GIANTS re-sign 21 as locals spread their wings

Image courtesy of Narelle Spangher.

 

The first of two AFL Women’s Trading and Signing Periods was completed today with AFL NSW/ACT players being secured across the country.

To close off the ten day trading and signing period, the GWS GIANTS announced they have re-signed 21 players to their squad. From this, 12 players from New South Wales and the ACT have been secured for the 2020 season, including the likes of Amanda Farrugia, Haneen Zreika, Alyce Parker and Erin McKinnon. Canberra’s Britt Tully will also return following a year away from the game.

Central Coast native and 2019 GWS GIANTS Gabrielle Trainor Medalist, Rebecca Beeson told gwsgiants.com.au, that the decision to come back for another year was simple.

“It’s very exciting because I think we’re build something special, despite this last season not being what we wanted,” she said.

“Being the only club in Sydney and being a Sydney girl, this is my home, it would feel weird for me to turn my back on my home club.

“It was an obvious decision for me to stay and build the game here in New South Wales.”

The complete list of re-signed GIANTS includes, Amanda Farrugia, Alicia Eva, Cora Staunton, Haneen Zreika, Elle Bennetts, Nicola Barr, Ellie Brush, Jacinda Barclay, Louise Stephenson, Rebecca Beeson, Pepa Randall, Erin McKinnon, Yvonne Bonner, Alyce Parker, Jodie Hicks, Aimee Schmidt, Ingrid Nielsen, Tanya Hetherington, Jessica Dal Pos, Britt Tully and Taylah Davies (Rookie).

Canberra local, Maddie Shevlin was also re-signed by Collingwood after making her debut for the Magpies in the 2019 season

Yamba’s Brianna McFarlane has also been retained at her club, the Brisbane Lions. While McFarlane was unable to contribute to the Lions’ 2019 season due to a shoulder injury which stopped her season before it had even begun, the club have confirmed their faith in the tall, announcing her re-signing early on in the trade and signing period.

Foundation GIANTS player, Maddy Collier was signed by expansion club, the West Coast Eagle earlier this week. Following three years at the GIANTS, the Nowra product, who has the Women’s Best and Fairest Medal named after her in the AFL South Coast competition, signed onto the new AFLW club with her once GIANTS teammate, Emma Swason.

Also leaving Tom Wills Oval for an expansion club will be Sydney’s Phoebe Monahan, who has signed with Richmond. Having played for the Tigers during their inaugural VFL Women’s season in 2018, Monahan’s transition into the yellow and black was easily made.

Expansion clubs (Gold Coast Suns, Richmond, St Kilda, West Coast Eagles) were able to sign up to 12 players during the signing and trading period. Expansion clubs could sign no more than four players from any Victorian team, the Adelaide Crows or GWS Giants and no more than eight players from Fremantle or the Brisbane Lions.

All clubs could sign up to three Rookie players. Rookie players are those that have not been listed with any Australian football team for the past three years.

Following meetings between the AFL and the four expansion clubs this week, a second Sign and Trade Period has been confirmed between April 23-26.

A Draft lottery was also conducted which saw expansion teams St Kilda, Richmond, West Coast Eagles and the Gold Coast Suns randomly drawn in that order. As per previous years, only selections in first five rounds can be traded. The AFL see fit to provide compensation selections after expansion signings. The NAB AFLW Draft order as at April 5 is below.

Key dates for the 2019 AFLW Sign and Trade Period:

April 8 – 18 – Sign & Trade Period #1 (including expansion signings)
April 23 – 2019 NAB AFLW Draft order confirmed
April 23 – 26 – Sign & Trade Period #2 (excluding expansion signings)
April 26 – 30 – Free Agency
May 3 – List Lodgement #1

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