Gold Coast QAFLW clubs are set to be big beneficiaries of AFL Victoria’s decision to cut back the VFLW season

The next wave of AFLW talent is set to land on the Gold Coast’s doorstep as QAFLW clubs prepare to be big beneficiaries of AFL Victoria’s decision to cut back the VFLW season. SUBSCRIBE TO READ FULL STORY.

THE next wave of AFLW talent is set to land on the Gold Coast’s doorstep as QAFLW clubs prepare to be big beneficiaries of AFL Victoria’s decision to cut back the VFLW season.

AFL Victoria announced this month that the VFLW could not return in its traditional form in 2020 due to ten of the 12 clubs having affiliations with AFL clubs and AFL COVID-19 protocol prohibiting anyone but AFL staff and players from accessing club facilities.

Instead, the league will stage a four-team VFLW Super Series in September.

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120 of the league’s brightest talents will have the chance to push their case for AFLW draft selection across three games and an All-Stars match.

The decision leaves several mature aged Victorian AFLW hopefuls and listed AFLW players without a team for the 2020 season.

Coolangatta QAFLW coach Nicole Graves said she had received several inquiries from Victorian-based players searching for opportunities to play a full-length season as the QAFLW prepares to recommence on July 11.

Essendons Courtney Ugle will play QAFLW football this year due to the decision to stage a VFLW Super Series. Pic: Michael Klein

“With essentially no VFLW, there are a lot of girls in their early to mid-20s who may or may not get an opportunity to play at all this year,” she said.

“Without any footy and the chance to be seen in regular games, there’s a real barrier in the way of draft opportunities.

“We’ve certainly had girls from Sydney, Canberra and Victoria talking to us about playing QAFLW football.”

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Graves has already secured the services of Essendon VFLW captain Courtney Ugle who reached out to the Coolangatta mentor following the pair’s close relationship from their time at Swan Districts in Western Australia.

Suns AFLW runner-up club champion Lauren Ahrens has also been granted clearance to play for Coolangatta after realising opportunities were limited at home in Melbourne.

Lauren Ahrens will play for Coolangatta in 2020. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

But beyond Ugle and Ahrens, the Bluebirds are at capacity and have been welcoming around 60 players, including around a dozen AFLW listed players, to each training session due to their partnership with the Tweed Coast Tigers.

“We can’t take a single extra player in,” Graves said.

“With no Winter Series this year, it’s important on our end to get a lot of footy into those AFLW listed girls but it’s also been great for our younger girls to have them around.”