Southern Stars all-rounder Delissa Kimmince joins Brisbane’s AFL Women’s side

THE Lions have roared into the AFL Women’s code-hopping recruiting spree by signing Brisbane Heat women’s cricket captain Delissa Kimmince.

Delissa Kimmince will play for the Brisbane Lions. Picture: Adam Smith

THE Lions have roared into the AFL Women’s code-hopping recruiting spree by signing Brisbane Heat women’s cricket captain and Southern Stars all-rounder Delissa Kimmince for the inaugural 2017 season.

Kimmince, 27, has played 11 one-day internationals and eight T20 internationals for the Southern Stars including two matches for Australia in the successful campaign at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2014.

She was selected for the 2015 Ashes tour but withdrew due to a back injury.

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Adelaide recently signed Olympic basketballer and WNBA player Erin Phillips for the groundbreaking competition while Fremantle recruited Olympic javelin thrower Kim Mickle as the eight clubs scour the country for elite sporting talent ahead of the February start.

Kimmince — who also played Brisbane first grade soccer for Souths United — only took up Australian football this year with Yeronga in the QWAFL to freshen herself up after a long summer that culminated with the Women’s Big Bash with the Heat.

Delissa Kimmince has signed with Brisbane. Picture: Adam Smith

Delissa Kimmince in action for the Brisbane Heat. Picture: Getty Images

The Warwick-born Kimmince will not join the Lions until her Heat commitments are finished in January and joins the AFL fray with cricket’s blessing after the Lions approached her coaches before approaching her.

She admits to not knowing all of the rules to football and while she may be an on-field rookie, Kimmince is happy to be an off-field mentor with her experience at top level women’s sport.

“I want to help the girls as they move from amateur to semi-professional sport. It is a big step and it’s all about being able to keep a level head,’’ she said.

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“Just because you are in this competition it doesn’t mean you are any bigger or better than anyone else. There’s a lot of commitment and sacrifice that comes with it.

“That’s one thing that excites me, being able to mentor those girls a little bit and guide them but on the field, they’ll be the ones helping me and telling me what to do.’’

Kimmince joins marquee players Tayla Harris and Sabrina Frederick-Traub as well as priority picks Emma Zielke and Kaitlyn Ashmore on the Lions’ list under the guidance of coach Craig Starcevich.