BEFORE every game, Carlton's players perform a dance.

They're taught the dance at the captain's run, before skills and training work, then incorporate it into their pre-game warm-up before their match.

It's a way of shaking out some nerves, building excitement pre-game and ensuring everyone's on the same page and tuned into each other.

Most tellingly, the "dancemasters" are 18-year-old Poppy Scholz and 20-year-old Meg Robertson.

It's an indication of the enthusiasm and passion that's revitalised Carlton from 14th all the way to a preliminary final, driven by the young and fresh faces.

"Darcy (Vescio) actually started going to dance classes, and I'd been talking to Darce about how I wanted hobbies, and they were telling me about the dance classes they'd been going to," Scholz told AFL.com.au.

"Me and Meg decided we'd go to dance classes too, so we went to 'Curious Mover', which is the same one on a different night to Darce.

"We started dancing around the club, putting the music on in the gym, and we'd dance for our team. Our head of rehab/high performance, Liam, he said, 'Maybe we should get around this'.

"For our trial games, we did it, and everyone loved it. We go to line dancing classes sometimes, then bring bits and pieces back, and we teach it at our primer, or captain's run and then do it before the game. I love it, it's so much fun – I hope everyone else loves it.

"Everyone's been really good with picking up the dance as well. Everyone's actually really good, I think we've got some hidden talents in this group."

Scholz isn't the only one in her family to have brought dance to an AFLW team, with older sister Matilda the biggest TikToker in the competition, filming routines with teammates around Port Adelaide's Alberton headquarters.

"I used to dance. I stopped playing netball and football to dance [at one point]. Me and Matilda were always such 'Just Dance' (video game) kids, we would seriously play it all the time. I did dance until year nine, then realised I probably wasn't that good, so thought I should do something else," Scholz said.

"I told dad once that I didn't have to do my maths homework, because I was going to be a dancer when I was older. (Shrugs), I'm not a dancer.

"We both love it and have some sort of rhythm. Matilda is definitely more gifted in that area than I am, but we both love it, it's so much fun."

Scholz has built beautifully into her maiden AFLW season, having started life as a key defender before being moved forward recently to great success, kicking nine goals in the past six weeks and 11 for the season.

Her movement on the field is exceptional for her height of 179cm, and her footy IQ is notable, given her age and limited football experience.

She barely played last year, hobbled by an ankle injury as well as netball commitments with South Australia's under-18 side.

"It's been lots of fun, I've loved it. I love playing in the backline, I love the group of players in the backline, and moving forward has been awesome. I've really loved it all, and now having a new perspective in the forward line has really made me appreciate how hard it is to play forward – it's not just kicking goals, it's a lot more work than that," she said. 

"It's definitely different. I struggled a lot at the start of the year – last year, I had football and netball and school, I had my priorities across all three. This year, I haven't been able to study, I've just had football, which took me a while to adjust to, but it's so cool that this is my job and I can put all my time and effort into this, and we're playing good footy as a team."

It's a big ask to move interstate as an 18-year-old – Scholz is the youngest player in the League, not turning 19 until New Year's Eve – and while the pull of home will always be there, flying visits from Matilda help ease the pangs.

"I actually didn't know if she was going to come, and Abbey Dowrick (her partner) came as well, it was so cute to have them both, and got to hang out with them yesterday as well, which was good, because I don't get to see her much," she said.

"It's been a huge move. I've loved it so much. It's hard seeing all my family come over this weekend, then they all had to leave, it was a bit (pulls face), 'Can't you just stay', but I've loved it. Carlton has just wrapped its arms around me and given me, cringe, but family away from my family in Adelaide, so it's really nice."