Twelve months ago, Hannah Mangan was in London representing Australia at the World Ultimate Championships: frisbee’s highest competition.

She’d never played a game of football, nor had she ever thought about it, until a Facebook post changed everything.

“My sisters are die-hard Geelong supporters and tagged me in a Geelong Cats Facebook post about the women’s talent ID day,” Mangan said.

The 27-year-old decided to “give it a crack” and showed up to the testing day alone with absolutely no football experience. Since then, she hasn’t looked back.

“Playing for Geelong Football Club is something I never could have imagined,” she said.

“To be given this opportunity is amazing.

Since making the Cats VFL Women’s squad in November, Mangan has thrived: playing in seven of eight games and featuring in the best in round five.

“The thing I love about footy is there’s such a variety of skills that you need for it,” she said.

“I wanted to take on the challenge and I’ve loved it, absolutely loved it.

Mangan’s rapid rise up the football ranks should come as no surprise because before it, she quickly enjoyed success at frisbee’s elite level.

“I actually moved into a house with a couple of girls who played frisbee and one of the rules of moving in was that I had to try it out. I’d never heard of it.

“I played at university level and then just moved my way up from there."

Within six years Mangan was a dual national champion, and runner-up at the 2016 World Ultimate Championships with the Australian mixed team.

“It was a six to eight month campaign of training. We basically had training camps leading up to the championships where we would meet in Sydney or Melbourne, and then train all weekend.

“There’s a lot of traveling involved in Frisbee, which was something I really enjoyed."

But now Mangan’s given frisbee away to focus on football.

“I’d really love to play AFLW if I can – that’s the aim – I definitely want to work towards that.

Born in Anglesea, Mangan’s been a Cats supporter her whole life and has relished the opportunity to wear the hoops.

“The facilities, coaching information and support we get is like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

“Even when representing Australia, we had coaches and a lot of support behind us but here it’s a completely different level."

Mangan moved to New South Wales for University before returning to Geelong to work as a nurse. She’s now undertaking her paramedic conversion at Deakin University.

While the transition from frisbee to football hasn’t been without its challenges, Mangan credited her teammates for their help.

“The best thing [about the program] is definitely the squad of girls I get to play with; everyone in the team is so supportive of each other.

“The group selflessly helps me with my skills and knowledge of the game. I’m really appreciative of that.”