Conscious of the small body of work she’s drawing on (two VFLW seasons, which constitutes her entire career), Danielle Orr is pragmatic when asked to describe herself as a footballer. Yet the echoes of her older brother Shaun Higgins are inescapable.

“I suppose I just try to be as calm and composed as I can. Play to my strengths, hit up a target with my kicking. Do the team thing. Give off the hands when someone’s there, really look for the best option.”

Younger by two years, Danielle laughs off Shaun’s assessment in a recent radio interview that his sister is the tougher of the two. “I had to put up with him when I was younger, he was a bit of a pest to me, Shaun. I’ve got brothers either side of me (Matthew is younger), maybe that’s it. One of his pastimes was trying to get a reaction out of me.

“I’m a competitive and determined person. Maybe he’s thinking netball – if the ball was there I’d keep going for it, get knocked down and get back up.”

She kept getting up and playing well enough on court to reach state league level, but the fire that was lit kicking out the front of the family’s Hamlyn Heights home (two trees for goalposts, watch out for cars, apologies to the neighbours for miskicks into their garden) has always burned in her.

“I used to say, ‘It’s so unfair! I wish I was a boy so I could play footy too!’ When this came up I was just like, ‘I’ve gotta do it! I’ll regret it if I don’t.’ I’ve always loved footy, always wanted to play it.”

In starting from scratch she sees only positives – playing on instinct to absorb football’s dynamics rather than with a mind cluttered by years of instruction, adapting netball’s spacing and zoning to a different playing field and ball. “It’s been refreshing to come in and just absorb as much as you can.”

Mick played Geelong under 19s and reserves but gravitated to a career as a builder as injuries mounted. Shaun has split a 13-year AFL career between the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne, Matthew played for the Falcons, Werribee and now Newtown-Chilwell. Husband Seamus plays for Modewarre. And now this strong local family boasts a Geelong footballer, something that humbles Danielle greatly.

Moreover, she’s delighted that big sister Kristy’s two boys will be able to watch their uncle Shaun and aunty Danielle play AFL without thinking one belongs more than the other. “For them, it’s the norm to see the girls and boys both playing. They’ll ask, “Danielle, when are you playing footy?”

“It’s awesome, thinking it’s just the norm for men and women to be out playing on GMHBA and other big stadiums. It’s pretty cool.”

Shaun and wife Heidi recently welcomed their first child, Rosie, a few hours before the new Dad was knocked unconscious against Hawthorn at the MCG in a stark reminder of football’s raw edge. Danielle recalls her mother’s reaction when she took the game up (“she was like, ‘Now another one I have to worry about!’”), but quickly adds that her parents are avid supporters who’ve always backed their children in whatever they do.

What she’s doing now excites her. “To think, a year and half ago when I was out on the netball court, that this was a possibility ...

“It’s a real honour, and I’m so grateful. Now I just want to be the best role model and represent the footy club – and Geelong – the best I can.”