In July 2016, Pearce was announced as one of Melbourne's two marquee players to play in the inaugural AFL Women's season, alongside Melissa Hickey.
She was announced as the club's first AFLW captain in January 2017.
Pearce made her AFL Women's debut in the club's inaugural match in round 1, 2017 against Brisbane at Casey Fields.
She was listed among her team's best players, recording 19 disposals and a game-high ten tackles for the match.
Pearce was named in Melbourne's best in wins against Collingwood, the Western Bulldogs and Carlton over the next three rounds, and was highlighted as "Player of the Week" by the AFL Players Association for her round 4 performance.
After four rounds, Pearce was the highest-ranked player according to Champion Data, leading the competition for disposals and handballs, and leading in average contested possessions and goal assists.
She played all seven games for the season as Melbourne finished third on the ladder, only missing out on the grand final by percentage.
At the end of the season, Pearce was named captain of the 2017 AFL Women's All-Australian team and won the inaugural Melbourne best and fairest award and AFLW Players' best captain award.
Melbourne signed Pearce for the 2018 season during the trade period in May 2017.
She then captained Victoria in the inaugural AFL Women's State of Origin match on 2 September, where she was adjudged best afield with 37 disposals in the 97-point win.

Pearce had another good season in 2018, with best-on-ground performances in round 1 against Greater Western Sydney and in round 5 against Brisbane, and was selected in afl.com.au's Team of the Week in rounds 1, 3 and 5.
Her best game came in the round 5 match, in which she had 24 disposals and kicked two goals.
Pearce once again played all seven games for the season, as Melbourne again finished third on the ladder and missed out on the grand final by percentage.
At the end of the season, Pearce was named vice-captain of the 2018 AFL Women's All-Australian team, and again won the Melbourne best and fairest award and AFLW Players' best captain award.
Having resumed in the VFL Women's for Darebin in 2017 immediately after the inaugural AFL Women's season, Pearce sat out the 2018 VFL Women's season, citing the need to give her body a break from football.
Melbourne signed Pearce for the 2019 season during the trade and signing period in May 2018; however, on 31 August, Pearce announced her pregnancy with twins via Instagram, meaning that she would miss the 2019 season.
Her place on Melbourne's list was filled by Casey Sherriff, who played for Melbourne's VFL Women's affiliate Casey, and Elise O'Dea (who succeeded Pearce as Darebin captain in 2017) and Shelley Scott were eventually announced as co-captains in her place.

Pearce continued to mentor and work with Melbourne players in an unofficial assistant coach role when they returned for pre-season training in November 2018, and gave birth to twins in February 2019.
By April, she was back to her playing weight, and later that month, she signed for the 2020 season.
In July 2019, Pearce returned to the club to train three days a week as part of what she called her "pre-pre-pre-season" for 2020, and resumed training with her Melbourne teammates three weeks later.
In August, Pearce was announced as an assistant coach to Dermott Brereton for the Victorian team in that year's E.J. Whitten Legends Game.

In January 2020, Pearce was reinstated as Melbourne captain, with Melbourne coach Mick Stinear saying, "With her knowledge of our game plan, and her ability to instruct, support and give feedback on and off the field, she's just the ideal person to lead this group".
She also ran a personal best two-kilometre time trial time in the lead-up to her return to competitive football.
Later that month, Pearce made a successful return to football, playing the first three quarters of Melbourne's practice match win against Collingwood.
Leading into the season, womens.afl journalist Sarah Black named Pearce at no.
5 on her list of the top 30 players in the AFLW.
She played her
In July 2016, Pearce was announced as one of Melbourne's two marquee players to play in the inaugural AFL Women's season, alongside Melissa Hickey. She was announced as the club's first AFLW captain in January 2017. Pearce made her AFL Women's debut in the club's inaugural match in round 1, 2017 against Brisbane at Casey Fields. She was listed among her team's best players, recording 19 disposals and a game-high ten tackles for the match. Pearce was named in Melbourne's best in wins against Collingwood, the Western Bulldogs and Carlton over the next three rounds, and was highlighted as "Player of the Week" by the AFL Players Association for her round 4 performance. After four rounds, Pearce was the highest-ranked player according to Champion Data, leading the competition for disposals and handballs, and leading in average contested possessions and goal assists. She played all seven games for the season as Melbourne finished third on the ladder, only missing out on the grand final by percentage. At the end of the season, Pearce was named captain of the 2017 AFL Women's All-Australian team and won the inaugural Melbourne best and fairest award and AFLW Players' best captain award. Melbourne signed Pearce for the 2018 season during the trade period in May 2017. She then captained Victoria in the inaugural AFL Women's State of Origin match on 2 September, where she was adjudged best afield with 37 disposals in the 97-point win.
Pearce had another good season in 2018, with best-on-ground performances in round 1 against Greater Western Sydney and in round 5 against Brisbane, and was selected in afl.com.au's Team of the Week in rounds 1, 3 and 5. Her best game came in the round 5 match, in which she had 24 disposals and kicked two goals. Pearce once again played all seven games for the season, as Melbourne again finished third on the ladder and missed out on the grand final by percentage. At the end of the season, Pearce was named vice-captain of the 2018 AFL Women's All-Australian team, and again won the Melbourne best and fairest award and AFLW Players' best captain award. Having resumed in the VFL Women's for Darebin in 2017 immediately after the inaugural AFL Women's season, Pearce sat out the 2018 VFL Women's season, citing the need to give her body a break from football. Melbourne signed Pearce for the 2019 season during the trade and signing period in May 2018; however, on 31 August, Pearce announced her pregnancy with twins via Instagram, meaning that she would miss the 2019 season. Her place on Melbourne's list was filled by Casey Sherriff, who played for Melbourne's VFL Women's affiliate Casey, and Elise O'Dea (who succeeded Pearce as Darebin captain in 2017) and Shelley Scott were eventually announced as co-captains in her place.
Pearce continued to mentor and work with Melbourne players in an unofficial assistant coach role when they returned for pre-season training in November 2018, and gave birth to twins in February 2019. By April, she was back to her playing weight, and later that month, she signed for the 2020 season. In July 2019, Pearce returned to the club to train three days a week as part of what she called her "pre-pre-pre-season" for 2020, and resumed training with her Melbourne teammates three weeks later. In August, Pearce was announced as an assistant coach to Dermott Brereton for the Victorian team in that year's E.J. Whitten Legends Game.
In January 2020, Pearce was reinstated as Melbourne captain, with Melbourne coach Mick Stinear saying, "With her knowledge of our game plan, and her ability to instruct, support and give feedback on and off the field, she's just the ideal person to lead this group". She also ran a personal best two-kilometre time trial time in the lead-up to her return to competitive football. Later that month, Pearce made a successful return to football, playing the first three quarters of Melbourne's practice match win against Collingwood. Leading into the season, womens.afl journalist Sarah Black named Pearce at no. 5 on her list of the top 30 players in the AFLW. She played her
Daisy Pearce