IN a terrific coup for the Blues, two of Australia’s most talented Women’s Rugby Sevens players will run out for Carlton’s VFLW side this year.
Rio Olympic gold medallist Chloe Dalton and World Series representative Brooke Walker have made the switch to Aussie Rules, as the Blues sign 37 players to its inaugural VFLW list.
Rio Olympic Gold Medallist Chloe Dalton will line up for Carlton's VFLW team in 2018. (Photo: Carlton Media)
It will be the first time Carlton will feature a standalone team during the VFLW season, after being awarded a licence in 2017 to participate in this year’s revamped competition.
Providing a mix of experience and youth, a number of the Club’s AFLW players have also been added to the squad, including forward Darcy Vescio and midfielders Sarah Hosking and Nicola Stevens.
With the ability to change the list up to 10 times throughout the VFLW season, it gives Carlton the chance to rotate its AFLW-listed players across the course of the 16-round competition.
Another new teammate will be a familiar face to Carlton supporters, with the Blues signing the twin sister of the Club’s 2018 joint AFLW Best and Fairest winner, Breann Moody.
Standing at 184cm tall – four centimetres taller than her sister – Celine Moody will add height and agility to Carlton’s line-up this season.
Also pulling on the navy blue jumper will be former Fremantle Docker Akec Makur Chuot, inaugural Sandringham Dragons TAC Cup Girls Best and Fairest winner Olivia Vesely, and South Adelaide’s 2018 co-captain Kristi Harvey.
Carlton kicks off the official VFLW competition against the Southern Saints in the Round 1 season opener on Saturday 5 May.
Carlton’s 2018 VFLW squad, with playing numbers:
3 Darcy Vescio
4 Madeline Keryk
5 Kate Gillespie-Jones
6 Gabriella Pound
8 Maddison Gay
9 Kerryn Harrington
10 Sarah Hosking
13 Lauren Arnell
15 Isabella Gietzmann
16 Breann Moody
18 Tilly Lucas-Rodd
20 Courteney Bromage
21 Nicola Stevens
23 Bridie Kennedy
24 Reni Hicks
27 Katelyn Cox
32 Natalie Plane
33 Genevieve Green
34 Akec Makur Chuot
35 Sophie Li
36 Celine Moody
37 Bailey Schultz
38 Louella McCarthy
39 Rene Caris
40 Kristi Harvey
41 Kimberley Cunico
42 Caroline Hardeman
44 Eshe Lane
45 Rachel King
50 Jorja Borg
51 Tyla Hanks
55 Chloe Dalton
56 Caitlin Williams
63 Tess Plowman
66 Olivia Vesely
82 Nicola Burns
90 Brooke Walker
Newly appointed VFLW senior coach Shannon McFerran will lead the side this season, after the Club announced her appointment on Wednesday evening.
