Transgender footballer Hannah Mouncey to play VFLW this season

TRANSGENDER footballer Hannah Mouncey, who banned from playing AFLW, has begun training with a VFLW club and although she is yet to sign up, will participate in this season’s state competition.

Former men's handball team member Hannah Mouncey in Canberra. Picture: Ray Strange.

TRANSGENDER footballer Hannah Mouncey will play VFLW football this season as a potential stepping stone to the AFLW.

The VFL confirmed it had no issues with Mouncey’s participation in a season starting in the first weekend of May.

Mouncey said she had begun training with a VFLW club but was yet to officially sign up after moving to Melbourne late last month.

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The VFL believes that team is the Darebin Falcons, one of 13 teams in the new-look VFLW league.

A series of practice matches start this weekend, with Mouncey adamant she proposed no safety threat to rival players.

She is dealing with a minor toe injury that should not push back her participation in Round 1

The AFL recently ruled that Mouncey was eligible to play in any state or local league underneath the AFLW, which they banned her from playing in this year.

Hannah Mouncey has been training with a VFLW club. Picture: Ray Strange.

It has said its decision to prevent her playing AFLW despite interest from several clubs only applied to the 2018 season.

VFL football boss John Hook told the Herald Sun the rules about Mouncey playing VFLW were clear.

Mouncey is yet to be officially listed at Darebin, with clubs not yet required to enter full lists as they wait for AFLW delistings.

“The way the rule came down from the AFL was that if she decided to be play VFL, she was allowed,” Hook said.

“The question is whether she is on a list and we don’t know that yet.”

Mouncey had few issues when playing at Canberra club Ainslie over the safety of other players despite her 190cm, 100kg frame.

But there are already some at VFL level who are concerned about her presence in a league with many young kids coming from suburban and TAC Cup Under-18 sides.

Mouncey was banned from playing the AFLW. Picture: Kym Smith

Mouncey’s Ainslie coach Chris Rourke said last year he had no safety concerns about her in the Canberra league.

“To be fair, when I first saw her run out I did think ‘gees, she’s big’ but the way she plays certainly the opposition weren’t frightened of her,” Rourke said.

“She went about her business, she was quite slow but had nice skills.”

Mouncey remains adamant she is fighting for the rights of all transgender people to play elite sport.

“Yes, the AFL might prefer that I did not exist or chose to go and do something else, but that is not how it is, and we are not people to be ignored in the hope that will happen,” she said recently.

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