![Scottsdale's Dearne Taylor was named best on ground for Tasmania. Picture by Solstice Digital Scottsdale's Dearne Taylor was named best on ground for Tasmania. Picture by Solstice Digital](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/d02a0baf-c054-48de-9ebc-870cdf1c1557.jpg/r511_0_4338_3123_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Two Northern products with contrasting experience levels were in the thick of the action as Tasmania's women were defeated by Queensland on Saturday.
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Scottsdale's Dearne Taylor and Bridgenorth's Alice Robinson were two of the side's strongest performers, with Taylor earning the best on ground medal for her versatility across North Hobart Oval.
Taking a few crucial marks in defence, the 27-year-old also kicked a magnificent running goal as she shrugged two tackles, ran towards the boundary and slotted it through.
"Coming on and being being able to impact and hit the scoreboard - it's a surreal feeling, especially for Tasmania," she said.
"I would never have thought that I'd be able to do that so I'm still pretty speechless about it."
Saturday's opportunity to play in the famed map guernsey was one that Taylor thought was "never going to be possible".
She made her football debut for Scottsdale in the same year as Tasmania's last representative game - 2016 - and won the TWL North flag in 2017 before moving to Launceston in 2018.
Since then she became a three-time premiership player at the Blues - winning best on ground in two of them - and has captained the NTFAW representative side three years in a row.
So there are not many people more qualified to talk about women's football and its standard.
"It's getting better every year," she said following the representative game.
"I've been around a while now, I'm on the older side of things but the young girls coming through, they're amazing.
"It's only going to get stronger and I'm really excited for the future."
![Bridgenorth's Alice Robinson. Picture by Solstice Digital Bridgenorth's Alice Robinson. Picture by Solstice Digital](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/34b2c450-8457-45e2-a37d-c806585bbbd4.jpg/r0_0_2754_2138_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Robinson is one of those future prospects, representing Tasmania in just her second year playing senior football at Bridgenorth.
The 22-year-old came across from rugby sevens after reaching the end of the state's pathway and has thrived with football's physicality - wearing a big knock in the third term of Saturday's game.
"I've been lucky enough to represent Tassie in different sports but this just feels so different with the hype around the map and the AFL team coming, so I'm very proud to be able to pull it on today," she said.
"For the first few minutes, I was a little bit scared but I really enjoyed the professional side of it.
"I loved the build-up with the girls and I think Deb [Reynolds] and the coaching staff just made us feel so comfortable that it wasn't too nerve-racking because we knew that we'd done the work and we were with each other - we all had each other's backs."
Taking on a newer role in the forward line, she kicked two goals - one set-shot in the second quarter and another classy running finish in the last.
"In my club footy I don't normally play in the forward line, so to get the opportunity to kick goals, I feel very privileged to do so," she said.
"I love the celebration from all the girls, it makes you feel really proud to kick some for the map."
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