Retired netball legend Sharni Layton set to pull on footy boots as AFLW clubs circle
RETIRED Australian Diamonds netball star Sharni Layton says she is open to a switch to AFLW and is set to be aggressively pursed by multiple clubs.
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RETIRED Australian Diamond Sharni Layton is open to a switch to AFLW and will be aggressively pursed by multiple AFL clubs.
Carlton has already indicated an interest in the aggressive 188cm defender, with Collingwood one of a number of clubs that would be a natural fit.
Layton retired from netball at only 30 after two World Championships and a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
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Australian Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander told the Herald Sun yesterday she had no question Layton could make the switch to AFLW.
Alexander said the skill acquisition challenge was her greatest hurdle, but lauded Layton’s competitiveness and natural athleticism.
The media personality would be the perfect package for an AFLW club given her natural flair and marketing appeal.
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Layton told the Herald Sun over the weekend she was open to all offers and taking time to assess her future after last week’s netball retirement.
She could be picked up as a cross-code AFLW selection, with her last season of football during her school days when she won a state championship.
Industry figures believe she will land at Collingwood with good mate Ash Brazill but clubs are making inquiries.
She can be paid up to a tier-one salary ($22,000) but clubs can top that up with significant sums as an ambassador or their official ASAs under the salary cap.
“I would have loved her to stay in netball. She is a netballer number one and I don’t want to underplay the skill required to play AFL,” Alexander said.
“But there are no issues with her athletic capability. It’s just working on the skills of the game. We had Erin Hoare who made a good transition across to the AFL as a ruck (with Melbourne). So there is no reason why she can’t. It will be entirely up to her. She would have to be ready for the collisions. Those sort of random collisions happen in netball too but she would need to put on a bit more lean muscle to cope with those collisions and impact injuries.
“To me I think it’s great for people to play sport and if this is a sport she chooses to play in her later years (of professional sport), why not?
“She will be terrific for an AFLW club that also wants a person to help sell the sport. We will try to keep her in netball in commentary or media, because she would be terrific.
“It is up to our sport to make her an attractive offer as well.”
Collingwood AFLW coaches who have seen her kick the football have no doubt she will make the grade like WNBA basketballer and AFLW MVP Erin Phillips.
Said one AFLW figure: “Collingwood would have approached her and every other club would have approached her. It’s a free hit. There is no doubt she would make it in AFLW.”
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