AFLW sign and trade period 2021: Latest updates on off-season movements

In a bid to impress a new club, dual-sport star Tayla Harris has subjected herself to a punishing regime. All the latest plus every AFLW trade so far.

AFLW star Tayla Harris is training two to three times a day in an effort to reignite her football career, with two Victorian-based clubs still looming as possible new homes.

There had been fears the most recognisable face in women’s football might have to stand out of the game for a season following her departure from Carlton, after a pay dispute.

But Harris’ management has revealed it was having “promising” discussions with a few clubs as it searches for the right opportunity for the 24-year-old ahead of the June 9 trade deadline.

It is understood two Victorian clubs – Melbourne and St Kilda – remain in the mix.

Harris, who is determined to remain in Victoria, has ruled out potentially more lucrative options interstate.

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Tayla Harris has had interest from a number of clubs. Picture: Michael Klein

Harris’ manager, Alex Saundry, would not comment on the clubs she is dealing with, but said her client was committed to finding a home best suited to allowing her game to flourish again.

“We are working with a couple of clubs right now which we feel will be a better fit for Tayla as a footballer,” Saundry said.

“Finding the right opportunity for her to get back to her best form is our priority.

“She is training two to three times a day at the moment. Her sole focus is getting back out there. It needs to be the right opportunity with the right people around her.”

Melbourne’s AFLW trade priority at the moment is working on a potential deal that could deliver young Geelong star Olivia Purcell to the Demons, but Harris remains on the radar.

The Herald Sun revealed last month Harris wanted around $150,000 to remain with Carlton, with both parties ultimately deciding to part ways after being unable to come to terms.

Harris is training three times a day in a bid to reignite her AFLW career.

But Saundry dismissed suggestions money was one of Harris’ motivating factors.

“Money is not the driving force for us,” Laundry said. “It is about finding the right environment to help get her back to her best.”

Harris, a three-time AFLW All-Australian, struggled to find her best form in 2021, but is confident she can return to that form again.

It comes as player agent Peter Jess has called on the AFL to invest in the star power of women footballers to arrest the “permanent imbalance of the wage/salary divide”.

Jess said the AFL should have been willing to pay the $150,000 at the centre of the Harris wage dispute.

A report commissioned by Jess showed that Harris’ name and image was referenced more than 8000 times since January 1 last year and had amassed more than $30 million in advertising space.

Star Tiger Sabrina Frederick is now a Pie. Picture: AAP

TRADE SHOCK: COLLINGWOOD SWOOPS ON STAR TIGER

High-profile AFLW star Sabrina Frederick is officially a Magpie, after Richmond and Collingwood agreed to terms of a trade on the first day of the AFLW’s sign and trade period on Monday.

The Pies secured the services of the two-time All-Australian forward along with draft picks 26 and 55, with Richmond receiving 13-game Collingwood midfielder Maddie Shevlin and picks 16 and 48.

Frederick, 24, who became a household name last year when she starred in reality TV show SAS Australia, now lands at her third AFLW club, after 23 games with Brisbane in the inaugural three seasons of the AFLW, and a further 15 games with Richmond in the past two years.

Collingwood’s head of women’s sport, Jane Woodlands-Thompson, said the club was looking forward to adding the experience of the foundation marquee player to their playing list.

“As a foundation AFLW player, Frederick’s maturity and natural leadership will be well received amongst the group,” Woodlands-Thompson said.

“There’s a lot to be said of a player who has not missed an AFLW match since the league’s very first round.”

The Magpies finished third in the 2021 season, narrowly missing out on making the grand final after losing to eventual premiers, Brisbane, in the preliminary final by four points.

Frederick is now teammates with reigning joint AFLW best and fairest winner, Bri Davey.

While thanking Richmond, Frederick also said she was looking forward to the next chapter of her life at Collingwood.

“I’m excited to grow and challenge myself professionally,” she said.

“I can’t wait to get started in the black and white.”

Over five seasons, Frederick has kicked 20 goals and averages 10 disposals and 2.1 inside-50s a game.

Woodlands-Thompson wished Shevlin well.

“We look forward to watching her continue to develop as an elite footballer,” she said.

The AFLW sign and trade period continues on Tuesday, with Carlton star Tayla Harris still on the hunt for a new club.

Carlton star Tayla Harris is at a contract impasse with the Blues. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

COULD CROWS MAKE SHOCK PLAY FOR HARRIS?

Adelaide will enter Monday’s AFLW sign and trade period confident it can re-sign reigning club champion Ebony Marinoff, despite a lucrative offer from St Kilda on the table for the prolific ballgetter.

Crows head of women’s football Phil Harper said the club had been locked in fruitful discussions with their All-Australian midfielder and was expecting to secure her signature early in the sign and trade period, which starts at 11.30am on Monday.

“We’re confident she’ll stay,” Harper said.

Marinoff, 23, averaged a career-high 23.5 touches and four inside-50s this season, and was crowned club champion ahead of fellow ball magnet Anne Hatchard.

She features strongly in the club’s future plans and Adelaide will be thrilled to have fought off the Saints’ offer, which was reportedly double her 2021 contract with the Crows.

The other big name the Crows are confident of signing is that of superstar Erin Phillips, who’s understood to have pushed thoughts of retirement aside for another season.

“I’ve still got to finalise some things with her manager, but everything’s trending towards that she’ll want to keep going next year,” Harper said.

But Adelaide have lost their young premiership-winning key forward Chloe Scheer, who has requested a trade to Geelong.

Ebony Marinoff is expected to recommit to the Adelaide Crows. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

Harper said while the club was disappointed to lose the “extremely talented” 21-year-old, the Crows were understanding of her wanting to try something different.

“We weren’t offering Chloe (for trade), we offered her a reasonable deal,” he said.

“We have all witnessed Chloe’s talent over her time at the Crows and thank her for her service over the past three years.”

Harper said the club would now nut out the deals of the trade with the Cats, with the potential of luring a key forward into the team as a direct replacement for Scheer, with the possibility of a multi-club trade.

Harper said Adelaide was unlikely to pursue out-of-contract Carlton forward Tayla Harris to replace Scheer’s forward-line presence.

“We’re interested (in Harris) because she’s a good player, but for what we have left in our salary cap, I don’t think she’s going to be moving states for that,” Harper said. “But we haven’t even asked the question, to be honest.”

Veteran Angela Foley, who captained the side in place of Chelsea Randall in April’s grand final loss to Brisbane, will be placed on the club’s inactive list for the 2021-22 season, after the defender tore her ACL during the grand final.

With the AFLW season start being brought forward to early December, Foley won’t be able to return to the field in time.

The AFLW’s sign and trade period will commence on Monday, May 31 and will conclude on Friday June 25, with the trade portion to finish on June 2.

The Crows are confident of re-signing the majority of their players in that time, leaving three or four spots free for draft picks ahead of pre-season that will start in early September.