PERHAPS it should come as no surprise that Brisbane has turned one All-Australian full-back into two this year, with Jen Dunne needing to only walk across the corridor at the Lions' training facility to pick the brain of one of the best in the game.

Dunne was one of 15 players to receive their first blazer at Monday night's AFLW Awards, continuing a breakout third season for the Irishwoman.

Since being recruited by the Lions in 2023, the Gaelic football star has been a sponge for information, desperate to improve in her new sport.

She has a wealth of knowledge to tap into within her own team through the likes of captain Bre Koenen, Shannon Campbell and Nat Grider. But earlier this year, a chat with the captain of the Lions' all-conquering men's side kick-started another leap forward in her game.

"It was a little chat here and there when the boys were around at the same time as us," Dunne tells AFL.com.au of her conversations with Harris Andrews, who this year was All-Australian for a third time. "I'd ask Harris how his game went and vice versa.

"There was once or twice we'd sit down and he'd show me clips from his games and what he'd work on, and I'd ask him for some advice.

"It mainly came down to that positioning and being assertive. The way Harris plays is so admirable.

"Even with spoiling, which is such a minor skill, but trying to get better at that and the impact that can have on a key forward who's not getting their hands on the ball.

"He's such a footy nerd and just loves it.

"It's great for the club there's such an overlap with the boys wanting to help us. It's great having him as a point of contact and he's very approachable."

Speaking to Andrews, one of the best key defenders of his generation in the men's competition, has been just part of the puzzle for Dunne.

Rather than return to Ireland for a full season of Gaelic football, as she did last year, the 25-year-old opted to do the entire pre-season in Brisbane, giving her extra time to build relationships and work on her game.

It wasn't an easy decision, though. Dunne was not only away from family for longer, but also had to watch from afar as her beloved Dublin won the All-Ireland Championship.

"They were successful and that was great, but you're not part of it and have been before, so that was hard," she said.

"But you have to fully embrace it when you're here.

"If you're saying the grass is greener, you're never going to be able to fully enjoy what you're in."

Dunne has locked down a Brisbane defence that became increasingly more difficult to score against as the season wore on.

She lost just two of 19 one-on-one contests in the home and away season and always took the opposition's best forward.

And while her primary job is to defend first, Dunne has also evolved her attacking game and is able to mix up her trademark long clearing kicks with shorter, more accurate passes in line with Brisbane's diversified ball movement.

She said the extra time with a Sherrin over pre-season and continually asking questions around the club was paying off.

"Learning that craft in terms of body work and positioning and in general my knowledge of the game, reading the play from the backline (has improved)," she said.

"Where I want to stand, negate different things ... watching more football.

"I'm a competitive person and ever since I've come here, I've wanted to be better, and it's frustrating being an Irish payer being good at something to basically learning how to walk again.

"I'm still growing and still have so much ahead of me."