, and is also related to North Melbourne legends Jim and Phil Krakouer.
She's happy to take advice from her famous relatives.
"Uncle Andy's given me a couple of tips – keep running hard, put pressure on and tackle, and do the one-percenters."
She loves the social side of footy, and in December last year travelled to New Zealand with the Woomeras to play a local team.
"That was a good experience. I liked meeting the girls, listening to their accents, and learning about their culture," she said.
"We had a good thumping win, but it was challenging because they did play rugby-style on us."
Yarran barracks for West Coast and loves to watch Luke Shuey and Nic Naitanui, but concedes she may have to jump ship to Fremantle with the introduction of the national women's league next year.
"I'm pretty keen to watch it. I'll probably go for Freo," she said.
She'd love to play in the league herself one day, and watching the under-18 girls national championship final at the MCG in May has fuelled that dream.
"I reckon I could play on the MCG. It'd be a nice feeling," she said.