Gold Coast making audacious AFLW trade play for Adelaide Crows star Anne Hatchard

In a bombshell move that is set to shake up the AFLW trade period, a rival club is eyeing triple-premiership Crow Anne Hatchard. Here’s how – and why – a shock deal could happen.

Adelaide has confirmed Anne Hatchard is open to continuing her AFLW career at another club amidst interest from the Gold Coast Suns in the triple-premiership Crows star.

As first reported by Code Sports on Friday, Gold Coast is making a bold play for the 27-year-old in a move that would shake the foundations of the AFLW trade period.

The Suns have spoken to Hatchard, who is contracted until 2027, about bolstering their AFLW list.

It comes just two weeks after Gold Coast unveiled Erin Phillips as its new general manager of women’s football.

Phillips played in three flags at the Crows alongside Hatchard and previously tried to convince her to move to Port Adelaide.

On Friday afternoon the Crows released a statement confirming they were “aware of rival interest”.

“Adelaide’s Anne Hatchard is open-minded about continuing her playing career at another club,” the statement read.

Gold Coast is making a bold play for star Crow Anne Hatchard. Picture: Maya Thompson/Getty Images

“Adelaide is aware of rival interest but also holds Hatchard in high regard, having enjoyed a decorated first 10 seasons in the competition including three premierships, four All-Australian selections and three Adelaide Best and Fairest awards.

“Given the 27-year-old is a contracted player for another two seasons, the club and Hatchard are now working through their options.”

Gold Coast’s ambitious play is proof the Suns are aspirational in their desire to climb back up the ladder under first-year coach Rhyce Shaw and start contending as soon as possible after claiming the 2025 wooden spoon.

But securing Hatchard’s services could require some creative trading given the Suns are currently in the market to secure as many top 30 picks as possible to match bids on a suite of academy stars, headlined by top 10 chances Ava Usher, Sunny Lappin, Dekota Baron and Georja Davies.

Gold Coast has discussed trading its No.1 pick with Richmond in a move that would give the Suns much-needed draft capital to achieve those goals.

However the Crows have also publicly stated their desire to hold pick one in this month’s draft and could request the prized selection be included in any Hatchard deal.

That could create a trade impasse between the two clubs, given the Suns’ priority has always been securing as many academy stars as possible and the No.1 pick is a key puzzle piece to doing so.

Gold Coast is also exploring outgoing trades for Lauren Bella, Jacqui Dupuy and Claudia Whitfort which would bring in further draft capital.

Hatchard has forged a stellar football resume across her 102 games to date, featuring in Adelaide’s 2017, 2019 and season six (2022) premierships, winning the best-a-field medal in the latter triumph.

The 27-year-old is already a four-time All-Australian and three-time Adelaide club champion.

But the Crows and the Suns will spend the remaining days of the trade period attempting to concoct a win-win trade, with clubs able to trade future picks for the first time.

Hatchard would bring significant experience and leadership to a fledgling Suns’ outfit who added Melbourne star Lily Mithen in last year’s trade period. Hatchard has also proven to be a threat in attack.

Hatchard has played 102 AFLW games. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos

Before her 100-game milestone earlier this year, Hatchard spoke about her admiration for Phillips.

“To think I started as this kid who was terrible at kicking a footy, and just idolising Erin (Phillips)… to be able to reach this milestone means the world to me,” Hatchard said.

“I had always wished I played basketball with her and next minute I’m here playing footy with her. It’s been incredible this whole journey and I still pinch myself.”

Hatchard being open to switching clubs comes as the Crows undergo what their chief executive Tim Silvers called “a little bit of a reset” of their women’s program.

Ryan Davis was this week appointed as the club’s new senior coach, replacing dual-premiership winner Matthew Clarke who announced in April that he would step down at season’s end.

Asked in light of Silvers’ “reset” comment on Thursday whether the goal for the team next season was still to challenge for a premiership, Davis said: “Going into the next couple of weeks and months, into the draft and trade period, getting some new talent into the list, it’s probably a bit early to be throwing predictions out this early in the pre-season.

“We still need to work out what that looks like in the coming months and get stuck into pre-season.

“Everybody in the room wants to win. High-performing groups who probably by their own admission didn’t quite hit the marks they wanted to last year, I’ve always found genuine competitors will come back ready to atone for 2026.”

Originally published as Gold Coast making audacious AFLW trade play for Adelaide Crows star Anne Hatchard