As first-year forward India Rasheed celebrated one of her two goals during Adelaide's elimination final win against St Kilda, filled with all the emotion of playing her first AFLW major round, she opened her arms, and ran towards her teammates.

The moment was snapped by a photographer, and visible was the number 'six' in bold writing across the inside of her wrist strapping.

Rasheed has revealed the number is a tribute to teammate Hannah Munyard, who has missed most of the 2025 season with a broken ankle. 

“I have actually had that most of the games this year, got the No.6 on my wrists for our teammate Hannah Munyard who’s been injured most of the year and has just come back from a broken ankle that she injured in Round One,” Rasheed said. 

“It’s a reminder to me that I’m out there, she’s not, so trying to replicate a little bit of what she does on the field, she just brings such pressure and desperation when she’s out there. 

“So, I guess, for me, she’s been really helpful off field as well, so it’s my way of having her out there with us as well, has been really important for me.”

Rasheed said she enjoyed her first taste of finals footy.

"It was a pretty surreal game. I've dreamed of playing finals, growing up watching the AFL boys, and the last couple of years watching the girls. It definitely felt a lot different (to a regular game) and a lot more meaningful as well.

"(Listening to the anthem) was pretty crazy. I think that was probably the moment where I knew we were in a finals series, I was getting goosebumps."

The 18-year-old was a first-round draft pick last year, and was awarded a Telstra AFLW Rising Star nomination late in the season, given her consistent form throughout the year across half-forward.

While her game on Sunday resulted in her first goal since Round One (coincidentally also against the Saints), her forward craft and nous has been a clear standout, with elite kicking skills inside attack.

She finished the elimination final with two goals, 13 touches, 256 metres gained and two tackles.

"It was pretty good to just get some reward for my efforts this year, because I haven't really hit the scoreboard actually at all since Round One," Rasheed said.

"There were four of us playing our first final (Rasheed, Brooke Boileau, Amy Boyle Carr and Kayleigh Cronin).

“All the girls know I'm pretty calm, so they were probably trying to get me up and about (more than settling nerves).

"(Inside), I'm pretty up and about, but if you look at me, you probably think I don't care at all, because I have this monotone voice and the look on my face – but the passion is there."

Rasheed has quickly adjusted to life as a footballer, finding it easier to train during the day than tack her SANFLW loads onto a full day of school, and feeling more confident as the season has progressed.

She said she was surprised at how welcoming everyone has been and how easy it has been to make connections.

"The training loads are a lot higher than what I'm used to, but it's been really good," she said.

"I was a bit surprised by how welcoming everyone's been, I thought I'd find it a lot harder to find connections in the group, but everyone's been so lovely and welcoming that I've found it really easy to fit in.

"It was so good to have 'Randy' (Chelsea Randall) back on the weekend, she makes everyone walk taller. 

“'Noffy' (Ebony Marinoff) is the ultimate professional, and getting to have a look at what she does day to day and how she goes about it has been really good for me.

"All the girls in the forward line – Danielle Ponter, Eloise Jones, Chelsea Randall and Hannah Munyard, who hasn't played much this year, but has been pretty big for me off the field. Maddi Newman as well. 

“And then being able to train against players like Zoe Prowse, Chelsea Biddell, Sarah Allan, it just makes it easier for you once you get out there, because they're such quality defenders.”

The Crows take on Melbourne a semi-final at Ikon Park  on Saturday at 12.35pm (ACDT).