ADELAIDE midfielder Ebony Marinoff will be taking extra care when slicing ham at her local deli this week.
Marinoff's part-time job in Adelaide is important, but not quite as crucial as Saturday's NAB AFL Women's Grand Final against the Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium.
"I'm 19 and playing in the first AFL Women's Grand Final – how good's that?" a beaming Marinoff said after the Crows' hard-fought win over Collingwood last Sunday.
Marinoff has been a crucial link in Adelaide's premiership charge, second at the club for disposals behind co-captain Erin Phillips and ranking sixth in the competition for contested possessions.
The youngster, who was nominated for the NAB AFL Women's Rising Star award in the first round, enjoys slicing and dicing her opponents on the field as well, laying 21 more tackles than any other player in the competition.
Despite being one of the youngest players in the AFLW competition, Marinoff has played in four premierships for local Adelaide club Morphettville Park.
She believes she'll be able to offer her teammates some advice about how to approach the inaugural AFLW decider against the Lions.
"We've got to keep cool heads. The game does have the title, but in the end it's just another game," Marinoff said.
The Crows lost to the Lions by three points when the teams met in round five.
"That game could have gone either way and they were the better team," Marinoff said.
"We let a couple of quick, easy goals through last time, so if we can keep pressure around the ball hopefully they won't be able to get the footy out on to their wings.
"They're quite a fast team, but so are we."
Marinoff has already noticed her profile around Adelaide spiking, particularly when people notice her at the deli.
She does some media work for the club and is active on Twitter, benefiting from the growth of the AFLW competition.
"It's exciting. You do a few press conferences and people start to get know you,” Marinoff said.
"But I really enjoy what I do off the field as well and having time away from footy."
