Tassie trio snapped up in AFLW Draft

Hobart talents Brooke Barwick, Georgia Clark and Mackenzie Ford are AFLW bound after they were snapped up in Monday’s Draft, with two picked in the top eight selections. Read the details and reactions here.

Georgia Clark and Brooke Barwick were both taken high up in Monday night’s AFLW Draft. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Two Tasmanian talents have been snapped up in the top eight selections of Monday night’s AFLW Draft, with three Apple Isle products in total having their dreams come true.

A season sidelined through injury didn’t harm Barwick’s Draft prospects after she was taken at pick four by the Western Bulldogs.

Fellow Glenorchy/Claremont product Clark was taken by Collingwood at pick eight, while Kingborough midfielder Mackenzie Ford was grabbed by Richmond at no.43.

Clark is a dynamic key forward with an ability to find plenty of the ball downfield.

Barwick missed Tasmania Devils’ Coates Talent League campaign with an ACL injury, but the speedy midfielder already had plenty of credits in the bank.

Mackenzie Ford. Picture: Linda Higginson / Tasmania Devils

She was selected in the All Australian side last year after a brilliant season as a bottom age player for the Allies, and was a member of the AFL National Academy.

Barwick spent the year as helping coach the Devils midfielders and believes it will make her a better footballer at the top level.

“It was amazing. It was a very tough situation when I was injured, but just having those resources and tapping into things outside of footy helped a lot,” she told afl.com.au.

“Coaching was one of them and I learned a lot off the field, so hopefully I can implement that on the field.

Brooke Barwick in action for Tasmania Devils last year. Picture: Linda Higginson

“Ellie Blackburn (Bulldogs captain who presented Barwick her jersey) came down to Tassie one day and I was over the moon. I’m excited to see what this journey brings.”

Barwick began playing football aged 11 after deciding the non contact nature of previous sports netball and soccer wasn’t for her.

She was determined to remain positive through her injury hiatus and is now keen to help the Bulldogs climb the ladder after they won just one game this season.

“It was definitely hard watching on from the sidelines as my teammates ran out,” Barwick said last week.

Brooke Barwick is congratulated by loved ones at the AFLW Draft in Melbourne. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“But I think it was just a switch of mindset to being positive and the things I can learn outside of the game and hopefully that improves when I go back to playing.

“I think it’s so important to have that metal resilience along with the physical resilience because footy is so mental as well so if you can be strong off the field you are going to do well on it.”

Clark said she was surprised by her high selection, but two straight All Australian selections in the Coates Talent League is an indication of how highly she’s regarded.

The selections continue a dream draft year for Tasmania after four players were taken in the men’s draft, headlined by no.2 pick Colby McKercher (North Melbourne).