Gold Coast Suns poised to sign up to seven more players in coming months

SUNS women’s footy manager Fiona McLarty says one of the biggest days in the club’s history could be followed by the announcement of seven new signings before the national draft.

SUNS women’s footy manager Fiona McLarty says one of the biggest days in the club’s history could be followed by the announcement of seven new signings before the national draft.

McLarty said a new era had begun at the Suns with the arrival of their first AFLW players in a landmark day for Gold Coast.

“It’s a huge moment for the club and for me it makes it feel a bit more real,” McLarty said.

McLarty revealed Gold Coast have the ability to sign up to seven players over the age of 19 from the academy and they will watching their performances through the QAFLW for as they mull over who to include.

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“We don’t have access until any more under-18 players until the draft but we will watch the QAFLW closely,” McLarty said.

“We won’t rush into any decisions but we found a few coming through there for last year’s Winter Series.

“We will take the opportunity to watch how they go through that competition and decide who we need for the team.”

Gold Coast Suns footy manager Fiona McLarty.

Gold Coast had a host of academy players to choose from but McLarty said Ellie Hampson, Charlotte Hammans and Kitara Whap-Farrar had shown the attributes they wanted.

“We have five in the national academy, and a lot of girls with the potential to play AFLW,” McLarty said.

“We went through the process to find the girls who are the best fit for the club right now.

“We will certainly pick up some other girls in the draft at the end of the year but for these three girls it was the right time.

(L-R) Ellie Hampson, Charlotte Hammans and Kitara Whap-Farrar pose during a Gold Coast Suns AFLW Media Opportunity on February 08, 2019 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images.

“It was about their footy development and where they are at on the field but also off it.

“A big thing for us as a whole club has been about the type of person, their values and the culture they set.

“These girls have outstanding character and will fit well into the footy club.”

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They are not key position players but with Hampson and Whap-Farrar having an ability to play in the backline and midfield and Hammans skills as a forward, Gold Coast have built a spine to build the rest of the team around.

“We are also thrilled that the three show our reach across our academy zones,” McLarty said.

“From Charlotte on the Gold Coast, to Kitara in Cairns and Ellie in Townsville. There is so much talent coming from all those regions.

“We will probably have five players a year that we bring from our academy into the AFLW. “We are working through our plans for the academy and how we expand it in the future.”