Northern Knights looking to repeat last year’s AFLW Draft success
Northern Knights coach Marcus Abney-Hastings says if the club can continue to produce AFLW talent on-field success will follow after winning a maiden NAB League Girls premiership and seeing five players drafted in 2019.
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Northern Knights coach Marcus Abney-Hastings says the defending premier can repeat last season’s AFLW draft success.
The Knights had five players taken last October, including No.1 pick Gabby Newton, after an undefeated NAB League Girls season.
SEE THE FULL NORTHERN KNIGHTS 2020 SQUAD BELOW
Newton, Nell Morris-Dalton (No.6) and Britney Gutknecht (No.48) were all snapped up by the Western Bulldogs.
Richmond then secured Sarah Sansonetti with pick No.40 and Ciara Fitzgerald at No.87.
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The Knights boast five AFL Academy members and Abney-Hastings is confident that will translate to success on and off the field.
“It’s a bit of a cliche, but I’m excited about our top-age girls getting drafted and winning is a by-product of that,” he said.
“We’re not looking at win-loss, we’re looking at getting as many girls drafted as possible. Our top-agers are really strong and AFLW ready.”
Co-captains Jess Fitzgerald and Ellie McKenzie, Alyssa Bannan, Maeve Chaplin and 17-year-old Maykaylah Appleby will take part in the academy this season.
Fitzgerald claimed best-on-ground honours in the Knights’ premiership triumph last season, while McKenzie was named in the NAB League Girls Team of the Year.
Abney-Hastings declared 19-year-old basketball convert Stephanie Fell is also draft ready.
“Ellie is a powerful midfielder and has a really good mix of inside-outside ball winning ability, while Jess has got wonderful agility and speed off the mark,” Abney-Hastings said.
“Alyssa is an athletic key forward and Maeve plays off half-back but we’re trying to build her game through the midfield.
“Steph played centre half-back and full-back in our premiership team last season, in her first season of football.
“She’s had a really strong pre-season, tall and athletic, she marks the ball really well. We’re really excited by her development.”
Strong early-season form could result in further teammates earning selection for Vic Metro duties in the under-18 national championships.
Abney-Hastings returns for a second season after claiming the NAB League Girls Coach of the Year award in his debut season.
The Knights’ campaign starts with a grand final rematch against Calder Cannons at Bundoora’s RMIT University on Saturday.
The match is part of a double-header, with Geelong Falcons taking on Gippsland Power.
NORTHERN KNIGHTS NAB LEAGUE GIRLS SQUAD
Maykaylah Appleby (South Morang)
Olivia Bandera (Research)
Alyssa Bannan (Diamond Creek)
Megan Barnes (Banyule)
Abigail Bennett (West Preston-Lakeside)
Gulia Ceravolo (West Preston-Lakeside)
Maeve Chaplin (Darebin)
Tarrah Delgado (Research)
Stephanie Fell (Darebin)
Jessica Fitzgerald (St Mary’s)
Megan Girolami (St Mary’s)
Tannah Hurst (Darebin)
Lauren Jatczak (Eltham)
Georgia Kitchell (St Mary’s)
Ellie McKenzie (Fitzroy)
Trinity Mills (St Mary’s)
Michaela Molenberg (Research)
Simone Mooney (Fitzroy)
Phoebe Nelson (Fitzroy)
Jessica Nursey (St Mary’s)
Mia Papachristos (Ivanhoe)
Christina Papadimitriou (Northcote)
Lanarose Picioane (St Mary’s)
Brooke Plummer (Yarrambat)
Mikayla Plunkett (St Mary’s)
Tallia Pulcino (West Preston-Lakeside)
Monique Ramsay (Research)
Jessica Simpson (St Mary’s)
Ella Smallacombe (Kew Comets)
Teleah Smart (St Mary’s)
Ashleigh Snow (Darebin)
Victoria Trentin (Richmond)
Jade Ventura (Whittlesea)
Grace Wake (Diamond Creek)
April Woodward (Montmorency)