She’d taken the job with the encouragement of her husband Barry, who realised the Cats were short of on-the-ground volunteers to support their footballers.

“You knew all the players anyway, there was no problem. The only thing was I never used to go into the change rooms,” Robertson said.

“Gerard FitzGerald was the coach and the next year he said ‘Judi, do you mind coming into the change rooms and giving them a drink while they’re warming up’.

“I was in the change rooms after that.”

Caught up in her role, Robertson didn’t think of herself as unique, being a woman working so closely with a bush football side. But the number of women who have followed in her footsteps have made her realise she was among the trailblazers.

“I guess looking back yes, but at the time, no, I just thought others did it. There are a lot more women involved in the footy side of things now,” she said.

Robertson has carried water for Mortlake and Terang Mortlake since 1993, combining the job with playing netball until 2006.

She also helps in the kitchen, assists Barry in his role as football manager and carries water for the Hampden representative side on interleague weekend.

The league recognised her commitment by naming her volunteer of the year at the Maskell Medal function on Sunday.

Robertson said she was humbled by the award. She said spending Saturdays during winter at the football had become an enjoyable ritual.

“Why? Just being a part of the team, part of the club, just wanting to do it,” she said.

“I guess coming from Mortlake, being a small town the footy club is it, everyone is involved. I just love it.”

The friendly atmosphere at the Bloods is another reason she keeps returning.

“We went over when we amalgamated in 2002 and everybody was so welcoming. It was just like going to a bigger Mortlake footy club,” she said. “It took a long time to get to know people. Of course they all knew you. You were the new kids on the block.”

Robertson said carrying water for the Hampden league representative side gave her a different perspective to the competition.

“The league asks me every year so I get to see the sights of the state,” she said.

“You get to respect players from the other clubs. You only see them as opposition and then you’re involved with them.

“I’ll give them water in our home-and-away games, (they’ll say) ‘Judi, give us a drink’, you just do it.”