Mosman’s Nicola Barr and Erin McKinnon to play for GWS Giants in national AFL Women’s League

MOSMAN will have two local residents in the first AFL national league for women: No. 1 draft pick Nicola Barr and No. 48 pick Erin McKinnon.

GWS players and local Mosman residents Erin McKinnon and Nicola Barr. Picture: Carly Earl

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MOSMAN will be well represented in the inaugural AFL Wo­men’s League after GWS Giants signed two local residents.

The competition’s No. 1 draft pick Nicola Barr, 20, and 48th pick Erin McKinnon, 17, will play for the club next year.

Barr, a former Queenwood Aussie rules player, was “definitely surprised” at being the top draft pick.

The GWS Giants’ first seven women players. Pictured, back left to right, Kate Stanton, Erin McKinnon, Renee Tomkins, Kristy De Pellegrini, front left to right, Ashleigh Guest, Nicola Barr and Stephanie Walker. Picture: Gregg Porteous

The midfielder is studying medical science at The University of Sydney, where she just finished her second year of playing senior footy.

“I was very excited when they told me and just really excited to be a part of it,” Barr said.

She has played the sport for four years and was last year’s AFL Sydney Women’s Rising Star, as well as this year’s Women’s Premier Division Mostyn Medal best and fairest winner.

Nicola Barr in action for Sydney, marking in front of Lael Kassem of GWS during a Sydney Swans v GWS Giants Women's Exhibition Series AFL match at the SCG. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Barr started playing Aussie rules “randomly” in school when the sports director needed to get a team together for the state cup.

“We lost by a lot but I had such a good time; I just loved it,” she said.

“AFL is a really complete sport and it incorporates so many different aspects of different sports I played growing up.

Nicola Barr. Picture: Carly Earl

Erin McKinnon. Picture: Carly Earl

“I can run, mark, tackle and kick.

“I really put everything I have out on the field and I don’t think I get that feeling in another sport.”

McKinnon, the Giants’ sixth choice, is in Year 12 at Mosman High School and has played the sport for five years.

She is a founding member of the Mosman Swans girls’ team, led the under-18 team this year and won the club’s best and fairest award.

GWS Giants women players and HSC students Kate Stanton and Erin McKinnon. Picture: Gregg Porteous

McKinnon has also competed for Sydney University and was named in the AFL Youth Girls’ All-Australian team.

“I’m quite tall — 189cm or six-foot-two and a bit — so I get roped into playing quite a lot of sports at school: netball, basketball, volleyball,” she said.

“I like the physical aspect of AFL; there’s nothing else really like that for girls.”

Players at the AFL Women’s League draft. Pictured: Collingwood’s Nicola Stevens, Carlton’s Bianca Jakobsson, Brisbane’s Emily Bates, Adelaide’s Ebony Marinoff, GWS’ Nicola Barr, Western Bulldogs’ Jaimee Lambert, Fremantle’s Hayley Miller and Melbourne’s Elise O'Dea. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Eight teams will play in the first AFL Women’s League.

The eight-week season will be in February and March next year.

There will be six home-and-away rounds and the top four will play two semi-finals before a grand final.

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