Local coaches say SA needs a second AFLW team to help stop local talent moving to Victoria
SA needs a second AFLW team to stop the state losing talented women’s footballers to Victoria. That’s the view of some local coaches, whose teams have lost talent interstate since the end of last season.
SOUTH Australia needs a second AFLW team to help prevent talented players moving to Victoria to boost their draft chances, some state league coaches say.
At least seven SANFLW players have moved to Melbourne over winter to feature in the women’s Victorian Football League and will remain there as training partners with their club for the summer.
South Adelaide will lose three from its premiership-winning team – young gun Jorja Rowe, ex co-captain Kristi Harvey and Louella McCarthy – to Victoria.
Panthers coach Rick Watts said defender Caitlin Williams would have also stayed in Melbourne if she had not been struck down with an illness.
Watts said because the Crows’ AFLW team was made up of talent from SA and NT under the licence agreement, it limited opportunities for local girls.
He called for Port to bid for an AFLW team to stop the talent drain.
“For us at South, we want to be known for developing these girls,” Watts said.
“But if the AFL could allow Port Adelaide or if they (the Power) threw their hat in the ring, all of this talent would stay here.
“We really need Port Adelaide to get a team to keep our local talent in the state and not have to move to Victoria and other states.”
The addition of Geelong and North Melbourne to the AFLW in 2019 means six out of the 10 clubs will now be from Victoria.
Norwood premiership coach Steve Symonds said defender Nicola Burns, who was part of Carlton’s VFLW team, would stay with the Blues this summer.
“At the moment, the Crows only realistically have three, maybe four, positions on their list,” Symonds said.
“So because there is only one AFLW club in SA, the girls don’t have any choice if they want to get drafted.
“They have to move to Victoria to do that.
“If Port are still a few years away from putting a team in, the Crows are the only ones who can put players on their list, so they are better off going to Victoria to showcase their talents.”
North Adelaide mentor Matt Slade is bracing to lose state under-18 captain Esther Boles, who plans a Victorian move, while SA’s Jess Edwards, who is part of Collingwood’s VFLW team, will remain with the Magpies.
Slade expected to lose at least one more player to the VFLW.
“With Woodville-West Torrens and Central coming into the SANFLW next year, we could lose a couple to those teams,” Slade said.
“Then when you lose a few interstate, with 16 on the field, you’ve lost a quarter of your team and they are hard to replace.”
Port’s football general manager Chris Davies was unavailable for comment.
SANFL football boss Adam Kelly was also unavailable for comment.