St Kilda names Cat Phillips, Kate Shierlaw and Rhiannon Watt as inaugural AFLW captains

St Kilda has revealed a captaincy trio for its inaugural AFLW season and they share a remarkable connection with three of the club’s great AFL skippers.

A former Demon and two ex-Blues walked into Moorabbin.

And all three will lead the Saints in the team’s first AFL Women’s season in a captaincy model unique to the burgeoning women’s competition.

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Cat Phillips, Kate Shierlaw and Rhiannon Watt have been installed as St Kilda’s inaugural AFLW captains with the team’s AFLW journey to begin on February 9.

“Eight months ago, I never thought that I would be here,” ex-Melbourne winger Phillips said.

“The show of faith by the girls in voting for me and wanting me to lead them is incredible. I feel very proud and honoured.”

St Kilda has named Kate Shierlaw, Cat Phillips and Rhiannon Watt as joint captains for its inaugural AFLW season.

In an added quirk, the trio just happen to don the numbers of previous Saints men’s captains in 35 (Phillips and Robert Harvey), 12 (Shierlaw and Nick Riewoldt) and 7 (Watt and Lenny Hayes).

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Lifelong Saints fan Watt — who admits she “idolised” Hayes — said she had “shotgunned the fun cop” job with Phillips having the footy side covered and Shierlaw “the serious one”.

“I hope to bring a bit of fun and a bit of care and a real enthusiasm for all the girls,” she said.

The triple-captaincy model isn’t new to Moorabbin, with Hayes, Riewoldt and former Saint Luke Ball having shared duties in 2007.

Cat Phillips in action for Melbourne in 2019. Picture: Getty Images

Phillips — who has also represented Australia in Ultimate Frisbee — said the trio of new Saints would be perfectly balanced to share the leadership load.

“One of the things that I really value about our team and the club here is that we really empower all of the people within the club to bring their unique personality and bring everything that they can,” Phillips said.

“Working with Rhi and Kate will add to that — the three of us all have different strengths and we all have a lot of respect or each other. I can’t wait to get into it.”

Coach Peta Searle said that the multi-captain model had been trialled with the Southern Saints VFLW team last season to great effect.

“These three women were elected because of the way they exemplify and encourage the growth of the culture we’re creating here at the Saints,” Searle said.

“We’ve found that the female players really respond to shared leadership, which promotes greater connection and autonomy, rather than one what you’d find in a traditional hierarchical system.”

Originally published as St Kilda names Cat Phillips, Kate Shierlaw and Rhiannon Watt as inaugural AFLW captains